Farm Record Keeping for GLOBALG.A.P Certification in Kenya 2026 — What Records You Must Have

In every GLOBALG.A.P certification audit on a Kenyan farm, there is a moment that determines the outcome before the auditor has walked a single field. It is the moment the auditor opens the farm records file. What they find in that file — complete, dated, legible records filled in at the time of every farm activity — tells them everything about how seriously the farm manages its compliance obligations throughout the year. A well-maintained records file builds auditor confidence that carries through the entire inspection. A records file with gaps, inconsistencies, or obvious retrospective entries undermines the auditor’s confidence in everything they observe on the farm walk.

This guide covers every record category that GLOBALG.A.P IFA v6 requires Kenyan farms to maintain — what to record, when to record it, how long to keep it, and how auditors verify it. It also explains the most common record-keeping failures on Kenyan farms and exactly how to avoid them. Whether you are preparing for your first GLOBALG.A.P audit, managing records for a cooperative of 50 member farmers, or troubleshooting non-conformances from a previous audit cycle, this guide gives you the complete 2026 standard.

Why Records Are the Foundation of Your Certification — Not the Paperwork Burden

Many Kenyan farmers approach GLOBALG.A.P farm records as a compliance burden — something to be filled in because the auditor requires it. This framing leads to poor record-keeping habits and eventually to audit failures. The more accurate framing is that farm records are the evidence base that proves your farm is managed the way you say it is — and they are the foundation of the traceability chain that allows buyers to verify the safety of your produce at any point in the supply chain.

Under GLOBALG.A.P IFA v6, the shift from prescriptive CPCCs to outcome-based Principles and Criteria means that records carry more evidential weight than they did under v5. Where v5 required specific actions, v6 requires demonstrated outcomes — and farm records are the primary way you demonstrate outcomes. An auditor who cannot verify that your Water Risk Assessment actually informed your water management decisions, or that your IPM plan actually changed your spray decision-making, will find non-conformances regardless of how well your farm is managed in practice. Records make the invisible visible.

This is not the same as saying your farm will pass if the records look good but the practices are poor. Auditors combine record review with farm walks, worker interviews, and physical observations. But records are the starting point — and gaps in records create non-conformances even where the farming practice is compliant.

Field Codes — The System That Links Every Record Together

Before setting up any individual record category, establish your field code system. This is the single most important structural decision in your record system — because field codes are the thread that links every record type together into a traceable chain.

A field code is a unique identifier assigned to each distinct production area on your farm. It can be as simple as F1, F2, F3 or Block A, Block B, Block C — or it can include crop information (AV1 for avocado field 1, FB1 for French bean field 1). The specific format does not matter. What matters is that the same code is used consistently in every record type throughout the certification year.

How to set up your field code system:

1. Walk every field on your farm and identify distinct production areas — different crops, different irrigation sources, or different management zones.
2. Assign a simple unique code to each area. Write it on the field post or boundary marker.
3. Draw a simple farm map showing all field boundaries with their codes. This map does not need to be to scale — a clear hand-drawn sketch is acceptable.
4. Use the field code on every record form for that field — pesticide, fertiliser, harvest, and traceability labels.
5. For cooperatives: each member farmer uses their own field codes (F1, F2, etc.) but the cooperative’s traceability system links the field code to the specific member farmer’s GGN number and lot number.

Record 1 — Pesticide Application Records

Pesticide application records are the most scrutinised records in any GLOBALG.A.P audit — because they are the primary evidence of MRL compliance and the basis for the pre-harvest interval verification that protects buyers from residue violations at destination markets.

What every pesticide application record must contain

Record 2 — Fertiliser and Soil Amendment Records

Fertiliser records serve two purposes under GLOBALG.A.P: they demonstrate that fertiliser applications are based on documented soil analysis rather than habitual or calendar-based application, and they provide evidence that nitrogen application rates are managed to reduce leaching risk into water sources.

What fertiliser records must contain

• Product name and nutrient content (N-P-K percentages from label)
• Date of application
• Field code — same code as in pesticide and harvest records
• Application rate (kg per hectare or total quantity applied)
• Application method (broadcast, side-dressing, foliar, fertigation)
• Basis for application — reference to soil test results or nutrient management plan that justified this application
• Operator name

The soil test requirement: Under IFA v6, fertiliser applications must be based on documented soil analysis results. This does not require a soil test for every application — one comprehensive soil test per field per season, with a documented nutrient management plan derived from the results, satisfies the requirement. Soil tests should be conducted at a KEBS-accredited laboratory. Cost: KES 3,000–6,000 per composite sample. For farms applying organic manures, records must additionally confirm the manure source, any composting process used, and the application-to-harvest interval to manage pathogen contamination risk.

