Abstract ID: 3.10694 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is a peer-to-peer certification system for organic and agroecological production methods that involves various stakeholders of agri-food systems. It aims to address shortcomings of Third-Party Certification, such as the challenge of accessibility for smallholder farmers, the exclusion of farmers from standard setting, and the resulting inappropriateness of requirements for local cultures and contexts. However, research on the context-specific dynamics of PGS implementation and its varying effects on different members within the same initiative remains sparse. This study addresses this gap by disentangling the impacts of the PGS on the ground. It uses the Environmental Justice lens to assess decision-making power, benefit distribution, and recognition among and within the participating agri-food stakeholder groups in the province of Abancay in the Peruvian Highlands. This qualitative case study found that farmers have limited participation in standard setting and implementation through the certification procedure, but monitor peers at the local PGS-specialized marketplace. Training and technical support mainly benefit entrepreneurial and vocal farmers, while there is no clear indication of increased sales through PGS in general. Nevertheless, particularly the farmers who use the specialized marketplace and others who are more active in peer evaluations and present at public events perceive PGS and NGO programs as recognition of their hard work and concern for the environment and people, and can be interpreted as partly reflecting Quchua-Andean reciprocal social relations, and strengthening the assertion of Quechua-Andean cultural identity. While NGO staff tends to be perceived and act as experts, they are also allies of Quechua-Andean smallholder farmers.