tpo_dossier_action-plan-for-innovation-and-learning_201406

162.1CONTACT:GEOFFROY RAOUTG.RAOUT@NATUREETPROGRES.ORGEVA TORREMOCHAEVATORREMOCHA@HOTMAIL.COMWEBSITE:WWW.NATUREETPROGRES.ORGTHE PARTICIPATORY GUARANTEE SYSTEMOF NATURE & PROGRÈS (FRANCE)Before organic standards were officially recognisedby governments, many organic associations establishedtheir own, private certification scheme. When Nature &Progrès developed its scheme in the 1970’s it chose for aParticipatory Guarantee System (PGS). Nature & Progrèssees organic farming as a process in which producersand consumers work together to continuously improvemethods and techniques. Certification is considered atool rather than an aim by itself. It is just one step in thatprocess to meet, exchange knowledge and support eachother. In PGS the certification process is an opportunityfor farmers to get to know other farms, to discoverother farming methods, and to exchange experienceswith peers that work in the same region with the sameagronomic and socio-economic problems.Forty years later, the standards of Nature & Progrès arestill defined collectively by all members. In this regard,the charter of Nature & Progrès serves as a doublereference. On the one hand it clearly defines the goalsof the organisation and all its member and assures theseare respected. On the other hand, it is the reference forassessing which improvements have been obtainedand which is the way to go.stimulate further development along the principlesof the Nature & Progrès charter.• Meetings of the “Joint Commissions for Agreementand Control” (COMACs). The COMACs are in chargeof the collective evaluation of the inspectionreports. These local commissions issue an adviceon the granting of the Nature & Progrès certificate.In addition, they propose recommendations,corrections and/or sanctions in order to improvethe farm management.• Final approval from the national federation. Atthe national level a committee composed ofrepresentatives from the local COMACs takes thefinal decision on the granting of the label. Thesame body also ensures the coherence and wellfunctioning of the whole organisation.The PGS of Nature & Progrès is organised at threelevels:• On-farm visits by experienced inspectorsaccompanied by volunteers. The inspections arecarried out in full transparency. They are meant tocontrol compliance with the standards as well as to