On November 24-27, 2007, hosted by Small Farmers Adapting to Global Markets Project (SFAGM Project) and Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture, and coordinated by Beijing HSL Certification Service Center, “High-level Training Workshop on Quality and Safety of Farm Products” was held Chengdu, Sichuan. Experts from Beijing, Shanghai and Sichuan, as well as leaders from agricultural sectors in all prefectures and cities of Sichuan, attended this training workshop.

During the training, Jin Fazhong, deputy director of Quality and Safety Center of Ministry of Agriculture, introduced agricultural standardization and brand building from a macroscopic point of view. Chen Encheng, who came from Certification and Accreditation Administration of China, gave a brief introduction to the farm produce quality and safety guarantee system in China and other countries. Dr. Hu Dinghuan, who came from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, gave a comprehensive account of the development of agriculture on the industrial chain. Zhang Wei, quality manager of the Purchasing Center of French Auchan Supermarket Group in China, gave a detailed explanation of the supermarkets’ requirements for the quality of farm produce. Liu Jinyu, who came from Beijing HSL Certification Service Center, introduced the HACCP/GAP/ISO certification system. Zhou Nanhua, director of Sichuan Provincial Center of Farm Produce Quality and Safety who not long ago had participated in the training on food safety risk assessment held by the SFAGM Project in Canada, introduced Canada’s experience in quality and safety management. Luo Huaihai, senior agronomist of Sichuan Plant Conservation Station, introduced the application of green control technology in the quality and safety guarantee of farm produce. Chen Wanqing, director of Rural Development Bureau of Pengzhou City, introduced some successful experience of the SFAGM vegetable piloting project in the quality and safety management of farm produce. Fu Zhikang, deputy director-general of Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture, emphasized in his speech entitled “Understand the Main Spirit and Keep Opening to the Outside World” that agricultural cadres in Sichuan should study the spirit of the 17th CPC Congress earnestly and understand the requirement for quality and safety of farm produce, and promote a healthy and sustainable development of agriculture in Sichuan with the aid of international cooperation projects.

Apart from classroom discussion, the training workshop organized the participants to visit the vegetable supply chain pilot project sponsored by SFAGM Project in Pengzhou, Guiqiao Village of Mengyang Town, Gaolin Village of Jiuchi Town, and a science park of vegetable development, in order to learn Pengzhou’s successful experiences in implementing the SFAGM Project, including extension of agricultural technology, overall advancement of the new countryside, demonstration of standardized farmlands, construction of farmers’ associations, as well as demonstration and extension of field schools and new products, etc.

At this training session the participants had a systematic discussion of the advanced ideas and the latest knowledge of quality and safety management of farm products, and gained a deep understanding of Law on Quality and Safety of Farm Produce and Special Regulation of the State Council on Quality and Safety Management of Food and Other Products. It laid down a good foundation for increasing the awareness of farm product quality and safety among agricultural departments in Sichuan, strengthening the measures for quality and safety management of farm products, enhancing the level of farm product quality and safety, and promoting the transformation from traditional agriculture to modern standardized agriculture.

After the training, the participants said they would apply what they had learned in their practical work, trying to increase the quality and safety of the local farm products.