Certification of Organic Products in Spain and Brazil

Abstract

The paper analyzes two systems of certification of organic products, the Participatory Guarantee System and the Third Party Certification, by comparative analysis of two realities: the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) and Andalusia (Spain). This study has analyzed the trajectory of both systems in each of the areas and their specificities with particular attention to the perspective of social actors. To do this we used a qualitative methodology supported by the application of open interviews and participant observation. The main conclusion is that although both systems have been present in the two areas, the predominance of one over another in each region is a reflection of complex interests arosen around the certification of organic products by both public and private entities, and the organic operators.