Capacity Building: SCAN

What is SCAN?
Facilitated by the Sustainable Commodity Initiative (SCI), in partnership with 20 key global standards bodies, technical assistance institutions, and other key stakeholders, the Sustainable Commodity Assistance Network (SCAN) is a capacity building program aimed at providing customized, needs-based technical assistance to producers wishing to adopt sustainable practices and enter sustainable markets.

What are the Program's Goals and Objectives?
To implement a global generic technical assistance network that will mobilize an increased number of organizations to provide support services to producers wishing to enter sustainable markets. SCAN's specific objectives include:

1. Developing a generic set of training materials to build better business management practices and quality management systems for sustainable producers.

2. The development of a global network of National Platforms for the delivery of targeted technical assistance.

Where is SCAN's Geographic Focus?
Pilot projects are underway in countries in Asia, East Africa, Central America and South America.

What are SCAN's Focus Support Areas?

• Good Agricultural Practices and Sustainable Practices
• Organizational Development
• Financial Literacy and Risk Management
• Quality Management Systems and Traceability
• Market Information (access/use)

What are SCAN's current activities?
A pilot phase of the program was completed in 4 countries (Peru, Vietnam, Tanzania and Honduras) in 2009 through support from HIVOS and co-financing from Solidaridad (as well as in-kind support from various SCAN partners).

Based upon the needs assessments conducted in each country, specific priority technical assistance needs are now being addressed. In each country, efforts are also being made to consolidate and strengthen the SCAN national platforms.

What are SCAN's plans for the future?
SCAN is seeking funding for further generic tool and curriculum development in all of the five key support areas identified. This includes validating and applying tools and training through activities aimed at training trainers and the direct application of technical assistance at the producer level, based on specific needs assessments.

SCAN is working closely with the ISEAL Alliance to link with their broader 'scaling up of impacts'bprogram and has formed a partnership with UNDP's Green Commodities Facility to support the establishment of sustainable sectors in developing countries.

For more information on SCAN:
scan@sustainablecommodities.org

Documents for Download:
Download the 'SCAN Q&A' document or the one page 'SCAN Project Profile' below for a brief overview of the project. For a more in-depth look at the proposed implementation of SCAN please download the "SCAN Framework" document.

Also available for download is the 'Closing the Gaps' report which provides an in depth account of the gaps between current practices and "recognized sustainable" practices in Uganda, El Salvador and Brazil case study regions. The Appendices to the report provide a matrix of the different standards applied in the gap analysis report, as well as a detailed account of the cost calculations for reaching compliance with core sustainable practices.