Food security and
safety is imperative worldwide. There had been several factors contributing to
the food hazards, just like biological agents concerning HIV, SARS, AI,
Salmonella and other infections. In addition to that, factors like physical and
chemical residues causes contamination on various stages of agricultural
production, food processing, transporting and marketing. In line with this,
governments would like to take some action measures and issue some regulations
in order to ensure food safety and security (Cebeci, et
al.).
Traceability is what
we call the farm-to-fork setting. It refers to the recording of flow of
products along the food chain from production to consumption with inclusion of
all intermediate applications involved in processing/packaging stages (ISO, 2007). Traceability
systems track fresh produce along the supply chain to identify sources of
contamination, monitor cold chain logistics, and enhance quality assurance(Wall, 1994).
In developed
countries like Europe, America, Thailand, Japan and Korea, the traceability process
is becoming very efficient with the aid of information, communication and
technology system. The proliferation of mobile devices advances
in communications, and greater affordability of nanotechnology offer potential
for small-scale producers to implement traceability systems and connect to
global markets. Mobile phones, radio frequency identification (RFID) systems,
wireless sensor networks, and global positioning systems (GPS) make it possible
to monitor environmental and location-based variables, communicate them to
databases for analysis, and comply with food safety and traceability standards(Module 12: Improving Food Safety and Traceability).
In addition to
support systems for developing countries, mobile technology provides new
opportunities for smallholders to connect with export markets. Mobile
technologies have not only alleviated asymmetries in the flow of information
from the market to smallholders (Muto & Yamano, 2009), but hold great
potential for enabling the counter flow of information from small-scale
producers to markets to meet traceability requirements. For example, farmers
may use a mobile device to input information on the variety grown, planting and
harvest dates, and use of farming inputs. Data captured by smallholders can be
integrated with information systems and centralized databases to provide
greater transparency to supply chain partners and consumers on the farming
process, inputs, and output. The integration of wireless sensor networks,
RFIDs, and mobile technology could yield sophisticated means to capture data
during farming and minimize the need for manual data input through mobile
devices(Onumah, Davis, Kleigh, & Proctor, 2007) .
The importance of ICT
in traceability simply ensures that we have control over the food that we purchase
and consume, thus food security and safety. Although there has still been no
traceability program in the Philippines, it could be a great consideration in
the government as it will not only allow us to ensure the safety and security
of our food, but also increase the market value, thus global competitiveness.
Bibliography
Cebeci, Z., Eerdogan, Y., Alemdar, T., Celik, L.,
Boga, M., Uzun, Y., et al. (n.d.). An ICT-based traceability system in
compound feed industry. Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce .
ISO. (2007).
Traceability in the feed and food chain. In General principles and basic
requirements for system deisgn and implementation. Switzerland.
Module 12: Improving
Food Safety and Traceability. In ICT in Agriculture.
Muto, M., &
Yamano, T. (2009). The Impact of Mobile Phone Coverage Expansion on Market
Participation: Panel Data Evidence from Uganda. World Development 37 (12)
, 1887-96.
Onumah, G., Davis,
J., Kleigh, U., & Proctor, F. (2007). Empowering Smallholder Farmers
in MarketsL Changing Agricultrual Marketing Systems and Innovative Responses
by Producer Organizations. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from
http://www.esfim.org/wp-content/uploads/ESFIM_Working_Paper_2.pdf
Wall, B. (1994).
Quality Management at Golden Wonder. Industrial management and Data
Systems 94(7) , 24-28.
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