Social innovation matters: The adoption of participatory guarantee systems within Italian alternative agri‐food networks

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2265
• Published date: 01 July 2019
• Date: 01 July 2019
• Author: Giovanna Sacchi

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Social innovation matters: The adoption of participatory

guarantee systems within Italian alternative agri-food

networks*

Giovanna Sacchi

Department of Economics and Management,

University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Correspondence

Giovanna Sacchi, Department of Economics

and Management, University of Florence, Via

delle Pandette, 9, 50127 Florence, Italy

Email: giovanna.sacchi@unifi.it

Abstract

Participatoryguarantee systems are locally basedpractices for assuring organic product

authenticitythat are proving to be a valuable tool for farmers' empowerment and social

innovation.Recent years have witnessed a growing interestin locally based certification

and distribution strategies of organic products. Participatory guarantee systems (PGS)

simplify bureaucratic procedures for small organic producers, who are often over-

whelmed by the extensive documentation required by third-party certification. PGS

development has facilitated several social processes, thus enabling social inclusion,

farmers'empowerment, and mutual support.

1|INTRODUCTION

This article joins the international debate on new models of distribu-

tion and consumption of ethical, quality food products based on eco-

social values. Special attention is paid to the authenticity assurance

process of organic products. The ethical and quality products debate

linked to organic production (ORG) is, indeed, closely associated with

the certification process to ensure their authenticity.

In recent years, parallel to the growth of alternative agri-food net-

works (AAFNs) (Goodman 2002, 2004; Renting et al. 2003;

Whatmore et al., 2003; Holloway et al. 2007; Kneafsey et al. 2008),

we have witnessed an increasing interest in and adoption of alterna-

tive and participative practices—best-known as internal control sys-

tems (ICS or group certification) and participatory guarantee systems

(PGS)—devoted to assuring the authenticity of organic productions

(IFOAM, 2003; May, 2008; Zanasi et al., 2009; Nelson et al., 2010;

Nelson et al., 2016; Sacchi, 2015; Sacchi et al., 2015).

ICS is a quality assurance system for groups of smallholders in

which the third-party certification bodies only inspect the proper

functioning of the system as a whole. The certification body performs

a few inspections on a random selection of smallholders and the final

decision involves the whole group.

On the other hand, PGS are “locally focused quality assurance systems

[that guarantee organic] producers based on active participation of stake-

holders and are built on a foundation of trust, social networks, and knowl-

edge exchange”(IFOAM, 2003). PGS simplify bureaucratic procedures for

small producers, who are often overwhelmed by the extensive documen-

tation required by third-party certification. They also reduce costs by

avoiding the intervention of private and/or foreign certification bodies.

Within this framework, this article aims at reaching the following

objectives: (a) Identifying and mapping Italian AAFNs practicing short

supply-chain distribution strategiesand adopting PGS; (b) Analyzing pro-

ducers'main factors,values, and motivationsin embracingalternativeand

participativepractices for certifyingtheirethical organicproductions.

While some research has documented an increasing interest in the

issueof locally basedand participatorystrategiesfor guaranteeingorganic

foods (Zanasi et al., 2009;Nelson et al., 2010,2016; Sacchi, 2011;2015;

Sacchi et al. 2015; Demartini et al., 2016; Rover et al., 2016; Home et al.,

2017),there currentlyexists no single studyfocusing on analyzingpartici-

patoryquality assurancesystemsin Italy. Analyzingthe experiencein Italy

is of particularimportancesince Italy is thefirst Western countryto admit

the value of PGS by issuing Regional Law no. 19, 2014 in the Emilia-

Romagna Region, which recognizes PGS as “systems and protocols that

ensure environmental andsocial sustainabilityof production, respecting

nature and itscycles, animal welfare, biodiversity,land and its traditions,

1

This study is part of the research project EcoLab: Alternative Eco-labeling strategies for

sustainable consumption of food products, financed in 2015 by Ca’Foscari University of

Venice, Italy.

*JEL classification codes: Q01, Q1, Q13, J54, P32.

DOI: 10.1002/jsc.2265

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