| |  | | August 2007, Vol.2, no.8 |
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- Second Call for Contributions to the 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress
- The publication “Organic Markets in Africa” is available in IFOAM’s bookstore
- New Discussion forum: Genetically Modified crops and Food Security in Africa
- Call for Tender: Study on the Recognition of PGS at the National Legislative Level
- Third National Conference on Organic Agriculture in Nigeria
- Conserving the plant genetic resources of southern Africa
- Community based seed supply in Sudan
- Quiet Organic Revolution in South Africa
- Organic cotton brings hope to North Ugandan farmers
- Upcoming organic agriculture-related events in Africa
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| | 1. Second Call for Contributions to the 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress | | | Themes of the Organic World Congress
The Organic World Congress has two main tracks: the Systems Values track for presentation and exchange of practical experiences from farmers, consumers, campaigns and cooperation; and a Scientific Research track, where current academic research and others will be presented and discussed. Only papers with a relation to Organic Agriculture can be accepted.
All papers will be submitted to the joint platform in Organic Eprints. Papers need to be submitted according to the template provided. Artistic and contributions using other media should be submitted directly to the program steering committee.
The deadline for the submission of the contribution is October 15th.
Contributions should consist of a short paper on 4 pages, with a maximum of 2500 words. For selected papers, authors will be asked to present an abstract (500 words) to be published in the book of Abstracts (Conference Reader).
To download the Eprints instructions and the template, visit: http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/owc/call_for_paper.html
| | | | | 2. The publication “Organic Markets in Africa” is available in IFOAM’s bookstore
| | | This report was commissioned by IFOAM to further understanding of the developing local organic markets in Africa.
The report is authored by Gunnar Rundgren and Peter Lustig from Grolink, Sweden.
In most African countries, exports are much bigger than domestic sales. Organic markets in Africa are still in their infancy, except in South Africa and Egypt. There are, however, a number of initiatives to increase local markets, such as the establishment of organic stores and other outlets operated by private entrepreneurs or NGO-driven initiatives to link farmers to markets.
The study analyses the main factors hampering or fostering the success of selected local marketing strategies in Africa, and provides people who aim at starting a local marketing activity with firsthand recommendations and ideas. In addition, donors and other supporting organizations are provided with ideas on how to encourage local organic marketing initiatives in Africa.
The report is based on a survey of eighty-five local market initiatives, case studies of a handful of the initiatives, the market strategies of the National Organic Agriculture Movement (NOAM), the consultants’ experiences and a literature review.
The publication is free for IFOAM members via the IFOAM Intranet:
http://www.ifoam.org/intranet/index.php
For others, the printed copy costs 9 euros, the CD-Rom - 7 euros and the download version - 5 euros.
For further information, visit the IFOAM website at: http://shop.ifoam.org/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=437
| | | | | 3. New Discussion forum: Genetically Modified crops and Food Security in Africa
| | | In Africa, millions of small-holder farmers cannot grow enough food to sustain their families, their communities, or their countries. This leads to recurrent food-crises and enhanced difficulties to feed its growing population. But the lack of food is not only related to the low agricultural productivity. Food shortages in Africa are a complex interplay of bad governance, regular droughts, poverty, lack of distribution capacity, lack of transport and good storage infrastructure and political instability, etc.
Africa’s food crisis calls out for answers. Efforts are currently underway to bring genetically modified (GM) crops and a “Green Revolution” to Africa. It is claimed that the GM crops and the “Green Revolution for Africa” will dramatically increase the productivity of small farms and significantly reducing poverty and hunger.
But are GM crops appropriate for African agricultural systems and would they help to resolve the challenges that affect African agriculture? What are the implications if they are taken up? Will the Rockefeller and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundations’ Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa solve the problems of poverty and hunger on the continent?
We as the organic agriculture movement are particularly concerned that genetic engineering in agriculture causes, or may cause negative and irreversible environmental impacts, denial of free choice, both for farmers and consumers, violation of farmers' fundamental property rights and endangerment of their economic independence, unacceptable threats to human health, etc.
We are also concerned that the “Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa” would include a large-scale application of a technological package comprising new seed varieties, often including genetically modified crops, industrial farm inputs and massive agricultural infrastructure.
This discussion forum has been set up to enable African organic stakeholders and others interested to share their opinion and experience about:
- Risks of genetically modified crops
- Impacts of GM crops on African smallholder farmer livelihoods
- Implications and possible impacts of the “Green revolution for Africa” approach on food security in Africa
- Approaches needed to increase the long-term potential of Organic Agriculture to contribute to crop production and food security in Africa.
From time to time, a summary of the ideas that are being discussed will be made, and the right questions defined for the next step. The outcomes of the discussion will be used as an advocacy tool and will be presented at the next Organic World Congress (OWC) in Modena 2008, Italy.
All are invited to participate in the discussion forum at: http://www.ifoam.org/forum_php/viewforum.php?f=1.
Anyone may view and read the messages posted on a forum, but registration is required for posting and replying to messages.
The registration is quick, easy, secure, and confidential, and also protects the board from spammers.
The registration URL is:
http://www.ifoam.org/forum_php/profile.php?mode=register.
| | | | | 4. Call for Tender: Study on the Recognition of PGS at the National Legislative Level
| | | IFOAM is seeking tender bids from suitably experienced consultants/companies on the above consultancy.
Deadline for Submission
Your offer shall be received by IFOAM’s Head Office no later than the 5th of September 2007 and submitted by e-mail to Anne Boor at a.boor@ifoam.org with cc to Martin Eimer at m.eimer@ifoam.org.
Please indicate the following on the subject line: ‘Tender: Study on PGS recognition’
For further information, visit the IFOAM website at: http://www.ifoam.org/partners/tenders/index.html.
| | | | | 5. Third National Conference on Organic Agriculture in Nigeria | | | From November 11th to 15th 2007, IFOAM member Organic Agriculture Project in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (OAPTIN) is organizing the 3rd National Conference on Organic Agriculture in Sokoto, Nigeria.
The conference theme is “Organic Agriculture for better livelihoods.” The conference sub-themes are the following:
- Crop production systems
- Livestock production systems in organic agriculture
- Health and environmental issues in organic farming
- Organic fertilizers
- Integrated pest management systems
- Economics of Organic Agriculture
- Handling/Packaging and marketing of organic produce/food
The registration fee includes conference bag and materials and is planned as follow:
- 30 euros for regular participants
- 6 or 3 euros for students (with or without conference materials)
- 60 euros for corporate organizations.
For more information, contact: Dr. Adeoluwa Olugbenga (adeoluwaoo@yahoo.com).
| | | | | 6. Conserving the plant genetic resources of southern Africa | | | Based in Lusaka, Zambia, and working with other national centers, the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC) coordinates the conservation activities for the whole Southern African region, and stores a collection of local plant genetic resources.
At present, 37,000 accessions of different crops have been collected and registered. More than a third of these have been deposited in the base collection at SPGRC.
The center is also documenting the efficient and sustainable use of the plant genetic resources of the region, and is providing a forum for the exchange of scientific, cultural, traditional and indigenous knowledge.
For more information, visit: http://www.leisa.info/index.php?url=show-blob-html.tpl&p[o_id]=113357&p[a_id]=211&p[a_seq]=1
| | | | | 7. Community based seed supply in Sudan
| | | CARE International implemented between 2002 and 2005 a project to enhance the food security status of about 65,000 rural families in Western Sudan. Some of the main components of the project were to improve seed availability through distribution of high quality seeds of improved varieties released by research, capacity building and training of local communities, and the promotion of seed multiplication at community level.
A local agricultural research organization provided appropriate seed varieties, trained farmers and project staff on production technologies, developed an appropriate extension program, and a training manual.
With its local distribution channels, this community based system is very effective in improving the dissemination, accessibility and availability of quality seeds of the adopted improved varieties. The newly introduced varieties become part of the farmer stock, and the importance of the multiplication, repayment and exchange system is well recognized by the farmers after their experience with this project.
For more information, visit:
http://www.leisa.info/index.php?url=show-blob-html.tpl&p[o_id]=113358&p[a_id]=211&p[a_seq]=1
| | | | | 8. Quiet Organic Revolution in South Africa | | | In an emerging market such as South Africa, the conversion to organic production is usually an economic rather than an ideologically-driven decision.
A quiet revolution is taking place in the orchards of the Western Cape. After decades of trying to grow fruit with the aid of chemicals, fruit farmers are packing in the pesticides and deciding to grow green.
Organic farming has come to South Africa, where it is being billed, not only as a profitable enterprise, but as an answer to poor soil quality in growing regions.
For more information, visit: http://organic.com.au/news/2007.04.13/
| | | | | 9. Organic cotton brings hope to North Ugandan farmers
| | | A Cotton International Organization gives cotton farmers in Uganda’s North inputs, teaches them new farming methods and buys cotton from them. About 24,000 farmers in Lira district are now growing organic cotton.
Growing organic cotton helps farmers to increase their incomes and build better lives.
“Organic cotton is giving us good income. In 2006, I harvested 2,000 kg of seed cotton from three acres. I used the money to buy two bulls, an ox-plough, a bed, household utensils, and clothes for my family,” one farmer said.
“Apart from improving our incomes, it has made our marriages stable. More money means fewer domestic problems,” another farmer said.
For more information visit: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/37/580006
| | | | | 10. Upcoming organic agriculture-related events in Africa
| | | Natural and Organic Products exhibition 2007
October 12-14 2007
Cap Town, South Africa
For more information, visit: http://www.naturalandorganic.co.za/no/index.asp.
3rd National Conference on Organic Agriculture in Nigeria
11-15 November 2007
Sokoto, Nigeria
For more information, contact: Dr. Adeoluwa Olugbenga (adeoluwaoo@yahoo.com).
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