Jibal Has founded SILA (Standard in Local Agroecology), a community-led certification system supporting agroecology in Lebanon. SILA brings together farmers, consumers, agroecology practitioners, and other actors in the local food system to build trust, exchange knowledge, and collectively ensure that farms follow agreed agroecological practices and standards. Learn more about SILA and the certification process on Sila website
What is a PGS?
Participatory Guarantee System PGS: It is a community-driven certification model where farmers, consumers, and stakeholders ensure ecological farming through peer review and trust-building, avoiding costly third-party certification. In Lebanon, the PGS is being adapted to local challenges and needs, engaging 50+ stakeholders (between agroecology specialists, ecological and “transitioning” farmers, conscious consumers and activists, and social groceries) by organizing regular quality assurance visits to learn about the farmers and their practices, provide recommendations that could improve their farm management and build trust between the larger PGS community.
It is a local certifying system that is unlike the international CCPB because it is not a company aiming to certify and make profit, instead, PGS is key stakeholders collectively creating and managing a system of certification.
1) An alternative to the organic certification
2) A way to build trust between consumers and agroecology producers
3) Accessible to small scale farmers with limited financial capacity
PGS is a way for farmers and people (consumers, retailers, activists…) who care about food to work together and make sure the food is grown in a regenerative, healthy, and fair way.