Chapter 5
COSA Findings
Arranged by Economic, Social, Environmental and Producer Group findings, this section of the report presents a sampling of the many ways that COSA information can be useful. It includes useful lessons and surprising findings gathered from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
· Sustainability Standards tend to be context specific: good in some areas and weak in others
· Higher yields can correlate with better environmental practices
· Multiple certifications correlate to more, not less, income, but only up to a point
· The overall tendency of certified Certified Producers Outcomes compared to Uncertified Producers
Chapter 6
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
A summary of likely next steps for COSA and some distilled key lessons for:
· Policymakers and Companies
Sustainability Standards play a unique role in a fast-changing agricultural landscape affected by diminishing resources, climate change, and population pressures. However, only a small part of the ?nancial value that they generate actually reaches producers.
· Producers and NGOs
It can be difficult to ascertain which approaches warrant the cost and effort of compliance. The promises that circulate of insatiable markets and high premiums are not certain and local institutional support is invaluable when undertaking sustainability approaches that entail change.
· Standards Bodies
Many Voluntary Sustainability Standards are investing in balanced sustainability indicators, as ISEAL and others are recommending, can advance transparency will be useful for the process of improvement.