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Understanding what an auditor checks — and in what order — is the single most effective way to prepare an African farm for GlobalGAP certification. This is the inspection broken down module by module.
Most African farms that fail a GlobalGAP audit do not fail because of poor farming practices. They fail because they were not prepared for what the auditor would look for.
The GlobalGAP audit is a structured, sequential inspection process. It covers documents, physical infrastructure, field conditions, and the knowledge and welfare of your workers. Each section has specific control points with specific pass/fail thresholds. Knowing those thresholds — and what evidence satisfies each one — is the difference between a first-attempt pass and a corrective action cycle.
This article covers the audit from the inside out: what inspectors actually check, in which phase, with what evidence, and where African farms most commonly come unstuck.
A GlobalGAP IFA audit for a single-site African fruit and vegetable farm typically takes one full day — usually six to eight hours. The audit is conducted by an accredited certification body (CB) auditor who is independent of the farm and approved by GlobalGAP to conduct IFA assessments.
The audit day begins with an opening meeting. The auditor explains the scope, methodology, and what will be checked. This is also when the farm owner or manager should confirm any site areas that will be visited and flag any areas that are not in scope for the current production.
After the opening meeting, the audit moves through its three phases: document review, field and facilities inspection, and worker interviews. The auditor works from a digital checklist — generated specifically for the farm's production type and practices — that is tailored to eliminate any control points that do not apply to the farm's operations.
The audit concludes with a closing meeting in which the auditor summarises findings, identifies any non-conformities, and explains the next steps for the farm.
Initial certification audits and most renewal audits are announced — the farm knows the date in advance. However, GlobalGAP regulations require that at least 10% of annual surveillance audits be conducted unannounced. This means an auditor may arrive at your farm without prior notice at any point during the certification year. Farms that prepare documentation and maintain facilities only in the days before a known audit visit will be exposed by an unannounced inspection.
Every control point in the GlobalGAP IFA checklist is assigned a compliance level: Major Must, Minor Must, or Recommendation. Understanding this hierarchy is essential because it determines exactly what you must achieve to pass.
Major Musts are non-negotiable. A farm must achieve 100% compliance with all applicable Major Musts. A single unresolved Major Must non-conformity at the time of audit means the certification body cannot issue a certificate — period. There is no averaging against Minor Musts, no partial credit, and no bypass.
Minor Musts are best-practice requirements. A farm must achieve at least 95% compliance across all applicable Minor Musts. This means a farm can have a limited number of Minor Must non-conformities and still be certified, provided corrective actions are submitted to the certification body within the specified timeframe — typically 28 days — and verified as resolved.
Recommendations are not scored. They are advisory best practices that GlobalGAP encourages but does not require for certification.
| Compliance Level | Required Score | Consequence of Failure | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Must | 100% required | No certificate issued until resolved; re-inspection or documentary proof required | Spray diary exists; pesticides registered for use; phytosanitary records maintained |
| Minor Must | ≥95% required | Corrective action required within 28 days; certificate withheld until CA verified | Calibration records complete; PPE stored correctly; field maps up to date |
| Recommendation | Not scored | No consequence; advisory only | Biodiversity enhancement; advanced IPM practices; sustainability reporting |
This is the point most African farms misunderstand. Even if a farm scores perfectly on 98% of all control points, a single open Major Must non-conformity — such as a missing spray diary, an unlocked chemical store, or the absence of water quality test results — prevents the certificate from being issued. Prioritise Major Musts absolutely above all other audit preparation activities.
The document review phase is typically conducted in the farm office or a central meeting room. The auditor works through the checklist systematically, requesting specific records and reviewing them for completeness, accuracy, and currency.
Many African farms treat documentation as a secondary concern — something to organise after the farming itself is done. This is a critical misunderstanding. Documentation is the primary evidence of compliance. Without records, there is no proof that practices have been followed, even if they have been.
| Document | What the Auditor Checks | Level | Africa-Specific Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm/Site Map | Shows all production areas, water sources, storage facilities, buffer zones, and adjacent land uses | Major Must | Many African smallholders lack formal maps — hand-drawn or GPS-marked maps are accepted |
| Pesticide Spray Diaries | Every application recorded: product name, registration number, crop, date, rate applied, PHI, applicator name, equipment used | Major Must | Incomplete diaries — especially missing PHI records — are the single most common African farm failure |
| Irrigation Water Test Results | Microbiological (E. coli) and where relevant chemical analysis; frequency meets risk-based schedule | Major Must | Access to accredited labs can be limited; plan testing well in advance of audit |
| MRL / Residue Test Reports | Pre-harvest or post-harvest residue testing confirming produce meets destination market MRL limits | Minor Must | Often absent on first-cycle farms; EU market buyers require these regardless of certification status |
| Pesticide Register / Inventory | All pesticides on farm listed; registration status confirmed; restricted substances identified | Major Must | Farms sometimes hold unregistered or prohibited pesticides without realising; check the national register before audit |
| Risk Assessment | Documented food safety risk assessment for the production site identifying hazards and control measures | Major Must | Often missing entirely on first-time African farms; a simple written hazard analysis is sufficient to start |
| Worker Training Records | Training certificates for chemical applicators; first aid training certificate on site; hygiene training records | Major Must | Chemical applicator training certification is frequently absent; budgeting for this is essential |
| Spray Equipment Calibration Records | Evidence that sprayers are calibrated at least annually; dates and results recorded | Minor Must | Records often absent even when calibration has been done — document the process at the time it happens |
| Harvest and Traceability Records | Records linking specific harvest lots to specific production fields; dates, quantities, packhouse records | Major Must | Traceability must be demonstrable end-to-end — "we know where it came from" without records fails |
| Complaints Register | Log of any buyer, worker, or community complaints received and actions taken | Minor Must | Absence is common; a blank register with the current date is still a compliant register |
After the document review, the auditor conducts a physical walkthrough of the farm. This phase checks that what is documented in Phase 1 is reflected in reality on the ground. It also checks infrastructure and facilities that cannot be verified from paperwork alone.
The field inspection covers the production areas, storage facilities, sanitation infrastructure, and any packhouse or post-harvest handling area on site.
This is the single most physically inspected item on an African farm audit — and the one most likely to generate a Major Must failure. The chemical store must be: locked and restricted-access; adequately ventilated (not a sealed room); equipped with secondary containment (a bund or tray to catch spills); stocked with a functioning fire extinguisher of the correct type; and equipped with current personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves, goggles, chemical-resistant apron, and respirator.
Products must be stored in original, labelled containers. No mixing of pesticides with food items. An inventory of contents must be maintained.
The auditor physically inspects irrigation water access points. Risk assessment documentation must identify whether the water source is surface water, borehole, municipal, or collected rainwater — each with different risk profiles. Buffer zones around water bodies must be maintained. Evidence that the water source is free from upstream contamination risk is checked against the documented risk assessment.
Workers must have access to handwashing facilities with potable or clean water, soap, and hand drying provisions, located within a reasonable distance of the production areas. Toilet facilities — whether permanent or portable — must be present, in working condition, and stocked. The location and condition of these facilities is physically verified by the auditor.
Harvest containers, crates, and bins must be clean, in good physical condition, free from contamination risk (no pesticides, chemicals, or non-food materials stored in them between uses), and maintained with records of cleaning. Dedicated food-contact tools must not be used for non-food activities.
Worker interviews are conducted separately from management and farm owners. This phase of the audit is specifically designed to verify that what the documentation and management say about worker practices is actually experienced by the workers themselves.
Auditors typically interview two to four workers selected at random from the farm workforce. The questions are not designed to trick workers — they test whether workers have been genuinely trained and whether they actually know and follow the practices documented in the farm records.
Common areas covered include: whether workers know where the first aid kit is and how to use it; whether they have received training on pesticide handling and PPE use; whether they understand what to do if they feel unwell after chemical application; whether they know the farm's basic hygiene rules (handwashing, no eating in the field); whether they are aware of any contamination or chemical exposure incidents; and — particularly for GRASP assessments — whether they feel free to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.
Worker training records satisfy the document requirement. Worker interviews verify that the training was actually effective. Many African farms train workers adequately but never explicitly explain that an auditor will ask them questions and what to expect. A brief, honest preparation session for workers — explaining what the audit is, what kinds of questions to expect, and reassuring them that there are no wrong answers if they are honest — significantly improves audit performance in the worker interview phase.
GRASP — GlobalGAP Risk Assessment on Social Practice — is a separate add-on assessment covering worker welfare and social responsibility. It is not a requirement for the core GlobalGAP IFA certificate.
However, most EU and UK supermarket buyers now require their African suppliers to complete a GRASP assessment in addition to IFA certification. Buyers use GRASP results to verify that certified farms are also meeting basic social standards for their workforce.
A GRASP assessment is conducted either alongside the IFA audit or as a separate visit. It covers: employment contracts and fair wage practices; working hours and rest periods; freedom of association and the right to representation; housing and sanitation conditions where workers live on-farm; prohibition of child labour; discrimination and grievance mechanisms; and health and safety beyond the IFA minimum.
