Regen RND
This project develops practice-based participatory verification methods to empower smallholder farmers in eco-credit generation and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
The project aims to bridge the gap in impact monitoring for smallholder farmers in the Global South, who often face exclusion from costly third-party verification systems with questionable reliability. By leveraging the concept of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), this project explores how insights from organic food supply chain audits can be adapted for the ecosystem service rewards sector. Through comprehensive research on various verification methods, the project emphasizes community engagement in eco-credit verification. The ultimate goal is to produce a guidance document to assist other initiatives in establishing eco-credit classes and participatory verification methods tailored for smallholder farmer groups, ensuring their active participation and empowerment in the process.
Partnership and Exploratory Focus
Grameena Vikas Kendram has partnered with Regen Network (RND, Inc), USA, to explore innovative participatory verification systems in rural India.
This project seeks to answer key questions, including whether farmers possess the skills, time, and resources to conduct peer verification, how participatory verification compares to third-party methods in terms of reliability and cost, and which methodologies strike the best balance between practicality and scientific rigour. This research aims to develop a scalable, effective model for eco-credit verification tailored to smallholder farmers.
Impact
Social
The project empowers smallholder farmers by enhancing community engagement in verification processes, building their skills and capacities. By involving farmers in peer verification, it fosters collective responsibility and strengthens local networks, boosting confidence and cultivating ownership over agricultural practices.
Ecological
Implementing Participatory Guarantee Systems encourages sustainable farming practices that protect the environment. Engaging farmers in eco-credit verification promotes eco-friendly methods, leading to improved biodiversity and reduced environmental degradation, fostering stewardship of natural resources.
Economic
The focus on participatory verification systems enables smallholder farmers to access eco-credit markets, creating new income streams. This economic empowerment enhances financial stability in rural communities, allowing families to invest in education, healthcare, and better agricultural practices.
This initiative targets small and marginal cotton farmers in the Manyam, Vizianagaram, and Alluri Seetharamaraju districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The project aims to bridge the gap in impact monitoring for smallholder farmers in the Global South, who often face exclusion from costly third-party verification systems with questionable reliability. By leveraging the concept of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), this project explores how insights from organic food supply chain audits can be adapted for the ecosystem service rewards sector. Through comprehensive research on various verification methods, the project emphasizes community engagement in eco-credit verification. The ultimate goal is to produce a guidance document to assist other initiatives in establishing eco-credit classes and participatory verification methods tailored for smallholder farmer groups, ensuring their active participation and empowerment in the process.
Partnership and Exploratory Focus
Grameena Vikas Kendram has partnered with Regen Network (RND, Inc), USA, to explore innovative participatory verification systems in rural India.
This project seeks to answer key questions, including whether farmers possess the skills, time, and resources to conduct peer verification, how participatory verification compares to third-party methods in terms of reliability and cost, and which methodologies strike the best balance between practicality and scientific rigour. This research aims to develop a scalable, effective model for eco-credit verification tailored to smallholder farmers.
Impact
Social
The project empowers smallholder farmers by enhancing community engagement in verification processes, building their skills and capacities. By involving farmers in peer verification, it fosters collective responsibility and strengthens local networks, boosting confidence and cultivating ownership over agricultural practices.
Ecological
Implementing Participatory Guarantee Systems encourages sustainable farming practices that protect the environment. Engaging farmers in eco-credit verification promotes eco-friendly methods, leading to improved biodiversity and reduced environmental degradation, fostering stewardship of natural resources.
Economic
The focus on participatory verification systems enables smallholder farmers to access eco-credit markets, creating new income streams. This economic empowerment enhances financial stability in rural communities, allowing families to invest in education, healthcare, and better agricultural practices.
This initiative targets small and marginal cotton farmers in the Manyam, Vizianagaram, and Alluri Seetharamaraju districts of Andhra Pradesh.