HIVOS - SCAN Workshop at Biofach

February 21 2009, Nurnberg Germany

HIVOS hosted a workshop together with the SCI to present the collaborative developments of the Sustainable Commodity Assistance Network (SCAN) project and generate stakeholder dialogue on adapting the project to fit local realities.

SCAN is a project of the SCI, partners with key global standards bodies, research institutes, technical assistance experts and industry. The project aims to develop a global capacity building platform aimed at providing customized needs-based technical assistance to producers wishing to adopt sustainable practices and enter sustainable markets. Participants in SCAN have identified the following five general support areas; good agricultural practices, financial literacy/risk management, traceability and quality management systems, organisational development and market information.

SCAN partners have developed a global project framework and recently launched a comprehensive needs assessment process in four countries (Vietnam, Tanzania, Honduras and Peru. Workshop participants were invited to link up with the initiative to participate in the needs assessment process in their respective countries.

Workshop participants identified regional issues in the coffee sector and assessed SCAN's draft technical assistance package for smallholder producers. The SCAN needs assessment process will utilize a bottom-up approach, and will strive to develop state of the art materials and training based on priorities and needs expressed by producers. The focus of the initial pilot phase of the project is on coffee, but partners are aiming to develop the project further in additional countries and commodities.

SCAN Founding Partners include; Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Hivos, Solidaridad/CSN, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Tropical Commodity Coalition, Rainforest Alliance, ISEAL Alliance, UTZ CERTIFIED, Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI) Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C), FLO, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and TWIN.

Read more about the SCAN project