Record 3 — Harvest Records and Lot Numbers

Harvest records are the bridge between your on-farm compliance records and the commercial supply chain. They are the link that makes the 15-minute mock recall test possible. Every harvest event — from every field, on every date — must be recorded with a unique lot number that travels with the produce from your farm to the buyer’s receiving dock.

What harvest records must contain

• Field code — the specific field or fields harvested
• Harvest date — day/month/year
• Crop variety — e.g. Hass avocado, Kent mango, Amy fine bean
• Quantity harvested — in kilograms or number of units
• Harvest crew or operator — names of workers who harvested
• Lot number — a unique identifier assigned to this specific harvest event
• Post-harvest destination — packhouse name, cooling facility, or buyer name
• Quality observations at harvest — any visual defects, pest damage, or quality concerns observed at picking

The lot number system: The lot number assigned at harvest must appear on the packed produce label, in the packhouse receiving record, in the export documentation, and in the buyer invoice. It is the thread that connects every link in the supply chain. A simple sequential lot number system (LOT-001-2026, LOT-002-2026, etc.) works well for most Kenyan farms. More sophisticated farms encode the field code and harvest date in the lot number (F1-2026-0315 = Field 1, harvested 15 March 2026) — making the mock recall instant.

Record 4 — Worker Training and Attendance Records

Under IFA v6, worker training records must demonstrate outcomes — not just attendance. This is one of the most significant changes from IFA v5, where a signed attendance sheet was often sufficient. IFA v6 auditors will conduct private worker interviews to verify that workers actually know and apply what their training records say they were taught. If workers cannot demonstrate basic knowledge of pesticide safety, PPE use, or food hygiene during private interviews, training records that show they attended these sessions become evidence of a dysfunctional training system rather than proof of compliance.

What worker training records must contain

• Date of training
• Trainer name and qualification — who conducted the training and their relevant knowledge or certification
• Training topics covered — specific topics, not “general training.” E.g. “Correct PPE donning/doffing procedure for spray operators” not “PPE training”
• Attendee names and signatures — every worker who attended must sign with their own name, not initials
• Assessment or knowledge check results — IFA v6 recommends a brief verbal or written check after training to verify understanding. Record the outcome.

Required training topics under IFA v6: pesticide safety and handling, correct PPE use for spray operations, first aid basics and location of first aid equipment, food hygiene (particularly for harvest and packhouse workers), environmental protection (buffer zones, chemical store protocols), and basic record-keeping. Workers involved in water source management additionally need training on water quality management. Under IFA v6, training records must be updated annually — not as a one-time event at certification preparation time.

Record 5 — Water Quality Testing Records

Water quality compliance under IFA v6 now requires two separate documents — not just laboratory test results. Both are mandatory.

Document A — Water Risk Assessment

A written document identifying every water source used on your farm for irrigation and post-harvest washing, assessing the risk of contamination from upstream sources (livestock, human settlements, other farms, industrial activity), documenting what management actions you take to control contamination risk, and linking the risk assessment conclusions to your testing frequency decisions. This does not require an external environmental consultant — a documented assessment written by the farm manager, identifying sources and risks and signed and dated, satisfies the requirement.

Document B — Laboratory Test Results

Laboratory test certificates from a KEBS-accredited laboratory covering E. coli (Escherichia coli) and total coliforms for every water source used. The acceptable limits are:

Practical tip for Kenyan farms: Commission water testing at the very beginning of your certification preparation — not two weeks before the audit. Laboratory processing typically takes 3–4 weeks, and a failed test result requires corrective action and retesting before the audit can proceed. Farms that wait until the last minute for water testing regularly delay their entire certification timeline.

Record 6 — Equipment Maintenance and Calibration Records

Spray equipment calibration is the record that directly supports your pesticide application records. If your sprayer delivers more or less volume per hectare than assumed when calculating the application rate on your pesticide record, your actual application rate may differ significantly from what is recorded. An uncalibrated sprayer can result in over-application leading to MRL violations, or under-application failing to achieve the intended pest control.

What calibration records must contain

• Equipment identifier — knapsack serial number, tractor sprayer registration, or equipment description
• Calibration date
• Calibration method used — catch and measure, distance/volume calculation
• Calibration result — litres per hectare delivered at operating pressure
• Operator who conducted calibration
• Any adjustments made — nozzle replacement, pressure setting change
• Next calibration date

Frequency: Calibrate all spray equipment at the beginning of each spray season and after any nozzle replacement or equipment repair. Document every calibration event. Additionally, maintain a simple maintenance log for all equipment showing cleaning dates, repairs, and parts replaced — particularly relevant for equipment used in pesticide application where contamination between uses is a compliance risk.

