Rationale
原理
An increasing proportion of global coffee production, roughly 40% as of 2013 (Panhuysen & Pierrot, 2013) originates from farms following some form of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS). These programs are expanding into multi-billion dollar global activities, providing industry and consumers with the comfort that the coffee they trade and consume has been produced according to environmental and ethical standards. Yet there is little empirical evidence to suggest these programs have positive outcomes for smallholders. This paper quantifies the impacts of 4C certification, recognized as a relatively more accessible standard,to ascertain the capacity of VSS to improve smallholder livelihoods.
全球咖啡产量的比例越来越大，2013年约为40％（Panhuysen＆Pierrot，2013）源于遵循某种形式的自愿可持续性标准（VSS）的农场。 这种自愿可持续性标准的农场正在扩展为数十亿美元的全球活动，让行业和消费者满意的是他们贸易和消费的咖啡是环境友好和符合道德标准生产的。 然而， 没有多少经验证据表明这些为小农户带来了积极成果。 本文量化了4C认证的影响，被认为是一个相对更容易获得的标准，以确定自愿可持续性标准改善小农生计的程度。
Methods
研究方法
The paper compares two groups of farmers, one 4C certified and an uncertified control group, measuring the average treatment effect of certification on a collection of outcome variables. We use a quasi-experimental method relying on propensity score matching (PSM) to control for selection bias. We draw on extensive survey data, of over 1600 households drawn from about 100 farmer groups, covering a broad array of indicators including livelihood determinants, farming practices, market characteristicsand subjective assessments. In addition to the main cross-section from 2015, panel data can be constructed for a number of indicators through leveraging administrative records, allowing us to employ a differences-in-differences impacts estimator.
本文比较了两组农民，一组4C认证和一组未认证的对照组，测量认证对采用了平均自愿可持续性标准一组结果变量的效果。 我们 用一个准实验方法依靠倾向评分匹配（PSM）来控制选择偏差。我们利用广泛的调查数据，来自约100个农民团体的1600多户家庭，涉及的指标包括生计决定因素、耕作方式、市场特点和主观评估。 除了2015年的主要横截面之外，可以通过利用行政记录为多个指标构建面板数据，从而使我们能够利用双重差分影响估计。
Results
结果
This paper makes several contributions to knowledge within the global coffee community by, 1. Contributing empirically to the literature surrounding VSS; while several studies have examined certification qualitatively few provide a counterfactual fora causal impact evaluation;2. Advancing knowledge of 4C certification,particularly when not confounded with the introduction of specialty coffee varieties or reputable growing regions; and,3. Contributing to knowledge of the Indonesian coffee sector,which is particularly uniquedue to high smallholder density and weak internal organization(Neilson, 2015).
本文对全球咖啡界有几下几方面贡献:1、 给VSS文学 提供了实证支持 ; 虽然几项研究定性地审查了证书,但很少提供反事实因果影响评价; 2. 推进4C认证方面的知识，尤其是不与引进精品咖啡品种或声誉良好的生长区混淆;3 促进印度尼西亚咖啡部门的知识，这对于高小农密度和薄弱的内部组织尤其是独一无二的（尼尔森，2015年）。
Conclusions & Perspectives
结论和展望
VSS remain a popular tool to improve smallholder livelihoods, however without proper knowledge of their effectiveness andlimitations standards will remain poorly understood and thus poorly targeted. Importantly this could lead to muted or unintended impacts onsmallholders and their communities. The insights from this paper could provide important inputs to the global debate on the continued evolution of standards.
VSS仍然是改善小农生计的一种流行工具，但是如果没有对其有效性和限制标准的适当了解，则会由于很少了解导致目标不明确。 重要的是，重要的是，这可能导致对小农及其社区的静默或无意的影响。 本文的见解可以为关于标准的持续演变的全球辩论提供重要支持。
Reference
1.Neilson, J., 2015. Towards a more competitive and dynamic value chain for Indonesian coffee: Working paper 7, Report produced under the World Bank Technical Assistance Program on Competitiveness and Sustainability of Beverage Crops
2.Panhuysen, S. & Pierrot, J., 2014. Coffee Barometer 2014, Report produced by HIVOS, IUCN Nederland, Oxfam Novib, Solidaridad, WWF.
