SCAN Peru Launches National Platform in Successful Event

A Report from Kifah Sasa of UNDP's Green Commodities Facility

In my capacity as SCAN partner representing UNDP's Green Commodities Facility I attended a thoroughly successful conference organized by the Camara Peruana de Café y Cacao (Peruvian Coffee and Cocoa Chamber of Commerce) followed by an equally positive SCAN launch event in Lima. The launch event was organized to present the work of the Sustainable Commodity Assistance Network (SCAN) in Peru, and internationally.

Over 100 representatives of the coffee sector and members of the press attended the launch event. All of the SCAN-Peru platform partners were in attendance and presented the structure and work of the National Platform, and in particular the results of the needs assessment process conducted in Peru, and the ongoing projects of the Platform (generously supported by Hivos and SECO).

This provided the audience with an in-depth account of the value of SCAN in terms of bringing together key local representatives, identifying the essential technical assistance needs of small producers and coordinating the development and application of necessary tools and training.

SCAN was also presented in the context of a new emphasis on sustainable supply chains which international donor led environment-development interventions, such as GEF or Adaptation Fund are promoting, in coordination with their common implementing agencies such as UNDP.

For the participants and organizers the strength of SCAN lies in its solid network of committed members, and accordingly the initiative was presented as the ideal technical assistance delivery partner for projects funded through these types of mechanisms, and those aimed at sustainable commodity production generally.

Facilitated by the Sustainable Commodity Initiative (SCI), in partnership with 20 key global standards bodies, technical assistance institutions, and other key stakeholders, SCAN is a capacity building program aimed at providing customized, needs-based technical assistance to producers wishing to adopt sustainable practices and enter sustainable markets. Click here for more information on SCAN ...

The SCAN National Platform in Peru is composed of: La Camara Peruana de Café y Cacao, La Junta Nacional de Café, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Solidaridad, IFOAM and UTZ Certified, representing over 60% of the entire Coffee Sector in Peru.

Kifah Sasa represents UNDP's Green Commodities Facility, a SCAN partner.