Record 7 — Site History and Risk Assessment

The site history and risk assessment is a one-time document (updated annually) that provides context for your farm’s compliance management — and is increasingly important under IFA v6’s outcome-based approach.

What site history and risk assessment documents must cover

• Land use history — previous crops grown on each field for the last 3–5 years, any previous non-agricultural use (e.g. industrial, waste disposal), and any contamination events.
• Soil contamination risk — assessment of whether previous land use creates any soil contamination risk (e.g. previous use of persistent organochlorine pesticides, proximity to former industrial sites).
• Adjacent land use risk — what is on the land bordering your farm and what contamination risk does it create (neighbouring farms spraying, roads, livestock operations, settlements).
• Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) — under IFA v6 this is now a separate requirement: identify key habitats on or adjacent to your farm (forest patches, water bodies, hedgerows) and document conservation actions.
• Environmental risk assessment — documented assessment of risks from flooding, erosion, or pollution events and what mitigation measures are in place.

The 15-Minute Mock Recall Test — How to Pass It Every Time

The mock recall is the most visible test of your farm’s traceability system during a GLOBALG.A.P audit. The auditor selects a packed lot — either from your records or from a sample in your cold room — and asks you to trace it from the packed box back to the specific field where it was grown, the spray records for that field on the harvest date, the water test results for the field’s irrigation source, and the soil management records for that field. All of this must be completed within 15 minutes.

The chain that must be unbroken:

How to ensure your farm passes the mock recall test:

1. Use consistent field codes across every record type — the same identifier in spray records, harvest records, and on the produce lot label.
2. Assign a unique lot number to every harvest event and write it on both the harvest record and every packed box label from that harvest.
3. Organise your records file by field code — so all records for Field F1 (spray, harvest, water, soil) are together and immediately findable.
4. Practice the mock recall before your audit. Take a recent packed box lot number and time yourself tracing it back through your records. If it takes more than 10 minutes, your system needs reorganisation before audit day.

How Auditors Detect Retrospective Records — and Why It Is Career-Ending for Your Certification

Retrospective record completion — filling in records before an audit that should have been completed throughout the year — is the single most common integrity failure in GLOBALG.A.P certification programmes in Kenya. It is also the most detectable. Experienced certification body auditors have developed a highly accurate toolkit for identifying retrospective records.

How auditors detect retrospective records

Setting Up Your Record System — The 6-Step Process

The following sequence is the most efficient way to set up a complete, audit-ready GLOBALG.A.P farm record system from scratch. Begin on Day 1 of your certification preparation — not one month before the audit.

Group Certification — Records for Every Member Farmer

Under GLOBALG.A.P group certification (Option 2), every member farmer must maintain their own individual farm records for their own fields. The producer organisation’s Quality Management System provides standardised templates and verifies that all member records are maintained correctly through the internal inspection programme — but the records themselves are the individual farmer’s responsibility.

What this means for cooperative managers:

• Distribute standardised record templates to all member farmers at the beginning of each certification year. Use the same templates across all members — consistency makes internal inspection and external audit review faster and more effective.
• Conduct quarterly record checks as part of your internal inspection programme — do not wait until the annual internal inspection to discover that a member farmer’s records are incomplete.
• Provide dedicated record-keeping training for member farmers at the start of each season — particularly for new members and for farmers with limited formal education.
• The internal inspector’s records review is the quality control layer between member farms and the certification body’s external audit. An internal inspector who finds complete records across all members during the annual inspection signals to the certification body auditor that the QMS is functioning as intended.

The Farm Records Starter Pack was specifically designed for distribution to cooperative member farmers — simple, standardised templates that satisfy GLOBALG.A.P IFA v6 requirements without requiring farmers to design their own record formats. At $5 for the full set of 7 templates, it is cost-effective for cooperative-wide distribution. See our complete group certification guide for the full QMS requirements surrounding member farm record management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Agrosocial Services Limited is Kenya’s specialist agricultural certification and export market consultancy, serving farms, cooperatives, and agri-exporters across 12 counties since 2018. Our consultants have conducted hundreds of pre-audit farm record assessments across Kiambu, Embu, Meru, Nakuru, Machakos, and Kisii counties. For farm record system setup support or pre-audit gap assessment, contact us at info@agrosocialservices.co.ke or WhatsApp +254 725 042 234. Last reviewed: May 2026.

Sources: GLOBALG.A.P official documentation — IFA v6 Principles and Criteria (globalgap.org); KEBS accredited laboratory directory; Agrosocial Services Limited pre-audit assessment records from 2018–2026 engagements with Kenyan farms and cooperatives. All record requirements verified from primary IFA v6 source documents as of May 2026.