Relation of GAP with different components

Good Agricultural Practices related to soil

• Reducing erosion by wind and water through hedging and ditching
• Application of fertilizers at appropriate moments and in adequate doses (i.e., when the plant needs the fertilizer), to avoid run-off (nitrogen balance method).
• Maintaining or restoring soil organic content, by manure application, use of grazing, crop rotation
• Reduce soil compaction issues (by avoiding using heavy mechanical devices)
• Maintain soil structure, by limiting heavy tillage practices.
• Insitu greening manuring by growing pulse crops like cowpea, horse gram, sun hemp etc.
Good Agricultural Practices related to Minimizing Animal Fecal Contamination
• It is not possible, or may not be permissible, to eliminate all animal influences from production fields. However, steps to minimize their presence or activities should be determined.
• Domestic animals should be excluded from fields during the growing and harvesting season.
• Evaluate the need for bare soil buffers to adjacent land that may encourage high populations of reptiles, amphibians, rodents, birds or other potential sources of contamination.
• Minimize the presence of vector attractants (such as cull piles) within a production field. Sun hemp etc. 

Good Agricultural Practices related to water

• Practice schedule irrigation, with monitoring of plant needs, and soil water reserve status to avoid water loss by drainage
• Prevent soil salinization by limiting water input to needs, and recycling water whenever possible
• Avoid crops with high water requirements in a low availability region
• Avoid drainage and fertilizer run-off
• Maintain permanent soil covering, in particular in winter to avoid nitrogen run-of
• Manage carefully water table, by limiting heavy output of water
• Restore or maintain wetlands ( marshlands)
• Provide good water points for livestock. 

GAPs related to animal production, health and welfare

• Respect of animal well-being (freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress)
• Avoid nontherapeutic mutilations, surgical or invasive procedures, such as tail docking and debeaking;
• Avoid negative impacts on landscape, environment and life: contamination of land for grazing, food, water and air
• Check stocks and flows, maintain structure of systems
• Prevent chemical and medical residues from entering the food chain
• Minimize non-therapeutic use of antibiotics or hormones
• Avoid feeding animals with animal wastes or animal matter (reducing the risk of alien viral or transgenic genes, or prions such as mad cow disease),
• Minimize transport of live animals (by foot, rail or road) (reducing the risk of epidemics, e.g., foot and mouth disease)
• Prevent waste run-off (e.g. nitrate contamination of water tables from pigs), nutrient loss and greenhouse gas emissions (methane from cows)
• Prefer safety measures standards in manipulation of equipment
• Apply traceability processes on the whole production chain (breeding, feed, medical treatment...) for consumer security and feedback possibility in case of a food crisis (e.g., dioxin) 

Good Agricultural Practices related to Packing Facilities

Well -designed and operated centralized packing facilities and packing systems have the potential to contribute to the reduction of pathogen contamination. Lapses in facility or system management have the potential to amplify localized contamination, broadly re-distribute pathogens, or create opportunities for pathogen contamination within the facility.
• Design and maintain packing surfaces and equipment to minimize injury to produce and to maximize accessibility by cleaning or sanitizing crews.
• Establish routine cleaning and sanitizing programs for all food contact surfaces.
• Remove as much dirt as practicable from harvest containers, trailers, or gondolas between harvest uses. This should be done outside the packing facility and isolated from any water source used for post harvest handling.
• Clean pallets, containers, or bins before use.
• Establish and maintain a pest control program.
• Prevent birds or other vectors from contaminating packing equipment surfaces, packing areas, and storage areas.
• Store unformed or empty containers off the floor or bare soil surface and in a way that protects them from contamination.