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Participation and capacity in the structures and membership of IFOAM is improved
About 40 % of IFOAM’s member organisations are in Developing
Countries. These members work on food security issues, sustainable
rural development, and poverty alleviation. They are looking for equal
participation in the worldwide organic movement, and markets, and their
efficient participation is needed in this global movement for an
acceptable, balanced and fair development.
To fulfil its mission, IFOAM has set up a structure of General
Assembly, World Board, Executive Board, Committees, Working Groups, and
temporary Task Forces. IFOAM members organized themselves in Regional
Groups and sector specific groups of farmers, traders, certifiers and
consultants. Members of these bodies and groups are spread all over the
world. Effective communication and meetings are necessary to support
and develop the international organic movement further in an efficient
way. In order to improve and to professionalise the results of the work
of these internal structures, the I-GO program covers at least the travel and
accommodation costs of the participants coming from developing countries.
Gender and regional balance will be taken care of in all internal IFOAM
structures, including the Head Office. A new IFOAM policy in this
regard will be developed and implemented, relevant for all internal
IFOAM structures.
In addition, there is a need to target capacity building for selected
IFOAM members on special IFOAM topics (e.g. on Organic Guarantee System
(OGS) etc.), in order to ensure their active and efficient
participation in corresponding IFOAM committees and structures.
IFOAM planned and produced professional and comprehensive ‘Training
Manuals’ for organic agriculture in the Tropics and for ‘Internal
Control Systems’ for smallholder certification. These manuals are
important tools for facilitating smallholders to improve the
productivity of their farms in a sustainable and environment-friendly
way, as well to facilitate their access to global organic markets.
Additional manuals will be developed and made available for all
important stakeholders (trainers, farmers, NGOs, development agencies,
consultancies, etc.
Planned Activities
- Ensure the active and successful representation of DCs in IFOAM structures
- Provide financial support (travel,
accommodation, expenses) to representatives from DCs for increased
participation in decision-making bodies of IFOAM.
- Facilitate capacity building for key persons at the regional level
and in IFOAM’s committees and internal structures (targeted training on
e.g. OGS and others).
- Develop and implement an appropriate policy to promote gender
balance and regional balance further within IFOAM’s internal structures
and committees.
- Facilitate the targeted dissemination and use of the diverse I-GO training manuals in DCs (on OA and ICS).
- set up an internet platform for training on OA
- organize or support targeted trainings for trainers
- To organise and finance the translations of important IFOAM documents into major languages
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