Agri-Food Certifications in Latin America: Drivers of Accountability or Gateways to Fraud and Corruption?

Agri-food certifications are shaped by Western-driven standards and influenced by consumer demand for quality and sustainability, operating within a complex web of regulations, power structures, and market expectations. However, the requirements often clash with the practical realities and cultural values of the local producer communities responsible for their implementation. While existing literature highlights diverse outcomes in farmers’ adoption of standards, a systematic categorisation of these responses remains absent. The article explores the development of sustainability certifications, their driving forces, current characteristics, and operational structures. Building on literature-based evidence from case studies in Latin America, this paper develops a theoretical framework to classify farmers’ responses into two key categories within a bifocal model, drawing on insights from surveillance studies and criminology to inform the analysis. When the perceived advantages of compliance outweigh its costs, a culture of surveillance may develop, reinforcing control mechanisms to ensure adherence to certification requirements. However, if standards are seen as burdensome or misaligned with local needs, producers may resist, circumventing requirements or fostering a culture of corruption. The extent of the cultural clash shapes the interplay of these cultures. The article concludes by emphasising the need for further empirical research to test this theory and calls for a reconsideration of priorities that acknowledge local needs and cultural dynamics for certifications, ensuring more effective and trusted outcomes.