Smallholder Farmers and Organic Certification: Accessing the EU Market from the Developing World

Organic imports into the EU from the developing world are growing rapidly. Certification regulations for the import of organic products are very rigorous and smallholder farmers, in common with all farmers, must comply with a complex array of rules and procedures to access this market. This paper investigates the many challenges faced by smallholder farmers in acquiring certification as well as the benefits to farmers of being able to export certified organic produce. Certification costs are high but, as the paper explains, can be overcome by smallholders forming producer groups, acquiring external funding, selling on contract and, in some countries, being able to utilize national rather than EU certification bodies. The bureaucracy and paperwork of certification are problematic to smallholders, who must also choose the ‘right’ certifier to ensure acceptance in the market. Another issue for smallholders examined in the paper is the necessity for reliable marketing linkages. Although there are obstacles, there are also benefits from certification and the paper evaluates evidence of benefits both to individuals and communities.