By Nisha Ganasen
ProPassion group of School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University
For the “Catch Up myGAP” campaign.
Project Advisor: Ms. G. Manickam Govindaraju
DO you know that we have been consuming and feeding our family chemically contaminated food all our lives? Shocking?
Let’s delve into this issue together.
Many go through this dilemma the moment realisation sets in on the type of fruit and vegetables they had been purchasing for the family.
The awareness on maintaining a healthy diet intensified when the country was hit was the Covid-19 pandemic. Recent findings from the 2020 Diet Decisions Survey revealed that 50% of Malaysians have made changes to their diet, with 61% consuming more fruits, vegetables, and less meat.
However, the real pressing question over sustainability surfaced when the Global Food security statistics of Malaysia food safety output were revealed.
Food production took somewhat a bad turn when greed superseded service to mankind and mass production started. Increasing demand for food made way for mass production and industrialists ignored quality by compromising health over money through excessive use of pesticides that assured higher and quicker yield of crops.
Today, much of the food found in the hypermarkets and grocery stores reflect these undesirable yet perceivably necessary changes.
Most of the vegetables and fruits found in the grocery stores are ‘forced’ to stay fresh with the use of artificial preservatives. Most of the time, farmers spray high amounts of pesticides to keep them looking fresh and shiny for a longer period of time. These compromised practices contribute to a higher number of illnesses and untreatable diseases that kill people everyday.
The Department of Agriculture (DOA) is combating this issue through myGAP (Malaysia Good Agricultural Practices), which was launched in August 2013. Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) is an agricultural practice which emphasises on environment, economy and social aspects to ensure the produce is safe and of good quality. As consumers, this would be the endorsement we should demand for in ensuring safe food for us and our family.
Fruits and vegetables that are heavily exposed to pesticides are cheaper compared to myGAP endorsed products because they come from mass production and tend to stay fresh longer. However, myGAP products have lesser output due to the careful procedures and monitored practices. Though the price of myGAP is slightly higher, the products are safer for consumption compared to the highly pesticide infused products.
In a bid to bring safe food to the table, the DOA provides myGAP certification for farmers who are under myGAP scheme to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to the consumer. Farmers need to apply for myGAP certification to be included in the practice. The good news is farmers are now able to be certified faster with the launch of EZi myGAP.
myGAP certified production promotes environmentally responsible and long-term development of the national agriculture sector. Internationally, only myGAP certified products are accepted for export. Therefore, to increase the GDP through agriculture for the country, more farmers should embrace myGAP practice and provide quality products locally and internationally.
The usage of hormones, uncontrolled pesticides, and synthetic fertilisers which are fast becoming common in the mass production of vegetables and fruits and should not be condoned.
It is now or never to stop this practice of putting quantity over quality. Value our life and of our family by practicing to check for myGAP endorsed vegetables and fruits when we shop for fresh groceries.
Together, we can bring about changes by taking the stand and demand for safe food for everyone.
A study found that there can be big differences in the amount of antioxidants found in conventionally and less chemically grown nutrient-dense produce, such as corn.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of TVS.
