GPSNR Working Groups Update: December 2020

Here are all their updates from the last month:

Strategy and Objectives Working Group

For the strategy and objectives working group, the development of the assurance model will be on priority for the next few months. To this end, they have finalised the draft terms of reference for an Assurance Model taskforce, which will be presented to the Executive Committee in their next meeting. Once approved, recruitment will begin extensively. The risk subgroup is also finalizing a document to be shared with the Executive Committee for their feedback.

Smallholder Representation Working Group

The group has submitted a resolution ahead of the July 22 General Assembly to restructure smallholder membership within GPSNR to enhance active participation. You can take a look at it in the GA Booklet here. In the next few months, they will begin planning smallholder workshops in Malaysia while also working on the smallholder policy equivalent. In case you missed it, they have also published an RFP recently to pilot agroforestry workshops for smallholders. Find it here. Preparations for a workshop for smallholders in Malaysia have also begun, which would be held in Q3 of 2022.

Policy Toolbox Working Group

In the last month, the group has finalised two major resolutions presented to the July General Assembly – one on the implementation guidance and the other on the disclosure requirements for year one reporting. Take a look here. Additionally, they have also finalised the guidance and templates for reporting for manufacturers and end users. If you are an end user or manufacturer who has not yet received the guidance and/or the templates, please write to the secretariat at info@gpsnr.org. 

For the next couple of months, the working group will be busy with finalising the operational guidance for the compliance panel and will continue conversations on the transparent reporting roadmap for years 2 and 3.

Capacity Building Working Group

After the kick-off of the GAPs coaching project in Indonesia with SNV and Koltiva, the group is  busy in the development of GPSNR’s knowledge sharing platform, which includes smallholder interviews, compiling and assessing responses of member surveys and holding focus group discussions. At the same time, they are working on advancing Capacity Building plans for Indonesia, Thailand and Côte d’Ivoire. 

They have also published two key RFPs for capacity building projects in Indonesia: one on disease fighting and the other on the provision of certified planting materials.

Shared Responsibility Working Group

The Shared Responsibility working group has prepared the Shared Responsibility framework resolution ahead of the GA, which you can read here. 

Strategy and Objectives Working Group: Following the approval of the Assurance Model resolution (5b), the Assurance Model Task Force is working with ASI in developing the Assurance Model including aligning with current normative documents, engaging members for consultation, and pilot testing.

In parallel, the Risk Subgroup hosted a webinar focused on traceability and shared findings from their traceability pilot projects. 

The Risk subgroup has decided to temporarily pause its activities until December, allowing time for ASI to complete the Assurance Model alignment. ASI has commenced its task of aligning key GPSNR documents. These documents aim to lay a solid foundation for the complete Assurance Model. Upon the completion of this alignment process, the fully drafted Assurance Model will be presented to the members for consideration and approval.

Smallholders Representation and Capacity Building (SCB) Working Group: The Indonesian subgroup presented their quarterly reports for two GAP Coaching projects and one Disease Fighting project on October 27, 2023. In addition, GPSNR secured a joint collaboration letter with RAOT and invited all member companies to participate in the Thailand GAP coaching project in Bueng Kan and Chiang Rai provinces. The Thailand agroforestry project also received additional funding for further sub-projects.

The Digital Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP) task force conducted a pilot user acceptance test and initiated socialisation sessions and training for smallholder farmers in Indonesia. They also announced a Request for Proposal (RFP) for KSP’s third phase, focusing on content development, with submissions due by November 24, 2023.

Rubber agroforestry workshops were held in Côte d’Ivoire from October 25-27, 2023, and information on capacity-building projects open for funding was shared with all members. The SCB WG will continue to oversee all ongoing projects, with efforts to plan logistics for smallholder representatives attending events in Thailand and France. The Thailand agroforestry subgroup is working on a supplemental agreement for additional projects.

Members interested in the Thailand GAP project in Chiang Rai and Bueng Kan are encouraged to contact cheewei@gpsnr.org for more information. The KSP task force plans to continue socialisation sessions and training in Indonesia and Thailand, aiming for the final user acceptance test by the end of November 2023. By the end of November, the task force will begin evaluating proposals for KSP’s third phase.

The Income Diversification and Rubber Agroforestry task force is preparing for its second Indonesian agroforestry workshop of 2023, scheduled for November 22-24. Additionally, a webinar is planned for November 30, 2023, to present findings from the HCSA-HCVN field trial.

Policy Toolbox Working Group: On November 22nd, WG1 met to discuss the  quantification of the RR, data aggregation methodologies, and updates relating to the RR in the context of the Assurance Model. During the meeting, operational timelines and survey to gather information were set up.

Currently, Agridence is developing the digital platform, and the Secretariat plans to provide updates on the RR to ensure the platform is operational before the 2024 reporting cycle.

WG1 is also working on revising the Code of Conduct to include non-conformance measures for failing to update the Reporting Requirements, in line with the non-conformance measures approved by the Executive Committee in 2022.

Lastly, following the approval of the revised reporting requirements, the WG will proceed to develop the disclosure requirements for the Year 3 reporting cycle.

Shared Responsibility Working Group: The Assurance Model will be meeting with ASI to provide feedback on the proposed Assurance Model under development. Additionally, the Working Group has an open co-chair seat and is calling for volunteers to fill this position.