Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agricultural Health Food safety Knowledge management

IICA and Bayer launch virtual course to assist producers to conform to international standards on Good Agricultural Practices

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The online training is free of cost and will be available at the Institute’s virtual campus as of 28 May.

The online course will be available at the Institute’s virtual campus as of 28 May.

San José, 3 May 2018 (IICA). On 28 May, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture will launch the English version of the “Programa de capacitación Bayer para la facilitación del localg.a.p” course (Bayer Training program for an easier achievement of localg.a.p.)” to improve participants’ knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and to also set them on the path to achieving GLOBALG.A.P. Certification – the international standard that regulates this area.

Localg.a.p. is an assessment derived from the Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) Standard and represents the first step towards safe and sustainable agriculture. It is also a stepping stone towards GLOBALG.A.P. Certification, which is a requirement to access emerging markets with healthy and safe foods, using a sustainable cultivation model that provides economic and social benefits to producers at all stages of the value chain, while always balancing the interests of both parties: producers and consumers.

The seven-week course is free and is being offered under the framework of a technical cooperation alliance between IICA and Bayer.  It targets family farmers, small and medium-scale producers, agro-production organizations, agricultural entrepreneurs, extension workers and students involved in the management of sustainable systems for the production of healthy and safe food, as well as those interested in widening their knowledge of GAP processes.

The virtual training will cover topics such as integrated pest management, safe use and phytosanitary products, application technology and waste and pollution management, food safety management, irrigation systems, traceability and documentation and pollinators.

IICA Specialist Orlando Vega explained that “a module on pollinators was also incorporated to complement topics already covered in the course, as a means of further enriching the material that we make available”.

Those interested in participating may register here.

Bayer promoted this training program at the Fruit Logística event in Bonn, Germany in early January, as a sustainable agricultural solution.  The event brings together more than 3,000 exhibitors and 76,000 visitors each year.

More Information:

Orlando Vega, IICA Specialist.

orlando.vega@iica.int

Course Description

Share

Related news​

Brasilia

March 6, 2026

IICA Director General attends meeting of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS) and gives ministers details of the progress that has been made with his organization’s work plan for the period 2026-2030

At a meeting of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS), the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Muhammad Ibrahim, presented details of the progress that has been made in drafting the 2026-2030 Medium-term Plan (MTP), the roadmap for his term of office as the head of the specialized agency for agricultural and rural development. The ministers who make up the Council then proposed other areas that should be included as priorities for work.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Brasilia

March 5, 2026

Meeting of ministers of agriculture addresses health and trade challenges and strengthens cooperation, as Bolivia assumes chairmanship of the CAS

In Brasilia, the ministers of agriculture of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, the countries that make up the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS), held the 51st Regular Meeting of the regional consultation and cooperation forum to discuss health and trade challenges and reach agreement on new collaborative initiatives.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Brasilia

March 4, 2026

Brazilian authorities to prepare joint work plan with IICA Director General on plant and animal health, bioinputs and low-carbon production systems

In meetings held at the Itamaraty Palace, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and at Embrapa’s headquarters, participants discussed plans to increase the contributions of the hemispheric organization specialized in agricultural and rural development in the areas of bioinputs, pasture restoration and low-carbon production systems, as well as collaboration in plant and animal health and digital technical assistance services.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins