Capacity Building: SCAN

What is SCAN?
Facilitated by the Sustainable Commodity Initiative (SCI), in partnership with 18 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 Implementation Platforms for the delivery of targeted technical assistance.

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

Focus Support Areas:

• Good agricultural practices/sustainable practices
• Organizational development
• Financial literacy/risk management
• Market information (access/use)
• Traceability and quality management systems

What is the Program's Status?
SCAN partners have developed a global project framework and a generic set of core needs have been identified. SCAN has conducted needs assessments and begun the establishment of national level SCAN service provision platforms in four pilot countries (Vietnam, Tanzania, Hondouras and Peru).

What is the Program Timeline?
Phase 1 pilot projects began in late 2008. Based upon the results of the needs assessments, specific action plans for expanding the work of the National Implementation Platforms were drafted and further developed by SCAN's Multi-stakeholder Advisory Board (MAB). Comprehensive fundraising for the program is now underway.

For more information on SCAN:
scan@sustainablecommodities.org

Documents for Download:
Download the one page 'SCAN Profile', or the SCAN Q&A document, 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.