Current audit mechanisms in voluntary systems often struggle to capture the full scope of sustainability practices across entire regions, which can result in findings that do not fully reflect the diversity and depth of practices within the farming community.
This project seeks to close that gap by integrating community-driven monitoring into existing certification processes, giving smallholder producers and their communities a more active role in sustainability assessment. By developing a Community-based Monitoring and Assurance System (CMAS), SAN seeks to improve data consistency, strengthen local engagement across producer communities, and create a more transparent and inclusive approach to sustainable verification. This will increase the overall reliability and reach of the assurance frameworks.
