Why invest in Participatory Guarantee Systems?

Moura e Castro, F., Katto-Andrighetto, J., Kirchner, C. & Flores Rojas, M.

Why invest in Participatory Guarantee Systems?

Opportunities for organic agriculture and PGS for sustainable food systems

Year of publication 2019

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 49 p.

Author Moura e Castro, F., Katto-Andrighetto, J., Kirchner, C. & Flores Rojas, M.

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (stand-alone)

ISBN 978-92-5-131873-7

Edition 1

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) The increasing demand for more nutritious and safe food in Asia is creating both market opportunities and challenges for organic farmers. Obtaining access to this market requires certification, and many smallholder farmers lack the capacity to differentiate their organic products from the conventional products. This prevent smallholder farmers from profiting from these new markets. Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are one option to get around this problem. PGS provide an alternative to certify organic production supplying local markets. This certification is based on trust, social interaction and peer-reviews. Drawing on the findings of FAO pilot project on PGS covering Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, this publication presents the opportunities and limitations of PGS as a tool for transitioning towards sustainable local food systems. This publication aims to raise awareness of PGS among governments, local authorities, development partners, donors, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to encourage them to invest in PGS. Among the reasons for investing in PGS are that they are suitable for smallholder farmers; allow market access; bring opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs; make available fresh and locally produced food; bridge the extension gap in rural communities and contribute towards empowerment for smallholder farmers. General recommendations to guide PGS efforts by national governments and local partners include to enhance public–private collaboration; support consumer education and awareness-raising; create Participatory Guarantee System friendly policies and regulatory frameworks; monitor the impact in the field; strengthen capacities of stakeholders; make realistic and cost-effective planning for long-term sustainability.

Cite this content as:

Moura e Castro, F., Katto-Andrighetto, J., Kirchner, C. & Flores Rojas, M. 2019. Why invest in Participatory Guarantee Systems? Opportunities for organic agriculture and PGS for sustainable food systems. Rome, FAO and IFOAM - Organics International.

Language English

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Project

Outline Report. Regional project completion workshop “Small-Scale Farmer Inclusion in Organic Agriculture Development through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)”
TCP/RAS/3510
2018

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In 2013, during the “Asia Pacific Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Organic Farming” jointly organized by FAO and IFOAM- Organics international, countries requested technical assistance for the establishment and promotion of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) certification schemes in the region. In response to this request and an increasing demand for organic products from consumers in the region to ensure food safety, an FAO pilot project on “Small-Scale Farmer Inclusion in Organic Agriculture Development through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)” (TCP/RAS/3510) initiated on 01 September 2015 and ended on 31 December 2017. The project’s outcome was “an increased number of farmers produce organic crops and market them in a remunerative way to increased number of consumers through PGS” and was implemented by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in Cambodia and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) in Lao PDR, in collaboration with international partners such as IFOAM- Organics international, Earth Net Foundation (ENF) and many other local partners, including the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), the Center for Organic Development, Cambodia (COD), the Natural Agriculture Village Cambodia (NAV), Caritas Cambodia, Groupe de Recherches et d’Echanges Technologiques Lao PDR (GRET) and the Sustainable Agriculture and Environment Development Association Lao PDR (SAEDA
Meeting

Concept note for Regional project completion workshop on the Small-Scale Farmer Inclusion in Organic Agriculture Development through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) TCP/RAS/3510
Bangkok, Thailand 07 December 2017
2017

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The FAO pilot project on “Small-Scale Farmer Inclusion in Organic Agriculture Development through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)” initiated in September 2015 and will end in December 2017. This pilot was implemented by FAO together with the Ministry of Agriculture in Lao PDR and Cambodia, international partners such as IFOAM-international organics, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Earth Net Foundation (ENF) and many other local partners.
Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) for Sustainable local food systems 2018

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This info sheet presents the key concepts related to Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), where they are found, why they are suitable for smallholder farmers and the benefits. This info sheet was prepared under the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP/RAS/3510) on “Small-Scale Farmer Inclusion in Organic Agriculture Development through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)”. PGS is a low-cost, locally based system of quality assurance with a strong emphasis on social control and knowledge building”. This system is based on the active participation of farmers, consumers, rural advisors, local authorities: they come together in order to make decisions, visit farms, support each other and check that farmers are producing according to an Organic Standard.