Smallholders in Global Bioenergy Value Chains and Certification

This report presents three case studies to investigate how voluntary bioenergy standards might create a disincentive to integrating smallholders into the bioenergy value chain. The authors examine the challenges and opportunities to smallholders presented by bioenergy as a new type of value chain and by bioenergy certification schemes. They find that under existing certification schemes, smallholders can still participate in the value chain; there is a lack of incentives for smallholders to become certified; and farmer organization is key to both dealing with buyers and approaching the certification process.