Contributions of participatory certification to the territorialization of agroecology

ABSTRACTParticipatory certification, also known as Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), used to assess the compliance of organic or agroecological production systems, has been widely disseminated worldwide in the last ten years. In this study, we seek to analyze, based on the case of the Red de Productores y Consumidores “Comida sana y cercana” [Network of Producers and Consumers “Healthy and Local Food”], whether participatory certification can contribute to the territorialization of agroecology in the critical perspective of transforming agrifood systems. The researched network is located in the municipality of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, and has been using participatory certification for over 12 years. We analyzed published bibliographies about the network and documents generated by the Network, in addition to conducting observations and interviews. The experience of “Comida sana y cercana” shows that participatory certification is a methodology capable of intersecting the five levels of agroecological transition, from technical issues to social organization and the solidarity economy. The participatory certification is an instrument for the territorialization of agroecology, as it brings farmers closer to agroecological principles.KEYWORDS: Participatory guarantee systems (PGS)organic agriculturesolidarity economyagroecological marketsSDG 12: responsible consumption and production AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank the State of São Paulo Research Foundation - Fapesp for funding this research. We also thank Red Comida Sana y Cercana, especially the families who welcomed us into their homes.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThe work was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [2021/11322-5].