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Organic Agriculture in targeted regions is strengthened
The program has the specific purpose of the increased involvement of Developing Countries in promoting Organic Agriculture. Although there is a general growth in organic movement, some countries and regions are lagging behind - for instance Central Asia (former UDSSR countries) and Africa. This development is also reflected in the IFOAM membership. There are not only countries, but also entire regions where IFOAM does not have members. Agriculture in many of those countries is characterised by many resource-poor smallholders. The introduction of OA could offer diverse benefits, such as income generation, natural resource conservation, food self-sufficiency and social development. However there is a lack of information, knowledge and expertise in many of these countries or regions.
In order to close the gaps in the Organic Agriculture map of the world, and to provide necessary
information, knowledge and expertise in the targeted regions, IFOAM plans to set up Information Points at the national or regional level in the areas with an emerging organic sector.
Planned Activities
- Set up new Information Points (IPs) Equip with required information and technical literature. On the basis of a concept paper on IPs, the IFOAM World Board prioritised the Arabic Region, China and Brazil to set up IPs. East Asia, Latin America, The Caribbean and Ex-Soviet countries are lower on the priority list, though of interest.
- Analysis of the situation of the OA movements, other actors (e.g. donor agencies), and assessment of the need to strengthen OA in these selected regions (collection and analysis of existing information, etc).
- Development of individual work plans for each IP
- Support of a program for targeted use of IFOAM’s training manuals
- Development of contacts with the local OA movements to promote OA in the region/country.
- Support for national platform building of the already existing movement on OA and facilitation for cooperation and negotiation with local governments.
- Carry out special events and lobbying activities
- To promote IFOAM and organic agriculture through special events like conferences, workshops, IFOAM Board and committees meetings, etc.
- To inform farmer organizations, NGOs, entrepreneurs and relevant government institutions on the potential of OA
- To stimulate organic farming growth and to gain new IFOAM members
- Identification of donor agencies active in OA in the country/region and establishment of co-operation (see also Goal 5)
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