First PGS Case Studies: Brazil, India, France, New Zealand, USA

First Participatory Guarantee Systems Case Studies from Brazil, India, New Zealand and the USA

In April 2004, Participatory Guarantee Systems were for the first time on the agenda at a global level. A workshop co-organized by MAELA (the Latin American Organic Agriculture Movement), IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and Centro Ecologico in Torres, Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, presented and analyzed a wide range of existing and functioning initiatives with different approaches to certification from around the world. As a result a strategy was elaborated to further explore the potential of these different systems. 

Part of the strategy was to provide a description of a few well chosen examples working with PGS in different parts of the world and with different backgrounds and contexts.

This presentation of four different Participatory Guarantee Systems is one step in the process to get to know, analyze and evaluate these different approaches to certification. This booklet is not a complete guide in how to set up a PGS with all its components (for this, check our PGS Toolkit). Nevertheless, we hope it will serve as a source of ideas and inspiration to those who are thinking of treading a similar path.