QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

EDITION 05 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2015

Welcome

The Sustainable Agriculture Network welcomes you to the fifth issue of the quarterly newsletter whose purpose is to inform you about the work and the most important achievements of the SAN Secretariat and the partners. In this issue, as the last one of the year, we are summarizing the most important actions carried out in 2015 and giving you a first peek at the path ahead for 2016.

The year 2015 was characterized by the establishment of organizational structures with a polished corporate image, significant progress on the revision of the new Standard and assurance model, more impetus to the learning and support programs, and the development of a new strategy to grow our membership.

Our big thanks to the SAN Secretariat team for their hard work and daily commitment to achieving these objectives and to our partners for their unwavering support to the Network. Next year we will continue growing together.

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The Secretariat reports

SAN organizes its work around four strategic objectives in order tocarried out its mission to transform agriculture into more sustainableactivities:

Efectiveness: Develop programs and systems that are effective in maximizing the sustainability of agriculture

The development process for the new standard this year was the most intensive and analytical in the history of the SAN: the revision of the SAN Standard 2016 for Sustainable Agriculture was enhanced thanks to consultations with various sectors, for example, with the strong participation of producers on the topic of banned and restricted pesticides, and the partners’ technical teams on improvements to the scoring system.

One of the challenges overcome in 2015 was the acceptance of the concept of risk management for pesticides based on scientific analysis, which was consolidated through extensive consultation processes with NGOs and european supermarkets.

The SAN Standard revision process was accompanied by appropriate information to ensure transparency in the process. Throughout the year a series of news and multimedia products regarding the progress and decisions regarding the SAN Standard 2016 were published and distributed to stakeholders via email, the website, social networks and webinars.

To give constant support to the process, in March an online consultation center was created and made available to the public, where users can find all the relevant information they need and have their questions answered in a personalized way. Between March and November, more than 50 questions were received from producers, group administrators, academics and NGOs in 20 countries.

A communication strategy for the launch of the SAN Standard 2016 was also proposed and it will be implemented next year with different audiences, key messages, and products in mind.

SAN accreditation requirements were also updated this past year, an online training platform was built and tested, the training program was structured for the new SAN Standard 2016, and a new auditor evaluation system was tested. In addition, consultations were begun on the new assurance model that includes support for farms and groups, plus an innovative certification process focused on risk management.

During the year the Secretariat sought to support the SAN partners by disseminating their activities and impacts through the publication of 30 articles on the “Tales from the Field” blog and on social networks. Some of the activities that were promoted through the SAN online channels were the Green Race organized by Fundación Natura, and Imaflora’s celebration of its 20th anniversary.

In addition, with the support of Natura Cert and Rainforest Alliance, the SAN coordinated a press tour to a palm plantation in Colombia, for two German media outlets.

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Global reach: Combine worldwide representation and local influence to ensure that priority areas benefit form SAN

Four opinion articles on certification and agriculture were also published that had a significant impact and generated online debate.

The SAN profiles on Facebook and Twitter have been consolidated as a channel for information and interaction with the general public. On Facebook, the SAN profiles have approximately 41,000 followers, 1,000 more than in 2014. For their part, the number of followers on Twitter grew from 58 to 523, a 900% increase in a single year.

The Secretariat worked hard on strengthening the image and positioning of the SAN brand with specific audiences through constant face-to-face and online meetings with stakeholders in different countries, and the publication of studies and information materials on the impact of the SAN/RA certification system.

Among the accomplishments of 2015, one of the most important in this area has been the consolidation of the accounting and human resources systems, the updating of general accounting policies, and a performance evaluation program for the Secretariat team.

The first external financial audit of the organization was also initiated, whose results will be made known in early 2016.

The Sustainable Agriculture Network obtained a new donation from the Overbrook Foundation to support and strengthen its members during 2016. The donation will be used primarily on activities to help SAN members improve in specific areas. This will be done through consultancies and internal exchanges among members where possible.

