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

http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/events/detail-events/en/c/1262/

Presentation of Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung, from ADB/IFOAM, on Participatory Guarantee Systems. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Asia and the Pacific, held in Bangkok, Senegal on 24-26 November 2015.

© FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. 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

2. What?
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)
is quality assurance initiatives
It emphasize the participation of
stakeholders, including producers and
consumers 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

3. 3
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

4. Key Elements of the PGS System
Farm Family

Producer Group

Inter - Group

Coordination
Group
The size of the boxes is proportionate to the level
of responsibility in PGS certification.
Farmers
Consumers
Local Organization
(FU, WU, NGOs, …)
Traders
Gov agency
Scientist .....

5. System in PGS
Organization, people, rules, a mechanism test,
verification tools and methodologies for non-
compliance
Management systems are documented with forms,
databases, signs and labels
Farmers are organized into groups voluntarily
Inter-group make linkage between the local
producer groups create a network
Coordination Group responsibility for overall
governance regards to the integrity of the system
and the PGS standards

6. 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.

7. PGS guarantee quality (Inter-Group)
Inter-group responsible for the day-to-day
activities of groups 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

8. 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

9. 9
Develop Market
It is very important factor to motivate production
 Link producer groups to retailers/traders
Organize talk show/workshop/social marketing
campaign, fairs, media… to Increase awareness
among consumers/people  increased demand
Develop supply chain of organic vegetable:
Organic PGS products sell through different
channel: Special shop, home delivery, online…
Organize tours of consumers/students/school for
sharing and learning on organic farming

10. 10
Organic supply chain in Hanoi
Growing interest in organic vegetable among consumers 
Increase the volume of sale
- 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

11. 11
Outputs of the PGS
PGS significantly raised the awareness and capacity of
farmers and stakeholders on food safety issue
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)

12. 12 12
Constraints
PGS is still has not yet recognized by government
even it has showed many advantages for
enhancing small-scale production.
AGS is not business Not many people know
including government
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 its without support
from government for land policy.

13. 13
Inspection activity of farmers

14. 14
Check record keeping

15. 3 March, 2013 Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 15
Field visit

16. 3 March, 2013 Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 16
Taking note and fulfill the forms

17. 3 March, 2013 Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 17
Quick test

18. PGS = Direct Local Market
Weekend Market
Home delivery
Retail shop
Board sign to shop

19. 19
PGS Organic vegetable at Bac Tom shop

20. PGS in Agroviet fair 2014

21. Organize tour for consumers

22. Tour of pupils

23. Tour of kids

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

25. 3 March, 2013 25

27. Thank you!