Faire face à la COVID-19 : Renforcer la résilience des agriculteurs par la certification

This policy brief examines the role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in enhancing the resilience of small-scale farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a study of six countries (Cambodia, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, and Rwanda), it finds that VSS can provide higher prices, stronger buyer relationships, and better training, which help farmers mitigate shocks. However, VSS alone cannot protect against global price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics in supply chains. The document recommends that governments complement VSS with social protection, minimum price guarantees, and policies to stimulate demand for sustainable products.

• Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) can enhance smallholder resilience by providing higher prices or premiums compared to conventional markets, which increases farmers' capacity to invest and adapt to shocks. In India, niche markets for organic and extra-long staple cotton maintained advantageous prices during the pandemic, while organic rice producers in Cambodia and coffee farmers in Rwanda also saw better revenues than those in conventional markets.
• VSS often foster stronger, more supportive relationships between producers and buyers, which ensures more secure access to inputs and markets during crises. For example, an Indian cotton buyer secured special authorization to deliver seeds and inputs during lockdowns, and organic cashew producers in Guinea-Bissau recovered sales faster due to buyer guidance on health and distancing protocols.
• Certification under VSS can facilitate market diversification and access to international markets, reducing reliance on domestic sales. In Guatemala, VSS-compliant producers were less affected by COVID-19 because they could access international markets, whereas non-compliant producers were limited to the domestic market.
• The training and culture of compliance associated with VSS help farmers adapt more quickly to new regulatory requirements, such as COVID-19 health protocols. Respondents in Guatemala, Colombia, and Rwanda noted that certified producers were better equipped to implement protection and adaptation activities because they were already accustomed to following standards.
• VSS have significant limitations and do not fully protect farmers from international price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics. In India, most VSS-compliant cotton (excluding organic and extra-long staple) fell below the government's minimum support price during the pandemic. Furthermore, the study found that stability in contracts often depends more on membership in a cooperative than on VSS certification itself.
• The advantages of VSS may diminish as the supply of certified products increases and competition grows, unless market demand increases proportionally. This was specifically noted in Guinea-Bissau and Cambodia, where the current benefits are partly attributed to the small number of certified producers.
• Governments can strengthen smallholder resilience by implementing five key actions: encouraging sustainable consumption through taxes or subsidies, establishing regulatory frameworks for sustainable procurement, connecting producers with supply chain actors, expanding social protection programs (like cash transfers), and establishing minimum prices to ensure a living income.

APA

Elder, S. (2021). Faire face à la COVID-19 : Renforcer la résilience des agriculteurs par la certification. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-05/covid-19-certification-farmer-resilience-fr.pdf

Chicago

Elder, Sara. Faire face à la COVID-19 : Renforcer la résilience des agriculteurs par la certification. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-05/covid-19-certification-farmer-resilience-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Elder |first1=Sara |title=Faire face à la COVID-19 : Renforcer la résilience des agriculteurs par la certification |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-05/covid-19-certification-farmer-resilience-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{elder2021faire, author = {Elder, Sara}, title = {{Faire face à la COVID-19 : Renforcer la résilience des agriculteurs par la certification}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-05/covid-19-certification-farmer-resilience-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }