Agri Kultuur June / Junie 2018 | Page 40

are based on ISO/IEC 17025:2005: General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Rules for Auditing and Auditors Qualification based on Rules for qualification of Testing Laboratories based on ISO/IEC 17025:2005: General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. List of principles: a) Legal compliance b) Economic Sustainability c) Social and Environmental Management d) Human Rights Protection e) Labour Rights Protection f) Maintenance of Biodiversity g) Soil Management h) Water Management i) Climate Change, Mitigation and Adaptation j) Crop Husbandry and Farm Management k) Pesticide Use and Management l) Energy Efficiency m) Waste and Pollution Management n) Handling and Segregation of Certified Products o) Animal Husbandry AgriKultuur |AgriCulture Present status: a) ECO-Mark Africa (EMA) was operationalize under ARSO Conformity Assessment Committee. b) The ECO-Mark Advisory Committee was established. c) The Organizational structure of EMA was established under ARSO CACO. d) The ECO-Mark label has been transferred to ARSO from GIZ. e) A certification system is established in the following harmonized Africa Eco-labelling standards, Agriculture, Tourism, Forestry and Fisheries (Aquaculture). f) Countries to take part in the pilot project have been identified through a survey submitted to 36 members of ARSO (AU). Five of the countries were selected in category A and three countries were selected in category B to take part in the pilot project, which will build capacity of the NSB’s, accreditation bodies and certification bodies to carry out training, auditing and certification leading to award an Eco- label in one (1) or four (4) of the African Ecolabelling Standards (ARSs). g) A stakeholder meeting to inform the parties of the status of the Eco-Mark Africa and the current pilot project was organized. Future strategy: The way in which public information campaigns on eco-labels are carried out determines success in market development of eco-labels. The information submitted must be perceived by consumers as being appropriate 40