Beyond organic: How Kenya is reshaping food systems with participatory guarantee system and agroecology
Researchers and partners in Kenya are advancing Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) integrated with agroecology to make safe, sustainable food more accessible, lower certification costs for farmers, and strengthen resilient, inclusive food systems.
- farmers
- food systems
- Kenya
- smallholders
- Sustainable Agriculture
Beyond organic: How Kenya is reshaping food systems with participatory guarantee system and agroecology
Researchers and partners in Kenya are advancing Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) integrated with agroecology to make safe, sustainable food more accessible, lower certification costs for farmers, and strengthen resilient, inclusive food systems.
Where does this food come from? How was it produced? Is it safe? Is it beneficial to my health? These are critical questions Kenyan consumers are increasingly asking. The growing consumer awareness about the origin of food, production methods, farm inputs, safety, and nutritional value is creating a strong push to reshape the local food system - from how food is produced and marketed to how it is consumed and even disposed of.
Historically, food safety and sustainability have been assured through top-down conventional organic certification schemes. While effective, these schemes are often costly and bureaucratic, making them difficult for smallholder farmers to access. For many, the cost of certification makes organic production much more expensive than conventional farming. When farmers obtain licenses, they often raise commodity prices to cover certification and production costs, making organic foods unaffordable to many consumers, particularly the low-income category.