Thailand: Promoting local-specific certification schemes for organic agriculture
Participatory Guarantee Systems are certification systems with locally specific guidelines for organic agriculture. Producer participation in the development of the standards and within the control mechanisms is paramount, with an attempt to devolve the power to act and make decisions to the farmers. Joint development of the standard and mutual support and control through peer review processes are key features. Some agriculture in Thailand is done in areas without clear land tenure documents. However, to meet common criteria of organic farming standards, land tenure documents and financial resources to hire inspectors are required. PGS, on the other hand, can be applied in areas without clear land titles.
Being part of a PGS initiative allows farmers to sell their produce at markets at higher prices. WWF Thailand supports the cooperatives with appropriate training. The local-specific PGS has gained nationwide recognition from the government and major retailers, securing marketplaces for her community's organic produce. Pumpkin, orange, taro, cacao and cashew now provide the communities with income. Farmers who have shifted to sustainable agriculture can record positive impacts with the results, and those who haven't already shifted are now considering it.
