print-friendly version

Meeting on Voluntary Standards and Certification in Environmentally and Socially Responsible Agricultural Production and Trade

For more information, please contact Pascal Liu, Trade and Markets Division

This meeting was held in Rome on 22 April 2004

Morning Session

9:00-9:10 Welcome and opening remarks by David Hallam, Chief, Raw Materials, Tropical and Horticultural Products Service (ESCR), FAO

9:10-9:20 A brief overview of FAO initiatives in social and environmental certification by Paul Pilkauskas, Senior Commodity Specialist, ESCR, FAO

Benefits of Certification: Does certification benefit farmers and society as a whole?

9:20-9:35 What is the world market for certified products? by Pascal Liu and Mikkel Andersen, ESCR, FAO

9:35-9:45 Discussion on market opportunities: how to expand the market?

9:45-10:00 Farmer's experience with certification by Guadalupe Quiroz, UCIRI, Mexico

10:00-10:20 Benefits and constraints of certification: evidence from case studies by Cora Dankers, Consultant, Italy

10:20-10:45 Discussion on certification: distribution of benefits and constraints along the supply chain

Overcoming constraints of certification: facilitating certification through NGO initiatives

11:10-11:30 International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) by Jorge Casale

11:50-12:10 Rainforest Alliance/Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) by Tom Divney

12:20-12:40 Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO) by Olaf Paulsen

12:40-13:00 Social Accountability International (SAI) by Alice Tepper-Marlin

13:00-13:30 Discussion: how to overcome the constraints of certification?

15:00 Afternoon session

Building alliances to expand market opportunities for responsible production

15:00-15:20 International Social and Environmental Accreditation Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance by Pat Mallet, ISEAL Alliance

15:20-15:40 Certification: Adapting to the future by Richard Perkins, WWF - the global environment network

15:40-16:00 Building Alliances between responsible producers and retailers by Maria Gardfjell, COOP Sweden

16:00-16:20 Consumer Co-operatives - putting Fair Trade into the mainstream by Louise Ousted Olsen, Euro-Coop

16:20-17:30 Discussion: strategies to improve collaboration between stakeholders in the supply chain and to promote responsible production and trade