EcoLabelling Initiatives in Developing Countries

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Eco-Labelling Initiatives in Developing Countries

• Practical Experiences Lessons learned in
  Latin America and Asia
• Regional Expert Meeting on the Development of an
  African Eco-Labelling Scheme UNEP / UNECA Addis
  Ababa 11-13 June 2007 René BenguerelBlueyou
  Consultancy for Sustainable Development
  Switzerland

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Eco-Labelling Initiatives
Organic Cotton Project Maikaal / India
Organic Coco Dominican Republic
Organic Aquaculture Initiative Vietnam
Organic Aquaculture Initiative Brazil
Indian Organic Aquaculture Programme
Organic Aquaculture Initiative Indonesia
Thailand
Sustainable Soy Programme Brazil
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Examples of Experiences
Organic Cotton Project Maikaal / India
Organic Aquaculture Initiative Vietnam
Indian Organic Agriculture Programme
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Organic Shrimp Farming Ecuador Peru

• Start 1998
• Initiative from Naturland (D)
• Promotion of extensive, sustainable aquaculture
  practises and shrimp products on international
  markets through Eco-Labelling
• Main markets EU and US
• Programme involving more than 30 farms, both
  large-scale and small
• Today well established and acknowledged by the
  markets
• Capacity building for local extension of organic
  production in Ecuador and Peru

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Organic Cotton bioRe Maikaal / India

• Private programme founded in 1991 by Swiss cotton
  trader Remei AG
• Project aims to improve livelihoods of
  smallholders by organic cotton production and
  integrating farmers into the textile chain
• bioRe worldwide largest organic cotton project
• More than 5000 farmers from 75 villages
• bioRe India employs 60 staff in the production
  and administration, the majority works as
  agricultural extension officers and advisers to
  farmers
• In 2003 founding of farmers association for local
  empowerment and support in sustainability
  measurements

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Organic Aquaculture Vietnam

• Aquaculture as important economic activity in
  Vietnam and export trade commodity
• Promotion of extensive, sustainable aquaculture
  practises for shrimp fish
• Organic aquaculture in combination with
  conservation of mangrove forests
• Certification by Naturland (D)
• Programme started in 1999
• Main markets Switzerland and EU
• Local Capacity building in organic extension
  services and inspection bodies
• Programme today involves more than 1500
  small-scale farmers covering an area of more than
  8000 ha

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Organic Agriculture Programme India

• Programme for Institutional building in India for
  Organic Agriculture
• Facilitated by Swiss Institute for Organic
  Agriculture (FiBL)
• Forming of International Competence Centre for
  Organic Agriculture (ICCOA)
• Consultancy Services in Extension, Research,
  Capacity Building
• Support in market intelligence within organic
  agriculture sector of India
• Forming of Indian Organic Certification Body
  (Indocert)
• Development of Indian Organic Agriculture
  Standard

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Lessons learned N 1 Importance of Marketing

• Many Eco-Labelling Initiatives fail due to
  missing Markets and inappropriate Marketing
  Strategies
• Success of Eco-Labelling ultimately depends on
  positive Impact / attractive Access to Consumer
  Markets
• Initiatives of Eco-Labelling should focus on the
  Marketing Aspect in the very Beginning, since the
  Programmes Outlines will depend on the chosen
  Marketing Strategy
• Target Markets and Consumer Groups
• Market Requirements and Consumers Preferences
• Promotion and Pricing Strategy
• Value Adding Chain and Potential for local Value
  Addition

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Lessons learned N 2 Selection of Certification
Scheme

• Selection of Certification Scheme according to
  Market Needs and local, site-specific Conditions
• Market Compliance and Compatibility is essential
  (Flexibility)
• Awareness and Market Acceptance of specific
  Standards must be considered
• Development of new Standard vs. building
  Initiatives on already existing Standards
• Capacities and Capabilities to develop and
  operationally run a Certification Scheme
• Credibility and Reliability of a Certification
  Scheme
• Set-up and System of a Certification Scheme
• Stakeholder Participation Consultation Process
  

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Lessons learned N 3 Pre-Requisites vs. local
Reality

• Projects often reveal multiple Gaps between
  Pre-Requisites of modern Product Certification
  Schemes and the Reality of tropical Developing
  Countries
• Observed Gaps do often refer to
• Lack in Organisational Status of Producers
• Lack in Infrastructure and Food-Safety
  Conditions
• Lack in Quality Management System
• Lack in Data Monitoring and Documentation
  Procedures
• Eco-Labelling Initiatives therefore must take
  into Account local Realities, same time ensuring
  appropriate tackling of Key-Criteria for
  Compliance with Certification Schemes

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Lessons learned N 4 Local Capacities
Capabilities

• Eco-Labelling as a Process (rather than the final
  Result of Certification) requires significant
  personal, material and immaterial Resources and
  Knowledge
• The Reality of Developing Countries local
  Conditions often demand for an intensive Process
  of Building-up Capacities and Capabilities in the
  Realm of Eco-Labelling Programmes
• Ideally, local Capacities are build-up within the
  Framework of well defined and distinct
  Pilot-Projects, providing practical learning
  Grounds for all Participants at a later Stage,
  these Programmes can be extended and multiplied
• Very complex and large scale Programmes should
  only be accomplished after having gained
  Experiences on small-scale level

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Final Conclusions Eco-Labelling in Developing
Countries

• Eco-Labelling as a mean to promote sustainable
  Production and Development should rather focus on
  the Process than on the final Result its often
  a complex and resource intensive process,
  demanding the commitment of all stakeholders
• The Process of Eco-Labelling provides a guiding
  Framework towards better Management of natural
  Resources and more sustainable Development
• For successful Implementation, Eco-labelling
  Initiatives need to focus not only on the local
  Production Aspects, but take into account the
  Marketing Issues from the Beginning
• Selection of Standards should focus on maximum
  Compliance and Compatibility for different Export
  Markets