1 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
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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
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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!