Certification · Independent Smallholder Certification

Stepping up Support for Independent Smallholders

Independent Smallholder Certification

Across the world, the majority of the world’s farms are managed by independent smallholders. These farms play a vital role in agricultural supply chains and rural livelihoods. At the same time, small-scale farming can also lead to deforestation, biodiversity loss and social issues due to a lack of knowledge and financial resources. By supporting family-run agriculture through sustainability certification, we help strengthen environmental protection and improve social conditions.

ISCC Independent Smallholder (ISH) Certification provides a structured framework that enables smallholders to meet sustainability requirements while maintaining their independence. It is a group certification under the responsibility of a Central Office (CO) and applies to independent smallholders producing agricultural crops, including palm fresh fruit bunches (FFBs).

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Benefits of Independent Smallholder Certification

Stronger Market Access

Certification helps independent smallholders connect to buyers and international markets. Through group certification, reliance on multiple intermediaries can be reduced, supporting more direct market integration and helping smallholders retain more value from their production.

Improved Livelihoods and Stability

Certification supports more stable incomes and long-term economic resilience for smallholder households, helping secure livelihoods for current and future generations.

Better Social Conditions

Sustainability certification promotes fair working conditions, responsible practices, and stronger community well-being for smallholders and their families.

Environmental Protection

Certified smallholders apply practices that help protect natural resources and biodiversity, supporting sustainable land use and the long-term viability of farming.

Eligibility Criteria for Independent Smallholders

  • Cultivate crops on their own land with a limited planted area of less than 50 hectares.
  • Rely mainly on family labour, with farming as the primary source of income.
  • Remain independent in land-use and farm-management decisions.
  • Be part of an organisational structure (e.g. a cooperative) with access to the supply chain.
  • Not be contractually bound to a specific buyer or processor, while support services may still be used.

The ISH Certification Process

The Independent Smallholder Certification system is based on a three-step train-the-trainer concept. ISCC provides training for master trainers. These master trainers provide ISH Training for the Central Offices (COs), which in turn may qualify their own trainers, so that, in the end, smallholders are trained by their COs.

1. Set up a Central Office (CO) Organisation

An important precondition for becoming ISCC-certified is that the ISH shall belong to an organisation, e.g., a cooperative. The eligibility of such an organisation will be checked. On positive feedback, the ISH organisation is asked to provide the boundary polygon of the area in which ISH is located. We will conduct a land-use change and eligibility analysis for this area at no cost.

2. Arrange for ISH Training

The CO will introduce the necessary steps for the ISH training and start training of about 50 ISH. Part of the training involves using mobile applications that enable easy data mapping, including ISH field polygons. Further, the training aims to support smallholders in setting up or adapting an organisational structure that is beneficial for certification and to raise awareness of good agricultural practices to help them increase productivity.

3. Conduct a Baseline Audit and Implement Corrective Measures

A baseline audit must be conducted by trained staff of the CO to better understand the status quo, identify gaps towards certification, and design a customised training programme for smallholders. The audit results are discussed to identify and implement corrective actions. This internal baseline audit is mandatory for every ISH seeking certification.

4. Get Certified

The last step is the audit by an independent external Certification Body (CB), cooperating with ISCC. During the audit, compliance with the six ISCC principles is checked (e.g. the protection of land with high biodiversity value or high carbon stock, as well as several ecological and social requirements and management practices). The audit is based on samples (the square root of the number of ISH) as selected by the auditor.

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