A three-day training on "Organic Certification Standards" was organized by Directorate of Horticulture, Meghalaya, at Integrated Agriculture Training Centre, Upper Shillong. Shri. M. L Suiam (Director, MAMETI) led the program, with Smt. B. Mylliemngap (DDH) giving the welcome speech and Mr. More discussing NPOP's founding principles under APEDA.

Resource Person:

Shri. Prasad More, Product Head- Organic & Lead Auditor, Food Chain ID, India

Shri. Dhananjay Kumar, Senior Inspector Organic, Food Chain ID, India

DAY 1:  Organic Crop Production was thoroughly explained involving participants in a detailed discussion about Crop Production Plans, Conversion Requirements, Duration of Conversion Periods, Landscape considerations, crop selection, Diversity in Crop Production, and comprehensive Management Plans for pests, diseases, and weeds.

Furthermore, Mr. More discussed Contamination Control, Soil and Water Conservation measures,  Collection of Non-Cultivated Materials for plant origin, forest produce and also explained the guidelines for fertilization, pest management and evaluation of inputs for organic agriculture.

The day ended with a Q&A session to clarify doubts and deepen participants' understanding of organic certification standards and compliance.

DAY 2: On Day two (2) of the training session, a recap was conducted, including clearing doubts from the participants. The resource person initially focused on Grower Group certification and introduced IFOAM, the first movement for developing organic standards founded in 1972. Additionally, the Constitution of the ICS was discussed, covering its general principles and outlining possible options for Project structure, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Concerning the Constitution of the ICS, legal status is necessary for the group to implement procedures to maintain the ICS, with responsibilities assigned to individual members for specific activities. Moreover, the process for developing the ICS, the roles of the ICS Manager, Approval Committee, and other key positions within the ICS were elaborated. The registration process for new farmers was explained, including the ICS Application form, Farmer Contract, Sanction Format, and Internal Inspection Checklist. A video on Trustea was shown highlighted tea production and sustainability. The session aimed to provide participants with a full understanding of certification requirements, technical aspects of tea production, and sustainable practices in the industry.

DAY 3: Session started with a thorough review of course material to confirm understanding and clarify doubts. Moving on to Chapter 3, Appendix 5 on Organic Food Processing, the instructor detailed standard specifications.

The Key topics discussed were Pest and Diseases control, Ingredients, Processing Methods, Packaging and Labelling requirements, Processed Products, Storage and Transport and Food additives.

Annex 1 (a), Annex 1 (b), and Annex 2 were reviewed thoroughly, covering Food additives, processing aids, and approved products for packaging, providing a comprehensive understanding of organic food processing regulations.

In addition to discussing organic certification standards, Mr. More explained TraceNet, Traceability, and Mass Balance systems, emphasizing their importance in ensuring transparency and accountability in the organic supply chain. A brief introductory information on EU certification, USDA- NOP was also disseminated to the participants during the training.

The event ended with a vote of thanks from Smt. D. Barishisha Mukhim (AMO), Directorate of Horticulture, thanking all stakeholders for their support in the training program. This showed teamwork in promoting organic farming in Meghalaya.