Compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) by state-registered and non-registered vegetable farmers in Trinidad, West Indies

Abstract

If Trinidad farmers are to meet consumers’ demands for safer food and also the requirements for export of produce then they must embrace Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) on farms. This study assessed the extent of compliance with GAPs among smallholder vegetable farmers (n = 196) across Trinidad, West Indies. Farmers were randomly selected and surveyed using a structured interview schedule designed to capture personal, demographic and farm related data as well as the extent of compliance with GAPs from the recommended protocols governing production and post production practices. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and categorical regression. Overall, compliance was low among all farmers; farmers registered as exporters with the state owned national marketing company had lower compliance levels than those not registered; the level of compliance with GAPs was different based on gender, education, farming experience, number of extension visits received, size of farm, land tenure status and export status (all at p ≤ 0.05 of level of significance). Categorical regression results showed that the status of land tenure, number of extension visits received and the institution at which farmers were trained were the most important factors determining the extent of compliance with GAPs. Land tenure and number of extension visits were consistently the most important factors among the entire sample and subsamples (registered as exporters and non-registered with the state owned national marketing company). If Trinidad farmers are to produce vegetables of higher quality, which are safe to eat and meet all international safety protocols then urgent actions are needed i) to better educate the extension service in order to improve GAPs compliance and ii) for governmental intervention to improve farmers’ land tenancy arrangements.