Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and short organic supply chains have emerged as promising solutions for smallholder farmers to provide organic produce to nearby consumers. PGS is an institutional innovation that builds trust among producers, traders and consumers through a low-cost transparent and participatory certification mechanism. They have particularly gained a foothold among smallholder farmers in middle- income countries, where third-party certification costs are often unaffordable.

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, and agriculture is one of the engines of economic and social development. The agricultural sector contributes 16.1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 33 percent of formal employment and the food security of the population. There are 260 000 producers involved in agricultural production.

Food and Nutritional Security (FNS), understood as the availability and access to quality food, is fundamental for human development. The sustainability and progress of the agricultural sector are essential to maintain a food supply in quantity and quality. In the department of Córdoba, multidimensional poverty is twice as high for rural areas (51.9 percent) as compared to urban areas (23.3 percent). Thus, rural producers' role in boosting the local economy, contributing to generating jobs and FNS is essential.

Chile is a leading country in food exports, where beekeeping plays a fundamental role with more than 1 300 000 hives supporting food production through pollination. Good practices must be addressed from generation to generation of beekeepers to promote the healthy and active hives for the provision of systemic pollination services.

The “Green Innovation Centres for the agriculture and food sector” (GIC) project, implemented by the GIZ, aims to enhance the agricultural value chains in various countries by promoting sustainable practices and innovations. The “Atingi”-platform, which was created as part of the project, can be seen as a knowledge hub that provides access to the various knowledge outputs of the initiative.