Third Expert Meeting
on Socially and Environmentally Responsible Horticulture Production and Trade

Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Nüremberg, Germany, 16 February 2003

Agenda

1. Introduction, and reminder of the main conclusions of the first and second Expert Meeting , by Pascal Liu, FAO, Italy

2. Presentation of the latest developments in the main environmental and social standard setting and/or certification programmes

2.a. ISEAL Alliance and the organic movement  by Bo van Elzakker, the Netherlands

2.b The Rainforest Alliance and the Sustainable Agriculture Network , by Thomas Divney, Costa Rica

2.c Social Accountability International and SA 8000 , by Alice Tepper Marlin, USA

2.d Latest developments in SASA project  , by Sasha Courville, Australia

3. Producers' experiences of standard implementation and cost-benefit analysis at Del Oro, Costa Rica , by Mikkel Andersen (FAO/RUTA) & Omar Somarribas (Del Oro), Costa Rica.

4. Views on "partnerships in socially and environmentally responsible horticulture trade":

4.a Building partnerships, the difficulties encountered by small farmers to meet the requirements of the international market.  by Emilie Dardaine, FLO, Germany

4.b The role of certification, advantages and disadvantages of local versus international certification bodies in building partnerships.  by Jean Martin Tetang, Export Agro, Cameroon

4.c Responsible partnerships, Chiquita's experience with the Rainforest Alliance and the IUF  by George Jaksch, Chiquita, Belgium

4.d Value addition of certification for importers and retailers   by Volkert Engelsman, EOSTA, The Netherlands

5. Discussion in groups:

group 1: Building partnerships; how to start? Choosing your partners, negotiation of contracts, what are rights and responsibilities of each actor?
• group 2: Responsible pricing. How to improve pricing mechanisms throughout the chain so that producers can make social and environmental investments on their farms?
• group 3: The role of certification in partnerships. More than a control mechanism? How to ensure that certification fulfils its other potential roles such as communication along the chain? Where is the value addition for the actors in the chain?

6. Presentation of group results and plenary discussion

7. Closing of the meeting