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Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) An Approach for Organic Quality Management

What? Why?

How?

Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung Vietnam PGS President

National Consultant TA8163 IFOAM-ADB Prj

What?

Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) is quality assurance initiatives

It emphasize the participation of stakeholders, including producers, consumers, local authority, NGOs… a long supply chain

It operate outside the frame of third party certification but the same process

It is for small scale farmer and relevant for local markets

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MARD issued a national standards for organic production and processing (TCN10-2006), but no certification system for organic

Consumers lose their trust in “clean/safe” products and lack knowledge of qualities organic products

IFOAM adopted the PGS (2004) as a guarantee system for small holders to help them sell organic products in local markets.

In 2008, Stakeholders agreed to set up PGS for organic farmers selling products under the ADDA prj (ADDA-VNFU prj 2005-2012)

Why PGS in Vietnam

Key Elements of the PGS System

Farm Family

Producer Group

Inter - Group

CoordinationGroup

The size of the boxes is proportionate to the level of responsibility in PGS certification.

Farmers

Consumers Local

Organization (FU, WU, NGOs, …)TradersGov agencyScientist .....

System in PGS

Organization, people, rules, a mechanism, verification tools and methodologies

Management systems are documented with forms, databases, signs and labels

Farmers are organized into groups voluntarily, comply standards and cross-checking

Inter-group make linkage between the local producer groups to create a network

Coordination Group responsibility for overall governance regards to the integrity of the system and the PGS standards

PGS guarantee Organic quality (group)

Participation and Cross check are the essential and dynamic of PGSs.

Farmers join in groups, attending training and sign pledge complying PGS rules and standards

Farmers with stakeholders are involved directly in monitoring, auditing and making decision

Non-compliance of Individual means all group has been dealt with violence.

PGS guarantee quality (Inter-Group)

Inter-group responsible for the day-to-day activities of groups who be long to

Coordinate monitoring acts and peer review among groups regularly and randomly

Review inspection report and decide who will be certified or the actions to address non-compliance issues

Random sampling for residue testing and has right to dealt with group’s violations

Maintain monthly meeting to support and solve problems timely

PGS guarantee quality (Coordination Committee-PGS.CC)

PGS.CC who will be selected at the annual general meeting for a term of two years take responsibility for the intergrity of overall system

Coordination Committee include the volunteer members have capacity and technical knowlede.

In order to protect the PGS seal the Coordination Group will have the right to check the internal workings of both the Producer and Inter-Groups

PGS.CC will also issue the certificates and have the right to withhold certification

Suspension of whole inter-group if repeated violation threatening the PGS integrity

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Develop Market

It is very important factor to motivate production Link producer groups to retailers/traders

to Increase awareness among consumers/people increased demand: Organize talk show, workshop, fairs, media, weekend markets…

Develop organic supply chain: Organic PGS products sell through different channel: Special shop, home delivery, online…

Educate of consumers and young generation by the Eco-tours for students, school, buyers to share and learn on organic farming

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Organic vegetable supply chain in Hanoi

Growing interest in organic vegetable Increase the selling- 2009: 8 -10 tons/month with 7,6 ha of 11 FGs- 2012- 2013: 20 – 25 tons/month

- 2014: 328 tons (27 tons/month) - 2015: 220 tons/6 months with 26,8 ha/41 FGs

More retailers seeking organic products, register as PGS member and pay fee to run PGS

- 2009: 4 retailers - 2013: 9 retailers with > 25 outlets - 2014: 12 retailers with 35 outlets in Hanoi city - 2015: 9 retailers with 45 outlets PGS operating a long supply chain to ensure quality from farm to

table. Checking shops/agencies by volunteers

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Outputs of the PGS

PGS significantly raised the awareness and capacity of farmers and stakeholders

Created grass root networks where farmer show up their responsibility for community and securing food safety

Sharing responsibilities and benefits between trader and farmer of monitoring and quality guarantee a long product chain (pay fee)

An effective guarantee with low cost for small farmer as well as for people meet to share and learn

Not only increase income per month (50-100%) but also improve relationship among community

More provinces are interest and adopt PGS (Hoi An city, Ben Tre province, Ho Chi Minh city)

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Constraints

PGS is still has not yet recognized by government even it has showed many advantages for enhancing small-scale production.

PGS is not business, just help farmers to access products to market, but not many people know about

PGS has not yet to receive support from government as a local market guarantee.

Limited consumer awareness of PGS/organic Difficulty in scaling-up PGS if without support from

government for gathering land

Lesson Learnt

PGS not only for guarantee quality but also support technique to farmers Human resources need to be trained

NGOs both local/international are motivate element but must work closely with a local counterpart to get them involve in implementation

Make linkage between production and markets with clear mechanism and regulations which are agreed by stakeholders

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Inspection activity of farmers

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Check record keeping

3 March, 2013 Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 16

Field visit

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Taking note and fulfill the forms

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Quick test

PGS = Direct Local Market

Weekend Market

Home delivery

Retail shop

Board sign to shop

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PGS Organic vegetable at Bac Tom shop

PGS in Agroviet fair 2014

Organize tour for consumers

Tour of pupils

Tour of kids

PGS Hoi An A pilot of CASP II (IFOAM-ADB)

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Thank you!