A step-wise approach treats certification as a journey and focuses on empowering smallholders to become and stay certified. FSC has explored two step-wise approaches and found that simplicity and flexibility are vital for successful uptake of certification by smallholders in the global South.
Step-wise approach 1: ‘Continuous improvement’
One approach to smallholder certification is known as ‘continuous improvement’ and allows smallholders to be certified from the start of their journey and offers flexible steps towards full compliance with applicable requirements within a defined time frame.
Step-wise approach 2: ‘Modular approach programme’
The modular approach programme (MAP) was developed to allow smallholders to achieve full compliance with the applicable national standard over a five-year period. It was developed by FSC between 2009 and 2012.
Several institutions have implemented step-wise approaches towards certification for their smallholders in the global South. Early indications show that this has led to successful uptake in terms of certificates issued and increase in area certified. These two step-wise approaches have been selected for trial in 2018.
Contact
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the two step-wise approach concepts, please contact Annah Agasha at a.agasha@fsc.org. For questions about the smallholder implementation project team’s activities related to the normative framework, please contact team lead, Vera Santos at v.santos@fsc.org.