Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is one of the guaratee tool to ensure organic intregity for organic farming. It was first implemented in Thailand by the Earth Net Foundation in 2011 with an organic producer group in Phangan Island, Surath Thani, Southern Thailand. It later on expands to Sawang Boran group (silk worm raising and natural-dyed silk) in Khon Kaen and the MiVana coffee producer in Chaing Rai.
In 2016/17, PGS became very popular after the cabinet approved the National Organic Agriculture Development Strategy Plan 2017-21 [11 Apr 17] that include the promotion and the recognition of PGS.
Green Net has conducted a national survey of PGS organic farmers and found as of end of 2016, there were 14 producer groups who have implemented the PGS with a total of 1,155 farms, covering 1848.13 ha of farmlands. Some group had completed the process, while others just began. If counted only those already completed the process, there were around 866 farms with 1579.17 ha of PGS certified lands.
And the survey also found that by the first half of 2017, the numbers of PGS organic farms had already doubled up.