Institutional resilience: Strengthen and develop SAN in order to pro-vide consistent and high quality delivery of programs

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SAN and Rainforest Alliance signed a one-year extension of the contract with International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) the entity that provides certification body accreditation services for the SAN/Rainforest Alliance certification system. SAN will work closely with IOAS during the upcoming year to making the accreditation and certification body oversight mechanisms more robust, cost-effective, and focused on risks to certification.

During the last quarter of 2015, the SAN began building relationships with new potential partners such as The Moore Foundation, the Packard Foundation and the United States Department of Labor.

In November, the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI) announced that the SAN Standard for Sustainable Agriculture had reached the silver level in its evaluation (FSA), meeting 100% of the essential criteria.

The SAN launched its own image bank this year in a photo gallery on Flickr that reflects the work of the Secretariat and the partners in the field. The gallery will close out 2015 with approximately 600 photographs available for the use of the partners and the SAN team. This effort should continue to grow with support from all the partners.

2016: tracing the route

SAN will focus its efforts on publishing the new Standard, successfully scaling up the program using all the necessary and effective tools for auditing and certification processes in more than 40 countries, and publishing producer-friendly training materials that provide growers with guidance on the implementation of these systems. Field training will begin in the second half of 2016.

Next year will also bring improvements to the certification process and the assurance system. ISEAL will evaluate our compliance with the Assurance Code in August, at the time when the area of Assurance and Support will have already launched the new policies, procedures and requirements for the certification bodies and the internal management systems of the Network.

In addition, the SAN will launch an internal organizational evaluation tool for its partners in early 2016. ICADE and Fundación Natura tested the tool in November 2015 and its objective is to facilitate information exchange among the SAN members and identify areas that need strengthening.

Another of the priorities for 2016 will be to expand the SAN’s presence in key countries. Toward this end there are ongoing talks with VECO International regarding its potential integration as a member. Exchanges are currently being facilitated between the regional VECO offices and some SAN partners in order to get to know the work of each one in depth. Nature Kenya also renewed its interest in becoming a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Network.

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Update from SAN members

CEFCA:

The SYM (Sustainable Yield Module) project of the Rainforest Alliance implemented in the eastern region of Ivory Coast by CEFCA concluded successfully. Average yield growth for the cacao crop was above 80%. Forty farmers were trained in field schools for three years in order to improve their work practices; they also implemented two demonstration plots that included the use of new grafting technology. These farmers have passed on their knowledge to their peers, allowing us to reach more than a thousand farmers.

Another of the projects promoted by the Rainforest Alliance and funded by UNEP is being developed in Tai National Park, one of the best conserved parks in West Africa. The main objective is the conservation of biodiversity in its productive landscapes, providing greater stability to all participants in the value chain and increasing income for small producers.

One of the primary goals is to prevent the invasion of farms into the territory of the park. Since last year, more than 65,000 shade tree plantlets have been distributed to farmers to expand the buffer zones and improve shade on their farms. The farmers helped raise awareness in their communities through radio programs and other training materials.

The NBFP (Nescafe Better Farming Practices) project has also improved the practices of many farmers. The NBFP training modules include the requirements of the SAN Standard.

The project has grown a lot in the last year and it now involves 15,000 farmers in 33 cooperatives. Coffee farms that had been abandoned are now being renovated and demonstrating good yields. Nestlé has produced and distributed 2 million plantlets to farmers to regenerate these areas.

CEFCA’s priorities for 2016 will be to continue work to improve the productivity of coffee and cacao growers, maintain the protection of Tai National Park, implement specific projects for women producers, and offer workshops to group administrators about the new SAN Standard for Sustainable Agriculture.

ICADE:

In 2015, ICADE achieved several goals in its strategic work areas.

Climate Change

- 16 families have built 16 biodigesters to supply their kitchens with gas while reducing emissions.

