MIRI: Miri Planters Association, in collaboration with the Agriculture Department, will be holding the Miri Good Agriculture Practice (MyGAP) seminar at Dynasty Hotel on May 6.
MyGAP is a quality assurance programme in the agriculture sector and a certification scheme by the Department of Agriculture, which was implemented since 2002.
Its objective is to give recognition to farms that practices good agriculture concepts, such as having an environmentally friendly concept as well as taking good care of the workers’ welfare and safety with the focus to produce high quality, safe and edible products.
The scheme is based on the Malaysia Standard MS 1784 : 2005 Crop Commodities – Good Agriculture Practices (GAP).
GAP is a management system that promotes good agriculture practice according to the required standard and regulation, to reduce hazard , risk and impact on agriculture production. The management system is able to improve productivity, ensure the safety and welfare of workers, food safety and is environmentally friendly.
According to chairman of Miri Planters Association, TK Jong, six speakers have been invited to speak at the seminar, including one speaker from Agriculture Department Kuala Lumpur.
“We initially set the date of the seminar on April 28 but changed it to May 6,” said Jong, adding that the seminar is limited to 125 people as the venue for the seminar can only accommodate that capacity.
Jong said this during a courtesy visit by the organisers to the Assistant Minister of Communications, Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
The visit, among others, was to present Lee with a letter to invite him to open the seminar on May 6.
Topics for the seminar are: Introduction to MyGAP, MyGAP Site Inspection; MyGAP Requirement; GAP in the use of pesticides; Soil Management Practices in MyGAP farms; Green Waste Management and Composting Techniques in MyGAP as well as Safe Use of Pesticides.
Currently, more than 90 people have registered themselves for the seminar and there are not many seats left, so those interested are advised to register soonest to avoid disappointment.
Closing date for registration is April 30.
Those interested can contact Jong at 012-8889688 or V M Chin at 013-8351938/085-430189.