1. Risk Management
Risks that may jeopardize the organic quality must be known and taken into account in all internal procedures
Initial risk assessment has to be done
All necessary measures must be taken to minimize the risk

2. Potential Risks Exist on All Levels
Farm Production: e.g. farmers spraying as soon as prices for crop increase; government programs supplying free inputs
Sales/ Buying: farmers selling their family`s crop (in addition to their own), commingling during Purchase, purchase officers buying from uncertified farmers
Handling: commingling of products, contamination during storage, transport/export
Insufficient ICS: ICS staff insufficiently trained because of frequent changes, no means for internal inspection (e.g. no transport)
A risk analysis should take into account all POTENTIAL problems even if ICS coordinator thinks that he/she has already taken appropriate countermeasures.

3. Potential Risk: Farmers Selling Other Farmers’ Produce
Potential risk: Farmers their family members‘ produce
Possible preventive and corrective measures:
Also register all family members and neighbors.
Have a good system of yield estimation; conduct last update just before buying; check strictly during purchase that estimated quantities not exceeded.
Make farmers aware that this is strictly forbidden and may jeopardize the organic project. Support social control mechanisms.
Buy only produce that was harvested in presence of field officers.

4. Potential Risk: Parallel Production
Potential risk: The organic pepper farmer also has some non- organic fields, e.g. a coconut plot. This plot is not known to ICS. Problem: some pepper is intercropped with the non-organic coconut. Thus the farmer will also sell this non-organic pepper together with his/her organic pepper to the ICS operator.
Possible preventive and corrective measures:
Always check all fields and crops that a farmer manages (compulsory anyway)
Option 1: Only register farmers who cultivate ALL crops organically
Option 2: Any product that is grown both organically and non-organically is de-certified and cannot be sold as organic.
Option 3: Farmers must convert non-organic plot to organic practices. Field officers must be present during purchase from organic plot to prevent commingling with conversion produce

5. Continuous Risk Management
Risks exist in every organic project. Some may be particularly probable and dangerous (high risk), some less probable and/or less critical (low or medium level).
It is important to be aware of potential risks, even if they may only occur rarely or if you think that you have already taken all necessary measures to prevent the problem.
Risks may change over time. Regular risk assessment is therefore recommended.
In all stages of an ICS, it is important that you are aware of your critical control points in order to adapt the system accordingly.