- Construction of 5 rainwater reservoirs, each with a capacity of 3800 cubic meters, which are benefiting 15 families.

- Construction of 200 ecostoves for 200 families that reduce firewood consumption and deforestation.

- Construction of animal food storage facilities (silos) in 13 communities to ensure the supply of livestock feed in the dry season.

- Establishment of 40 parcels with drought-tolerant beans (Amadeus) as a germplasm bank for the communities.

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Certification services

- Strengthening of 9 auditors with training courses on ISO 9011 and ISO 9001.

- At the end of 2015, there is a 10% increase in the certified coffee crop area.

- Certification of the african oil palm crop continues and there is a new company interest in the SAN program.

Sustainable Business Management

- Installation and operation of a dairy processing plant of APACAL, with access to the local market for cheeses and cream.

- Installation of four collection centers for milling and drying cacao for the market.

- Training for 150 people (coffee technicians and producers) on the SAN Standard for Sustainable Agriculture.

Housing

- Construction through mutual assistance of 424 housing units for low-income people and improvements to 200 houses, benefiting a population of 2500 people in the departments of El Paraíso, Choluteca, Colón.

In 2015, certification grew due to demand from livestock producers. Recently, the Beef Passion farm, with 6,000 hectares in the interior of São Paulo and the Mato Grosso, obtained SAN certification and launched its meat products at the Milán International Fair. The company produces high quality meat that is consumed in upscale Brazilian restaurants. It is also sold in some of the country’s butcher shops.

Hamburger meat certified under the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM seal is also exported to Germany, Holland and the Nordic countries. The meat is produced at the Sao Marcelo farm of the JD Group, pioneers in cattle certification.

Regarding the Nespresso AAA Project, IMAFLORA held 27 workshops in 15 cities, with the participation of 681 farmers and 33 technicians, as part of the training and technical assistance program for best agricultural practices.

The goal for 2016 is to intensify the work on cattle certification, in parallel with efforts to halt deforestation and mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies by IMAFLORA conducted as part of the Climate Observatory’s SEEG initiative (Portuguese acronym for Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimate System) show that the sector has enormous potential to reduce emissions by 50% using sound practices. The agricultural sector is currently responsible for one-third of Brazil’s emissions.

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Imaflora:

NEPCon:

This year we were fortunate to obtain SAN member status. In the near future we expect to participate more actively in the Network’s work plan. For us it is a great pleasure to support responsible agriculture worldwide through certification.

Next year we will of course prioritize the strengthening of certification in the Chain of Custody system (CoC) and expand our auditing activities and our portfolio of clients in Europe. Another priority for us is to participate in the development and improvement of the SAN Chain of Custody system.

Rainforest Alliance:

At Rainforest Alliance we are closing out 2015 with the satisfaction of seeing the worldwide growth of forest conservation efforts through certification processes and sustainability management, through a commitment that unites us with the SAN partners, farmers, trading companies and consumers.

These results are precisely what motivate us to start 2016 with very specific goals, which are part of our 2016-2020 strategic plan, such as further expanding the responsible cultivation of products such as coffee, tea and cacao, while we endeavor to work even harder on activities that involve deforestation, such as oil palm cultivation or livestock production.

To meet these goals, the work of the Rainforest Alliance will have a landscape approach, such that the work we do with producers, for example, enables us to address the challenges of conservation and the wellbeing of populations.

And of course, we are anxious to begin working on disseminating and implementing the new SAN Standard for Sustainable Agriculture, knowing that it will be a key tool in adding value for producers while benefitting communities and the environment.

SalvaNatura:

In El Salvador the greatest achievement of our work with the SAN Standard was that we managed to certify 30% of the country’s coffee crop area under the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM seal, in other words, more than 22,000 hectares are now certified.

Our goal for 2016 is to maintain this achievement despite the crisis that the sector is enduring due to issues such as climate change, leaf rust and low prices for coffee in the international market.

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