Aim of this Diploma-Thesis is to identify possibilities to reduce the certification costs of smallholders or small-scale producers, who want to comply with the GLOBALGAP standard version 3.0-2_SEP07. Therefore, an analysis of participatory guarantee systems, which exist in the organic sector, was done to identify principles of these systems, which could be implemented into GLOBALGAP. These ideas were discussed in terms of interview with selected experts.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Problem
1.2 Objective
1.3 Procedure and methods
2 Description of the GLOBALGAP standard version 3.0-2_SEP07
2.1 History and development of the GLOBALGAP standard
2.2 Definition of producer groups within the GLOBALGAP standard
2.3 Certification process of producer groups within the GLOBALGAP standard
2.4 Certification costs for producer groups within the GLOBALGAP standard
2.5 Smallholders within the GLOBALGAP standard
3 Existing Participatory Guarantee Systems
3.1 Introduction to Participatory Guarantee Systems
3.2 Participatory Guarantee System in India
3.2.1 History and development
3.2.2 Assembly of the Indian Participatory Guarantee System
3.2.3 Certification process of the Indian Participatory Guarantee System
3.3 Participatory Guarantee System of Rede Ecovida in Brazil
3.3.1 History and development of Rede Ecovida
3.3.2 Assembly of Rede Ecovida
3.3.3 Certification process of Rede Ecovida
3.4 Summary of the cognitions concerning Participatory Guarantee Systems
4 Integration of a Participatory Guarantee System into the GLOBALGAP standard
4.1 Comparison of a Participatory Guarantee System with Third Party Certification Schemes
4.2 Proposal for an integration of Participatory Guarantee System principles into the GLOBALGAP standard
4.3 Influence of the proposal on certification costs
4.4 Impact of the proposal on credibility
5 Evaluation of the proposal
5.1 Participants in the expert discussion
5.2 Development of an interview guideline
5.3 Results and discussion of the interviews
5.4 Data interpretation and summary of the evaluation
6 Summary and conclusion
6.1 Main findings
6.2 Future prospects
Research Objective and Themes
The primary research objective is to analyze whether integrating principles from Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) into the GLOBALGAP standard can create a more accessible and economical certification pathway for smallholder farmers, particularly in developing countries, without compromising the standard's credibility or integrity.
- Comparison of traditional third-party certification and community-based PGS models.
- Economic impact analysis of certification costs for small-scale producer groups.
- Structural proposal for a "mini farmer group" model within GLOBALGAP.
- Evaluation of stakeholder perspectives via expert interviews regarding credibility and practical feasibility.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Problem
The requirements for food safety and therefore, for retailers, suppliers and producing entities have immensely increased throughout the last decades, due to different food scandals (e.g. BSE, aftosa, avian flu, pesticide residues etc.). Within industrialized countries a development of legal regulations as well as private food standards have emerged (WORLD BANK 2007). The most important international organizations in connection with consumer health and food standards are the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Together they created the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 1963. The CAC has developed “a collection of guidelines, codes of practice, and other food safety-related recommendations” (WORLD BANK 2005, p. 14). The most common guideline of the CAC is the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system. Additionally, a food safety authority on the level of the European Commission exists. Consequently, a development of private food standards, based on the above mentioned generic guidelines, took place. The requirements of these private food standards are often located on a higher level than legal regulations, because they are aimed at minimizing not only the risk for retailers but also at ensuring the quality of agricultural products (FULPONI 2007). Moreover, the private voluntary standards, which represent the base for certification and certificates, can refer to processes, services, personnel or products and they “are characterized by a quality management system approach, with third party audits to certify conformity and represent a fundamentally different approach from simple product controls” (FULPONI 2007, p. 6).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Discusses the rising demands for food safety and the resulting barriers to market entry for smallholders in developing countries.
2 Description of the GLOBALGAP standard version 3.0-2_SEP07: Outlines the history, governance, and the specific certification requirements for producer groups under the GLOBALGAP standard.
3 Existing Participatory Guarantee Systems: Provides detailed case studies of PGS models in India and Brazil, highlighting their history, organization, and certification processes.
4 Integration of a Participatory Guarantee System into the GLOBALGAP standard: Compares PGS with third-party schemes and proposes a new "mini farmer group" integration model to reduce costs.
5 Evaluation of the proposal: Presents findings from expert interviews, assessing the feasibility, credibility, and impact of the proposed integration.
6 Summary and conclusion: Summarizes the key research findings and outlines the need for future pilot projects to validate the proposed model.
Keywords
GLOBALGAP, Smallholders, Participatory Guarantee Systems, PGS, Certification Costs, Producer Groups, Food Safety, Quality Management System, Third-Party Certification, Developing Countries, Agricultural Standards, Credibility, Market Access, Peer Appraisal, Sustainability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work examines how to reduce the financial and logistical barriers for small-scale farmers in developing countries who wish to gain GLOBALGAP certification by adopting elements from Participatory Guarantee Systems.
What are the primary thematic fields?
The research bridges the gap between formal third-party certification (GLOBALGAP) and community-based, trust-based certification (PGS), focusing on cost reduction and operational integration.
What is the central research question?
The study investigates whether integrating specific PGS principles, such as internal peer reviews, can provide a more economical pathway to certification without undermining the credibility of the GLOBALGAP label.
Which methodology is employed?
The researcher conducts a literature review, creates an analytical comparison between systems, develops a cost-analysis simulation, and performs semi-structured face-to-face interviews with experts from the food and agriculture sector.
What does the main body address?
It details the requirements of the GLOBALGAP standard, analyzes existing PGS successes in India and Brazil, and proposes a hybrid "mini farmer group" model to streamline documentation and inspection processes.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The primary terms include GLOBALGAP, Smallholders, Participatory Guarantee Systems, certification costs, and agricultural supply chain sustainability.
What is the "mini farmer group" concept?
The proposed model creates smaller units within a larger producer group, allowing farmers to share resources and perform peer-based appraisals to reduce the administrative burden of individual documentation.
Why do experts express concerns regarding this proposal?
Experts highlight potential challenges such as maintaining the credibility of the standard, the complexity of forming legal entities, and cultural variations in teamwork and discipline among farmers.
- Citation du texte
- Miriam Herr (Auteur), 2008, Reducing Certification Costs for Smallholders? Potential for Participatory Guarantee Systems in GLOBALGAP, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/186641
