Smallholders Representation Working Group Update – March 2020

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The appointed Country Champions have been in contact with the smallholders to ensure a good understanding of GPSNR through familiarization with the Statutes and Code of Conduct. These socialization efforts were carried out by means of teleconferencing, some taking place with the aid of interpreters. To complement these preliminary engagement sessions, the Working Group is creating a customised programme for the smallholders prior to this year’s General Assembly. It is important for the smallholders to meet face-to-face and have the chance to get to know each other, considering that some of them have never stepped foot outside their own country. As they will have to decide who will represent them in the Executive Committee if the new ‘Smallholder Producers’ membership category is approved, interaction with each other is imperative for them to make informed decisions.  

The sub-Group specially formed to focus on this issue has proposed a first draft of the programme, which was discussed at the recent Working Group meeting. At the moment, the programme includes sessions for the smallholders to learn more about each other, about GPSNR and the impact of their votes. They will also guide the smallholders in identifying their priorities and needs, and include sharing from GPSNR members in the other categories, so that smallholders can better understand how they can be effective members and work with others at both Working Group and Executive Committee levels. Aside from these proposed sessions, a half-day field trip is also being considered as a socio-cultural component. 

Looking towards the future, the Working Group is having ongoing discussions on how best to integrate smallholders into the various Working Groups. The language barrier has been identified as a key issue to address in order to achieve full inclusivity of smallholders. .

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Strategy and Objectives Working Group Update – January 2020

Using the Theory of Change model, the Working Group identified root causes that prevent the natural rubber supply chain from achieving the desired state. Once these root causes were agreed upon, effective strategies could be designed to mitigate them.

Considering that the natural rubber industry and the world around it is not static but changes with time, the Working Group has planned for the Theory of Change to be a living document that GPSNR members will continually update and maintain. This will ensure its relevance and role in realizing the vision of GPSNR.

In addition to the above, the Working Group is drafting the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Equity sub-Working Group. The sub-Working Group’s focus will be on how we can ensure equity along the supply chain.

‘Policy Toolbox’ Working Group

Working Group members’ comments on the first draft of the top line policy components were consolidated and incorporated into an updated draft. For ease of understanding, it was agreed that the policy components and implementation components would be displayed in separate tables. This would allow members to more easily distinguish the policy commitments they should adopt, and the corresponding actions they should implement.

The Working Group aims to have the top line policy components finalized by the end of January for the Executive Committee’s approval.  

‘Capacity Building’ Working Group

The Working Group has designed the questionnaire on which it will base the interviews of stakeholders conducting capacity building activities in rubber-producing countries. Volunteers from the Working Group as well as the GPSNR Secretariat will contact the previously identified stakeholders and seek their input on past and existing capacity building initiatives, evaluating the success of the activities and exploring the role that GPSNR can play in ensuring that the initiatives fulfill their objectives.

‘Traceability and Transparency’ Working Group

Using the Theory of Change document as an anchor to their discussions, the Working Group was able to analyze how the lack of traceability and transparency in the natural rubber supply chain would constitute a threat to sustainability, and how to tackle the associating challenges. Next, the Working Group will start on the design of pilot studies for tools currently employed to assess supply chain risks and/or achieve supply chain traceability or transparency.

GPSNR Staff January 26, 2020
Members

GPSNR Working Groups Update: February 2021 (Members Version)

GPSNR Members Webinar | 3 March 2021, 8:00PM (GMT+8)
Join the Chairs and Co-Chairs of the Executive Committee and Working Groups as they share more on their current projects and upcoming highlights. Members will be able to pose queries to the panelists during the live Q&A session.

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Strategy and Objectives Working Group

Further to the receipt of several submissions in response to the Environmental Risk Study request for Proposals, the Strategy and Objectives Working Group has now  selected the Proforest team, together with consultant Liza Murphy, to conduct the environmental risk study. The team will be reaching out to GPSNR members to have initial scoping conversations in support of the study.

The Equity Sub-Working Group has drafted a summary for the Living Income studies undertaken in Thailand and Indonesia next year. Pending approval from the Sub-Working Group and S&O Working Group Members, the summary will be released to all GPSNR members and a webinar will be held to present the responses.

Representatives from each of the platform’s other Working Groups have started to draft their Working Group’s Theory of Change. At the end of the month, the Strategy and Objectives Working Group will consolidate this information and develop a platform-wide Theory of Change.

‘Policy Toolbox’ Working Group

The Policy Toolbox Working group has received initial proposals for the development of Implementation Guidance request for proposals (RFP) and will be meeting to discuss and select a proposal.

The Working Group will be setting up focus groups for category members to participate in the development of the implementation guidance. The call to join will be in the newsletter and also in the other article to be published.

In the next weeks, the Working Group will also be developing a new RFP for a consultant to help refine the reporting requirements based on the BRR pilot done last year. The consultant will work to bring the questions into alignment with other reporting systems (e.g. CDP and Ecovadis) and ensure that the questions are phrased in a suitable manner.

‘Capacity Building’ Working Group

The Capacity Building Working Group conducted a webinar to share about the national CB strategies and recruit members to the national sub-groups. (Click here to view recording and slide deck)

‘Traceability and Transparency’ Working Group

The ‘Traceability and Transparency’ Working Group has now set up 3 sub-groups that will focus on different tasks: refining the WG theory of change, developing a definition of traceability and minimum acceptable levels of traceability, and developing a data collection process with Policy Toolbox Working Group members.

Smallholder Representation Working Group

The Smallholder Representation Working Group has completed logistical organization of the Smallholders caucus call, that will happen tomorrow, 25th February. The caucus call will allow sharing and collaboration among smallholders across national lines.

View the February 2021 Working Groups Update Slide Deck for more details on the progress of each Working Group

GPSNR Staff February 23, 2021

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