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PGS Certification: NAC Ncof

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is a certification system for organic producers based on trust and knowledge sharing within local farmer groups. PGS certifies producers through peer appraisal by local groups, which are organized at the village level and register with regional councils. The National Centre of Organic Farming oversees policies and data collection through field monitoring and product testing. Farms must complete a 24-36 month conversion period to be certified organic under PGS standards.

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63 views3 pages

PGS Certification: NAC Ncof

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is a certification system for organic producers based on trust and knowledge sharing within local farmer groups. PGS certifies producers through peer appraisal by local groups, which are organized at the village level and register with regional councils. The National Centre of Organic Farming oversees policies and data collection through field monitoring and product testing. Farms must complete a 24-36 month conversion period to be certified organic under PGS standards.

Uploaded by

Nikhil Patil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PGS Certification

 PGS certify the producers based on trust, social networks and knowledge exchange
 This process is facilitated by the PGS group itself or in some situations a supportive
NGO/ Societies, Gram panchayaths, State/Central Govt. organization/agencies etc.
can involve.
 Public access to the documentation and information about the PGS groups:
o Lists of certified producers
o Details about their farms and non-compliance actions.
(Available on National database PGS-INDIA websites)

Operational Structure

 National Centre of Organic Farming - Custodian of data, define policies and


guidelines and undertake surveillance through field monitoring and product testing
for residues
 Regional councils - Facilitate the local groups in capacity building, training,
knowledge/ technology dissemination and data uploading on the PGS website
 One of the main requirements for forming of RC - Local groups with 3 years standing
in PGS programme are allowed to form their own RC, provided they have support for
at least 10 local groups (LGs).

National Advisory
NAC Committee

NCOF National Centre of Organic Farming


(PGS-INDIA Secretariat)

Zonal
RCOF Councils

RC Regional Councils

Local groups
LGs (Farmers group)
Local Group (LG) requirements

 A Local group should have minimum 5 members belonging to same village or close
by villages with continuous territory
 The holding of one single member should not exceed one third of the total land
under the Local group
 Registered with Concerned RC and have obtained necessary user ID and password to
upload data on PGS website
 Every member needs to attend at least 50% of the meetings in a year and sign in
attendance register
 If no PGS registered group is there in the vicinity then State Agencies (State
Agriculture Department District Officer) may be requested to verify the requirement
and submit necessary verification report to RC. Else request RC to do verification and
grant registration approval
 Timely appraisal of each farm at least twice a year is required
 In each peer appraisal group, should have minimum 3 peer appraisers.
 Each LG need to elect its certification team comprising of five members as Follows:
o Group leader
o Training and meeting coordinator
o Peer review facilitator
o Documentation In-charge
o Public relation and RC Coordinator

Organic farm Conversion period


The time taken for a farm to comply with the PGS organic standards is defined as the
conversion period.

 The whole farm including the crop production and animal husbandry shall be
converted to organic management. Parallel or part conversion is not allowed under
PGS organic management.
 For newly acquired fields or fields managed conventionally, the conversion period:
o shall not be less than 24 months in case of seasonal and annual crops
o shall not be less than 36 months in case of perennial and permanent crops
from the last date of use of prohibited inputs or from the date of taking the pledge,
whichever is later

Fertilizer use
Off-farm/industry produced inputs approved as organic inputs under NPOP by accredited
certification agencies
Pest management
Off-farm microbial or botanical prepared products are approved as organic inputs under
NPOP by accredited certification agencies

Limitations of PGS

 Individual farmers or group of farmers with less than 5 members are not covered
under this. They have to choose for third party certification or join the existing PGS
local group
 Off-farm processing activities like storage, transport and value addition activities by
persons/agencies other than PGS farmers are not covered under PGS

PGS Logo
Two separate logos shall be granted for PGS organic and PGS under conversion:

 PGS-India Organic (Completely Converted into Organic)


 PGS-India Green (Under conversion)

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