The PGS toolkit is composed of a series of tools:
"PGS Guidelines. How to develop and manage Participatory Guarantee Systems for Organic Agriculture"
These guidelines make the cornerstone of the toolkit. They highlight how, although developed independently in different countries and cultural contexts, PGS initiatives around the world share a common set of key elements and features. This revised edition of the PGS guidelines also propose a step by step approach for implementing PGS and introduce other important concepts like marketing and organisational arrangement.
"Policy Brief: How Governments can Support Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)"
Published for the first time in 2011, this Policy Brief on PGS is a landmark in IFOAM’s advocacy work. The document targets policy makers and advocates that wish to support PGS not only through recognition in their national organic regulatory systems, but also through different form of support aiming at promoting rather than regulating. For additional tips on how to ensure public support to PGS development you can check the dedicated section of the Guidelines for public support to organic agriculture.
Master Presentation
Introducing stakeholders to the key background information, elements and features of PGS. Click here to see the overview of the training programme articulated in 4 modules. Individuals and initiatives interested in getting to know more about how to develop PGS are encouraged to contact IFOAM - Organics International to receive additional information.
Template Checklist for Peer Reviews for Crop Production
The peer review provides a mechanism through which compliance to the standards and norms can be verified by peers. It also provides for knowledge exchange whereby all involved parties learn more about the standards and each other’s farming practices. Users are encouraged get inspiration and adapt the content of this checklist according to their needs. Designing, testing and adopting the right peer review based on the standards adopted is a fundamental step for every PGS initiative and for those CSA initiatives introducing farm visits in their everyday activities. This checklist comes together with a basic list of objectives and requirements that should be addressed in each organic standards, with a focus on crop production. This list is taken from the COROS (Common Objectives and Requirements for Organic Standards - also called “IFOAM Standards Requirements”).
"Synergies between Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)"
Usually, CSAs are implemented through a strong partnership between one or several producers and a group of consumers who pay upfront to receive a share of the harvest. This publication, produced by URGENCI and Miramap, analyses needs and benefits that motivate CSA groups to include a PGS in their structures. The reasons span from the necessity of preserving the meaning of the CSA concept (i.e. with respect to the founding principles of CSA) to continuously improve the agricultural practices and the solidarity partnership.
The PGS Brochure
The PGS Brochure explains what the key elements and features of PGS are. The diversity of organic agriculture and guarantee systems, among which PGS, is highlighted. This Brochure is available in different languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Albanian, Japanese.
Case Study
Showcases the needs and benefits for French CSAs to include formalised farm visits to better structure the partnership between consumers and producers and improve practices such as breaking free from chemical inputs dependence. The case study focuses on the experience of the Basque Country CSA network and was produced by Miramap.
Global Comparative PGS Case Study
The study shows that PGS is an important platform for the development of these social processes that in turn positively impact PGS initiatives in different ways, thereby improving the sustainability and impacts of the PGS. It finds that PGS has the potential to make a significant contribution to the reduction of food insecurity and to improved nutrition among farmers in rural areas.
Download Descargar
Additional publications focusing on PGS case studies in:
These are some great videos that introduce the key PGS elements, present experiences of PGS initiatives worldwide and show how peer reviews are carried out.
There is a lot more to explore on our YouTube channel!
PGS and Local Sustainable Food Systems
An Animated Journey into PGS
2019, CZ, EN, FR, GR, HU, SP
PGS: An introduction to Participatory Guarantee Systems
Shorter version with the main messages of our PGS Guide,
2016, CZ, EN, FR, GR, HU, IT, PT
The Peer Review of Nature et Progrès
2019, CZ, EN, FR, GR, HU
New: information on PGS in Dutch is also available! Check the case studies we prepared in collaboration with CSA Netwerk Netherlands: PGS Nederland
In partnership with the UN FAO, we have published case studies of PGS initiatives in Cambodia and Lao PDR
Read the story of one of our partners Pro-Bio Liga, who experimented with PGS and CSA : How Can We Build Local Food Systems? Experiences from the Czech Republic.
Most materials are available also in Czech, Greek and Hungarian on the website of our project partners.
The Global Map of PGS initiatives
To learn more about Participatory Guarantee Systems:
- PGS basics: Learn about PGS and find answers to common questions
- For PGS advocates and policymakers: Why invest in Participatory Guarantee Systems? (FAO and IFOAM - Organics International, 2019)
- Access IFOAM PGS Media Library for more videos and publications in different languages.
- See also our tailor made PGS trainings and consultancies page.
If you would like to be added to our PGS mailing list, contact pgs@ifoam.bio. The mailing list subscription enables you to keep up to date on future developments related to this topic.
To learn more about Community Supported Agriculture:
- Visit Urgenci website
- Visit Urgenci's CSA Training Hub created under the CSAct project, also funded by the Earmus Programme.
- Download the publication "Be Part of CSA! Supporting Booklet for Training on Community Supported Agriculture".