期刊名称：Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences
印刷版ISSN：1943-815X
电子版ISSN：1943-8168
出版年度：2005
卷号：2
期号：1
页码：31-46
DOI：10.1080/15693430512331333384a
出版社：Taylor & Francis
摘要：As multinational food producers and large retailers are increasingly adopting programmes for safe and
sustainable agriculture, they could play a role as ‘agents of change’ in the transition process towards
socially and environmentally responsible production methods. This article argues that the present
private-sector programmes indeed provide an impetus for farmers to change their production methods,
but are at the same time the second-best option. Because their scope is limited, they may suffer from a
weak environmental and social content, they may have discriminating effects on market access, and they
may lack democratic procedures. Therefore, it seems necessary that competing initiatives will be
developed by the sector using a multi-stakeholder approach, because competition between certification
programmes may give an impetus to raise their ambition level in terms of content and good governance.
At the same time, governments could play a more active role by using regulatory intervention.
Governments could work, for example, on minimum definitions of sustainable agricultural production
methods, the restriction of concentrated buyer power and the assistance of smaller producers in coping
with the new quality and safety requirements. The empirical focus of this article is on the retailer-led
EUREPGAP programme for fruit and vegetables in combination with three fruit producing companies
in Brazil.
关键词：Retailers ; developing countries ; fruit production ; governance ; sustainability
