Participatory Guarantee Systems for Organic Agriculture(new)
Latest update: October 16, 2009
Is your PGS already registered in the IFOAM online global PGS database? Click here to view the database.
New! IFOAM launches The Global PGS Newsletter The
Global PGS Newsletter is a free monthly publication of IFOAM. To view
the first issue of the newsletter (October 2009), click here. To subscribe to The Global PGS Newsletter, send an email to pgs@ifoam.org.
PGS Self-Evaluation tool available in English, French and Spanish- make an overview of your PGS
Definition of PGS (established by the PGS Task Force in Modena, Italy, June 2008):
Participatory
Guarantee Systems are locally focused quality assurance systems. They
certify producers based on active participation of stakeholders and are
built on a foundation of trust, social networks and knowledge exchange.[definition in French, Spanish and Portuguese]
FAQs: Answers to the Frequently Asked Questions on PGS are now available on this website, in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Click here to see all the PGS FAQs.
As the
number of farmers and consumers for organic produce increase, there has
been a corresponding growth in the number of Participatory Guarantee
Systems (PGS) that have evolved and are in practice around the world.
These systems often not only guarantee the credibility of the organic
produce, but are crucially linked to local and alternative marketing
approaches. Though they might vary in their methodology and approach,
the belief in the same core principles brings them together on a common
platform.
Recognizing this crucial niche that PGS occupy, IFOAM
and the Latin American Agroecology Movement (MAELA), jointly hosted an
International Workshop on Alternative Certification (now referred to as
Participatory Guarantee Systems or PGS) in Brazil, 2004. Some of the
key issues for discussion focused on the common grounds between the
various systems, and how they could be provided legitimacy.
To
provide continuity to the discussions and actions, a Working Group was
elected from the participants. Many individuals and groups support and
give inputs to the Working Group. The documents and information
material available on this site are part of a constantly evolving and
learning process to “develop, facilitate and encourage PGS around the
world”.
