Bioenergy Issue Paper Series, Issue Paper #5--Biofuel Group Certification: Ensuring That Smallholders Can Participate in Biofuel Markets

Sustainable certification of biofuels can be effective in reducing environmental and social impacts. As primary producers of biofuel feedstocks, many smallholders have a difficult time obtaining certification individually due to barriers such as high costs and little implementation support. Group certification of smallholders has been proposed as a solution to this issue. But, how can biofuel certification bodies address the challenges of implementing an effective group certification system without compromising the credibility of the standard? What lessons can be drawn from existing certification schemes? This issue brief provides best practices for policymakers on how to help smallholders obtain sustainable certifications for their biofuels production.