Sistemas Participativos de Garantia no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Para além da garantia das qualidades dos produtos orgânicos

Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and Social Control Organizations represent 90% ofthe assurance mechanisms of organic producers in Rio de Janeiro state. These systems considersocial control and joint responsibility as the basis for organic quality assurance, but theirbenefits go beyond credibility generation. This study analyses the scenario of social technologyconstruction and application in the PGS groups of ABIO - Biological Farmers Associationof Rio de Janeiro State. Results show the growth in the number of organic producers (around352% in 6 years), participatory research methodologies, technical assistance and training inagroecology and the strengthening of stakeholder networks. The challenges are: incorporateinnovations to assist in the records and traceability of organic products; bring producers andconsumers, scientists and technical workers together, enabling the access to organic productson a large scale and greater social control.