Page 44 - Agricultural innovation

Table 3. Deferences between VSA model and other certifications

Indicators Other certifications VSA model
Cooperation and • Bilateral cooperation between exporters and • The alliance cooperation includes the public sector, the
participation mechanism individual farmers private sector (trade and export enterprises, suppliers,
• Limit public participation farmers) and other organizations
• Farmers passively participate (according to pre- • The public sector actively participates and plays an
defined goals) important role
• Do not create opportunities and attract other • Farmers actively participate (according to their goals
organizations (third parties) and commitments)
• Create opportunities and encourage the participation
of many organizations and parties
Scale • Individual farms, households/facilities that • Consists of a geographical area where many different
produce a certain type of dispersed product types of goods are produced
Setting sustainable • A comprehensive set of global standards • Includes 4 Global Impact Goals and Core Indicators
development goals (usually including goals, principles, criteria for all VSA+ regions and set of indicators and
and guidelines), which can be supplemented/ indicators
interpreted on a country-by-country basis to • Impact targets in each locality and area shall be agreed
suit consistent with the local/country regulatory and established by the stakeholders in that locality
framework (predefined)
Environmental Impact • Small scale (farm/household level), for a single • Large scale (regional level), possibly for many
category industries
• Asynchronous or single impact • Synchronous effect
Verification and market • Verification, certification through an independent • There will be a confirmation committee (currently
entity, performed by the private sector unknown confirmation mechanism)
• There is a stable market but companies are • Some companies started to commit to purchasing
reducing their direct investment (plus premium) (limited volume)
in recent years
Implementation resources • Mainly rely on private investment • Mobilize resources from many parties
• High cost, difficult to be sustainable • Low implementation cost
Source: VSA Project, IDH

intercropping (about 50% of the total area of coffee); (4) Striving for 17,090 hectares of coffee growing
area without using banned substances used in agriculture, herbicides, reducing the use of pesticides by
15% on this total area.
By 2025: reach 100% of coffee and the crops are considered to be sustainably produced (1): Replant
6,646 ha of old coffee area (accounting for 90% of the area to be replanted); (2) Deploying 3 supply
chain models between farmer cooperatives/groups and enterprises with an output of 25,331 tons of
coffee; (3) Applying good agricultural practices (according to the NSC Criteria) on 24,418 hectares of
coffee and intercropping (about 50% of the total area of coffee in the region); (4) Striving for 24,418
hectares of coffee growing area without using banned substances used in agriculture and herbicides,
reducing the use of pesticides by 20% on this total area.

Conserve land and water resources (P):
By 2020: (1) Conserve land resources, increase the use of organic/organic fertilizers by 25% from
10,988 ha to 17,093 ha of coffee growing area, take care of 4,450 ha of land with rows of green trees to
shade the sun, windbreak trees and belt trees forming a green belt to isolate chemicals, intercropping
avocado trees, durian trees or other trees suitable for 4,360 hectares of coffee growing area; (2) Water
management, reducing the amount of irrigation water from 550–600 liters/plant/ to 450 liters/plant
in the first phase and from 450–500 liters/plant to 400 liters/plant in the following phases for 11,046
hectares of planting area coffee trees, increasing the use of surface water for irrigation to 10,500 ha;
(3) Protect forests, increase forest cover by 2%, maintain and take care of 100% of the current status of
forests (the area has 6,297 hectares of special use area).
By 2025: (1) Conserve soil resources, increase 30% of the use of organic/organic fertilizers to 24,418
hectares of coffee growing area, take care of 11,407 hectares of land with rows of green trees to shade and

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 37