Redução da pobreza: Normas voluntárias de sustentabilidade podem auxiliar os pequenos agricultores

This policy brief, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in March 2023, examines whether voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can help reduce poverty among smallholder farmers. Based on a 2021 study that analyzed 13 VSS initiatives, 12 meta-studies, and 57 interviews across six countries, the document argues that VSS can be a tool for poverty reduction when integrated into broader strategies. It identifies key barriers to access for smallholders and provides recommendations for VSS designers and policymakers to enhance the socio-economic and environmental benefits of these standards.

• Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can contribute to poverty reduction for smallholder farmers by influencing agricultural product prices, preserving natural resources, organizing producers, and improving supply chain relationships.
• VSS requirements are most frequently aligned with existing national laws or international conventions, specifically regarding minimum wage, worker health and safety, and freedom of association. There is also high inclusion of requirements for skill development, producer organization, and natural resource management, such as soil conservation and the protection of biodiversity areas.
• Evidence shows VSS can increase income through higher prices for certified products—with some consumers paying 10% to 30% more—and improve social capital and environmental conservation. However, there is no definitive evidence that VSS consistently increase the net income of smallholder families or significantly reduce gender inequalities in resource access.
• Smallholder farmers face significant barriers to accessing VSS markets, including prohibitive certification costs, lack of direct access to traders, excessive intermediaries, limited financial resources, and unfavorable environmental conditions like water scarcity and climate pattern changes.
• The most critical facilitating factor for smallholder access to VSS markets is a supportive ecosystem of agents—including government agencies, traders, and extension services—that provide training, information on standards, and market data.
• To increase impact, VSS should incorporate requirements for living income, activity diversification, climate adaptation/mitigation, and gender equality, while involving smallholders directly in governance and decision-making processes.
• Governments and value chain actors are encouraged to facilitate direct relationships between farmers and formal traders, establish living income benchmarks, promote demand for sustainable products through public procurement, and improve access to productive land and financial resources.

APA

Elder, S. (2023). Redução da pobreza: Normas voluntárias de sustentabilidade podem auxiliar os pequenos agricultores. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/ssi-brief-reducing-poverty-vss-support-smallholder-farmers-pt.pdf

Chicago

Elder, Sara. Redução da pobreza: Normas voluntárias de sustentabilidade podem auxiliar os pequenos agricultores. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/ssi-brief-reducing-poverty-vss-support-smallholder-farmers-pt.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Elder |first1=Sara |title=Redução da pobreza: Normas voluntárias de sustentabilidade podem auxiliar os pequenos agricultores |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/ssi-brief-reducing-poverty-vss-support-smallholder-farmers-pt.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{elder2023reduo, author = {Elder, Sara}, title = {{Redução da pobreza: Normas voluntárias de sustentabilidade podem auxiliar os pequenos agricultores}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/ssi-brief-reducing-poverty-vss-support-smallholder-farmers-pt.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }