The document describes Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), an approach for organic quality management. PGS is a quality assurance system that emphasizes stakeholder participation, including producers, consumers, and local authorities. It operates outside third-party certification but follows a similar process to be relevant for small farmers and local markets. PGS was adopted in Vietnam to help smallholders sell organic products locally, as national standards existed but certification was unavailable. Key elements of PGS include farmer groups, inter-group coordination, and an oversight coordination committee. The system focuses on participation, cross-checking, training, and community decision making to guarantee quality without high costs. PGS has led to increased awareness, networking, and stable markets while raising small

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, consumers, local
authority, NGOs… 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.
Farmer
s
Consumer
s
Local Organization
(FU, WU, NGOs, …)
Traders
Gov agency
Scientist .....

5. System in PGS
 Organization, people, rules, a mechanism,
verification tools and methodologies
 Management systems are documented with forms,
databases, signs and labels
 Farmers are organized into groups voluntarily,
comply standards and cross-checking
 Inter-group make linkage between the local
producer groups to 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 who 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
to Increase awareness among consumers/people
 increased demand: Organize talk show,
workshop, fairs, media, weekend markets…
Develop organic supply chain: Organic PGS
products sell through different channel: Special
shop, home delivery, online…
Educate of consumers and young generation by
the Eco-tours for students, school, buyers to
share and learn on organic farming

10. 10
Organic vegetable supply chain in Hanoi
 Growing interest in organic vegetable  Increase the selling
- 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
 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. 1212
Constraints
 PGS is still has not yet recognized by government
even it has showed many advantages for
enhancing small-scale production.
 PGS is not business, just help farmers to access
products to market, but not many people know
about
 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 without support from
government for gathering land

13. Lesson Learnt
 PGS not only for guarantee quality but also
support technique to farmers  Human resources
need to be trained
 NGOs both local/international are motivate
element but must work closely with a local
counterpart to get them involve in implementation
 Make linkage between production and markets
with clear mechanism and regulations which are
agreed by stakeholders

14. 14
Inspection activity of farmers

15. 15
Check record keeping

16. 3 March, 2013Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 16
Field visit

17. 3 March, 2013Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 17
Taking note and fulfill the forms

18. 3 March, 2013Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung - PGS/VOAA 18
Quick test

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

20. 20
PGS Organic vegetable at Bac Tom shop

21. PGS in Agroviet fair 2014

22. Organize tour for consumers

23. Tour of pupils

24. Tour of kids

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

26. 3 March, 2013 26

28. Thank you!