"Value chains are a vital part of how our world operates, yet we are only beginning to understand how to make them sustainable." This is how the recently published book "Sustainable Global Value Chains" is introduced. It belongs to the book series "Natural Resource Management in Transition".
In chapter 34, Mildred and Gerald point out how important smallholders are for a sustainable food production, but that their market access depends heavily on their ability to comply with national and international public and private standards. Since the educational and financial resources of smallholders are usually rather limited, group certification has become key for their success. The concept allows numerous smallholders to apply for certification as a group. To do so, they need to proof that they have a reliable internal control system (ICS) in place. The chapter "Group Certification: Market Access for Smallholder Agriculture" comprehensively explains the concept of Group Certification and all relevant terminologies. It further provides an overview where the concept stems from and which chances and challenges emerge from it. Finally, it concludes that training combined with the use of modern, affordable ICT-tools is crucial for Group Certification to work in a sustainable and credible fashion.
Mildred’s and Gerald’s chapter can be found in the last section of the book under "Outlook and Emerging Issues".