For African smallholder farms certified under Option B (producer group certification), GRASP adds a meaningful social compliance layer that international buyers trust. The GRASP assessment is conducted at the Quality Management System (QMS) level rather than at every individual farm, making it manageable for groups. Farms in producer groups should ensure their QMS includes documented worker welfare policies, a clear grievance mechanism, and evidence that workers know how to use it.
Once your audit is complete and your certificate is issued, your buyers will verify it using your GGN number. Understand what that number is and how it works:
What Is the GlobalG.A.P. GGN Number — How EU Buyers Verify African Farm Certificates →Passing your first audit is only the beginning. Your certificate must be renewed annually. Here is what that involves:
How to Maintain Your GlobalG.A.P. Certificate — Annual Renewal for African Farms →| Failure Point | Level | Why It Happens | How to Prevent It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incomplete spray diary | Major Must | PHI records missing; applicator name omitted; product registration number not recorded | Use a printed spray diary template with mandatory fields; complete at time of application, not retrospectively |
| Missing water quality test results | Major Must | Lab testing delayed; not planned ahead of audit; farmer unaware it was required | Budget for lab testing at the start of the certification cycle; book tests at least 3 months before audit |
| Chemical store not compliant | Major Must | Not locked; no secondary containment; no fire extinguisher; PPE not stored inside | Complete a store compliance checklist before audit day; a simple padlock, drip tray, and ABC extinguisher resolve most failures |
| No risk assessment | Major Must | Farmer unsure what a risk assessment is; no template available; not prioritised | A simple written document listing potential hazards (water, animals, workers, neighbours) and control measures is sufficient to pass |
| Chemical applicator training not certified | Major Must | Training has been done verbally but not formally certificated; no formal training provider used | Arrange formal certificated training with an accredited training provider well before the audit; budget for this in certification costs |
| Prohibited pesticide on farm | Major Must | Old stock; product banned or restricted after purchase; regional restrictions not known | Before audit: cross-check every product in store against the national pesticide register and GlobalGAP prohibited substances list |
| No traceability from lot to field | Major Must | Harvests mixed from multiple fields without lot coding; no harvest diary | Use a simple harvest diary assigning each harvest date and container a field code; this is the minimum traceability evidence needed |
At the closing meeting, the auditor presents findings. Each non-conformity is documented with its specific control point reference, the reason for the failure, and the corrective action required.
The certification body cannot issue a certificate while any Major Must remains open. The farm receives a corrective action request specifying what must be resolved and by when. For many Major Must failures, documentary evidence of correction (photographs, updated records) submitted to the CB within the specified period is sufficient — a physical re-inspection may or may not be required depending on the nature of the failure.
If the farm's Minor Must score falls below 95%, corrective actions must be submitted within the allowed timeframe (typically 28 days). Once verified by the CB, the Minor Must score is updated. If the score was already above 95%, Minor Must non-conformities are still recorded for follow-up at the next annual audit but do not block the current certificate.
Once all Major Musts are confirmed compliant and Minor Must thresholds are met, the certification body issues the GlobalGAP certificate. The certificate is valid for one year. The farm's GGN number becomes active and verifiable in the GlobalGAP database, allowing EU and UK buyers to confirm certification status directly.
Certification is not permanent — it must be renewed every year through another audit. At least 10% of renewal audits are conducted unannounced. The farm must maintain compliance throughout the certificate year, not only in the period immediately before the renewal audit.
Planning ahead for certification? Understanding the full cost picture — audit fees, preparation costs, and ongoing compliance expenses — helps African farms budget realistically:
GlobalG.A.P. Certification Cost in Africa — What Farmers Actually Pay →Not yet certified? See the full step-by-step process from farm registration through to receiving your first GlobalGAP certificate:
How to Get GlobalG.A.P. Certified in Africa — Step by Step from Zero to Certified →ExportReady.africa lists verified African fresh produce exporters with confirmed GlobalGAP and KenyaGAP certification status. Get your certified farm in front of EU, UK, and UAE buyers actively searching for compliant African suppliers.
Get Verified Free →Passing a GlobalGAP audit is achievable for African farms of all sizes. The barrier is not agronomic competence — it is documentation, infrastructure compliance, and year-round readiness. Complete your spray diary at the time of application, not before the audit. Test your irrigation water at least three months before audit day. Fix your chemical store. Train your chemical applicators with a certificated provider. Brief your workers honestly about what to expect. Then do a full self-assessment using the official GlobalGAP checklist two weeks before the auditor arrives. This systematic approach eliminates most of the failures that preventable African farms experience every certification cycle.