Nordeste & Cerrado

Letter of Antonio Prado

From the beginning, Organic* Agriculture has sought ways to guarantee the organic integrity of products to consumers. Various organic quality assurance systems were developed to allow farmers to differentiate their products in the marketplace. Over time, these mechanisms have evolved into a complex system of laws, norms, accreditations, inspections, contracts, seals, and other people’s commercial interests.

These guarantee systems have brought benefits, but also negative consequences especially for small farmers. While Organic Agriculture has benefited from legalislation increasing society’s recognition on an international level, the cost of certification and complexity of rules and procedures make it difficult for small farmers and consumers to access the organic sector, especially in the countries of the south.

In the last several years, this problem has been tackled worldwide at multiple levels (producers, consumers and supporters). Among the solutions that have emerged are methodologies for conformity assessment of products and processes complying with organic production norms based on participation by stakeholders and procedures adapted to specific political contexts and socio cultural realities. These are called Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS).

IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and MAELA (Latin American Agro Ecological Movement), organized the Seminar on Alternative Certification in Torres, 2004, stimulating multiplication of experiences as well as ways to recognize, legitimize and legalize PGS. With the aim to follow up and exchange experiences to identify strategies and actions to spread out PGS adoption and acceptance, IFOAM and MAELA; decided to join efforts again and promoted the Latin American Seminar on PGS. The Seminar was organized by Centro Ecologico, and carried out from October 22 to 27, 2007, in Antonio Prado, Rio Grande do Sul -Brazil.

The 46 participants coming from 16 countries, mainly Latin Americans, publicly reaffirm through this document, that PGS are valid mechanisms to generate credibility of organic products and that they are a necessary tool to provide market access to all stakeholders involved in organic production and consumption, as well as an efficient tool to build knowledge networks.

The participants affirm that legislation in different countries should recognize PGS in its full diversity, without imposing procedures that make it lose its identity. They should also provide mechanisms to foster organic production and not only work with control aspects.

According to the Principles of Organic Agriculture, a primary market for producers involved in PGS, are local and domestic markets. But, according to several contexts, often producers also need access to the international marketplace. Besides this, we believe that the product or process generated with PGS should not be limited to geographical boundaries. Therefore, participants give their support for the international recognition of PGS and the possibility that products guaranteed by this process can circulate among countries.

The inclusion of consumers in PGS is considered highly important for everyone involved in these systems, and we commit to make every effort to increase the participation of these stakeholders.

Reaffirming our commitment of the previous Seminar, IFOAM and MAELA with all the present organizations, commit to foment PGS in their members countries and places of international representation.

Antonio Prado, Brazil, October 26th 2007.

* This paper considers Organic as a synonym of Agroecological, Ecological, Biological.

Participante / Institução / País
Martin Eimer
IFOAM
Alemanha

Maria Calzada
El Rincón Orgánico
Argentina

Patricia Flores
IFOAM
Argentina

Abel Jarro
Ecoferia Cochabamba
Bolivia

Daniel Vildozo
AOPEB
Bolivia

Georgina Catacora
Agrecol
Bolivia

Nélson Ramos
AOPEB
Bolivia

Cláudia Moreira
ADAO
Brasil

Cristina Ribeiro
ABIO
Brasil

Francismar C. da Silva
Xique-xique
Brasil

Irene García Roces
ACS
Brasil

Laércio Meirelles
Centro Ecológico
Brasil

Leandro Venturin
Centro Ecológico
Brasil

Luiz Carlos Rebelatto
GTZ / MDA Federal Brazilian Government
Brasil

Marcelo Nunes
SAF/ MDA Federal Brazilian Government
Brasil

Marcelo Passos
Rede Ecovida
Brasil

Maria F. Fonseca
PESAGRO-RIO
Brasil

Roberto Mattar
MAPA Federal Brazilian Government
Brasil

Rogério Rosa
Heiffer Brasil
Brasil

Romeu Leite
ANC Campinas
Brasil

Mário Ahumada
MAELA
Chile

Patricia Antillero
Tierra Viva
Chile

Marbelis Del Carmen
RECAR
Colombia

Tarcisio Aguilar
La RECAB Antioquia
Colombia

Antony Garcia
CDS
Costa Rica

Maureen Lizano
Comitê Mercados
Costa Rica

Carlos Padilla
CLUSA
El Salvador

Israel Morales
CLUSA
El Salvador

Diego Andrade
VECO
Ecuador

Benjamín Macas
CEA
Ecuador

Eva Torremocha
Andaluzia
España

Fabio Piccioli
ICEA
Italia / Italy

Felipe Iñigues
MAELA
México

Fidel Mejia Lara
Red Tianguis
México

Cesar López
CIPAE
Paraguay

América Gonzalez
Altervida
Paraguay

Hipólito Vidal
SENAVE Paraguayan Government
Paraguay

Alfredo Rincon
ANPE
Perú

Daniel Carrion
ANPE
Perú

Jannet Villanueva
Tierra de hombres
Perú

Mariela Wismann
Heifer Peru
Perú

Mario Tapia
ANPE
Perú

Rodolfo Magne
SSNC
Suecia / Sweden

Betty Mandl
DGSA del MAG Uruguayan Government
Uruguay

Hugo Bértola
APODU
Uruguay

Noelia Gimenez
Red de Agroecologia
Uruguay

• Textos e Notícias

Depoimento

Textos via email