Factors influencing smallholder orange farmers for compliance with GobalGAP standards.

Abstract

The inability of farmers to comply with global good agricultural practices (GlobalGAP) standards has led to food safety issues harmful to human health and sustainable agriculture. This study aimed to assess the extent of GlobalGAP compliance among orange farmers and investigate barriers associated with compliance. Data were collected with structured questionnaires from 238 orange farmers. The findings showed that the farmers’ rate of adherence to the GlobalGAP standards was moderate (mean 3.58). Using factor analysis, the following four groups were identified as key barriers to compliance: personal and economic barriers, awareness and information barriers, institutional-support barriers, and infrastructure barriers. Institutional support barriers were deemed most important by farmers in compliance decisions (mean 4.29), followed by personal and economic barriers (mean 3.89). Therefore, a focus on the barriers faced by smallholder farmers would be crucial to improve their adoption of food safety standards. This can enhance the quality of agricultural commodities, customers’ safety, and the livelihood of smallholder farmers.