IFOAM Organics International: Vision, Activities and R&D/I Agenda Setting for Organic

Uygun Aksoy, IFOAM Organics International Markus Arbenz, IFOAM International Executive Director

11 April, 2016 Aksoy & Arbenz; IFOAM Organics International; 3rd ISHS OGH İzmir-Turkey Outline

1. Description of IFOAM Organics International 2. Organic Policy 2.1. Standards and role of IFOAM Organics International 2.2. Organic 3.0 3. Major Activities 3.1. Projects 3.2. World Congress and other activities 4. Sector Platforms 4.1. Seeds 4.2. TIPI 4.3. INOFO 5. Conclusion

2 IFOAM Organics International Historical Background

• The International Federation of Organic Movements (IFOAM) is the worldwide umbrella organization for the , which represents close to 800 affiliates in 100 countries , • Founded in Versailles, France, on November 5, 1972, during an international congress on organic agriculture, • Five founding members representing different organizations: Lady Eve Balfour representing the Soil Association of Great Britain, Kjell Arman representing the Swedish Biodynamic Association , Pauline Raphaely representing the Soil Association of South Africa , Jerome Goldstein representing Rodale Press of the United States, and Roland Chevriot representing Nature et Progrès of France decided to have a unified and organized voice.

3 World Board

4 General Assembly

GA: Every three years during the World Congress

18th Organic World Congress (13-15 october 2014) held in Istanbul/TURKEY

5 Organic Agriculture offers the world an alternative to address global challenges

Food security • Climate change mitigation/adaptation Biodiversity conservation Sustainable natural resources (water, soil)

6 • Principles of OA • Definition of OA • Scope of OA • Family of Standards • IFOAM positions • IFOAM policy briefs • IFOAM Best Practice Guidelines

7 Other terms used are: Bio, Biological, Eco, Ecological, Ecological Organic Agriculture, Agro-ecological Farming, Low Input Agriculture, , Natural Farming, Biodynamic, etc. Some of these terms are legally protected, usually for a defined range of products, in some countries

8 Key indicators of organic development

9 What’s Organic – Worldwide? • 84 Countries with organic regulations (24 in the process of drafting; • About 150 – 200 Private Standards. • Around 500 Certification Bodies.

10 IFOAM: Organic Guarantee System

11 Family of Standards

12 Trends in regulations: Bilateral agreements among governments

Based on US – US - CAN (2009) Equivalency US - EU (2012) US - Japan (2014) Critial points US – Korea (2014) US – Switzerland (2015) are usually EU - excluded Switzerland (2002 – trade agreement) (e.g. US (2012) antibiotics) Korea (2015) CAN – Switzerland EU Costa Rica Japan

13 Participatory Guarantee Systems, PGS are an excellent alternative to 3 rd party certification for local markets

Globally, PGS increased from 60 groups (27k farmers) in 2011 to 110 (49k farmers) in 2014.

14 Policy setting

In the Organic World, we set policies on:

1. Regulations on production requirements (Standards). The purpose of which is to protect organic claims and consumers.

2. Organic Agriculture Promotion Policies: Either embedded in general agriculture policies or separate organic policies. The first is a precondition for the second.

15 Organic Agriculture Policies

In the Organic World, we focus too much on regulations which also require research. Other policies may be much more effective. Such policies may deal e.g. with: 1. Research agenda and investments 2. Rural development programs (own or by external donors) 3. Rural advisory and extension services 4. Promotion and stimulation of (domestic and export) markets 5. Local market protection 6. Education and capacity building 7. Public procurement 8. Subsidies for ecosystem services and other external effects

IFOAM Organics International launched a study to look at best practice of organic policies. The process to set a policy and to enforce it is very important. Policies are very context specific and not static even after decision making. National Organic Action Plans can be a very effective way! including national research agenda on organic 16 17 Visioning Developing & Scaling & Norming Mainstreaming Organic 1.0 Organic 2.0 Organic 3.0

Idea Certified Standard, Transparent Market Niche Production & Trade, Pioneers laying the Innovating the practice and Recognized Good philosophical and guaranteeing organic with Practice practical foundation certification. Building the value Continuous social & chains and developing the markets material innovation towards best practice and expanding Some pockets the compliance options. 1%: 55 bil € consumer purchases, 70 mil ha, 2 mil producers 18 The impact ambition

Towards more sustainable agriculture 1).Increasing the adoption of organic principles in.mainstream agriculture («organic lighthouse»)

Global. agriculture Frequency 2).Growing the organic sector (certified and nonAcertified).while making it more sustainable Organic agriculture

low high 19 Organic 3.0 Worldview

20 The IFOAM Action Group

14 Self Organized Structures (SoS) (6 regional, 3 national, 5 sector) 1 Daughter Organization (IOAS), 1 shareholder participation (BioC) (Directory of Certified Organic Operators > 70 000 certificates)

21 IFOAM TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION PLATFORM (TIPI)

TIPI’s mission is to foster international collaboration in Organic Agriculture research. The first TIPI Member Assembly was held on February 15, 2013, at BioFach in Nuremberg, Germany.

In facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge on organic food and farming systems, TIPI is committed to engaging all stakeholders who benefit from Organic Agriculture research. TIPI also helps practitioners disseminate, apply and implement innovations and scientific knowledge consistent with the principles of Organic Agriculture.

TIPI FURTHER AIMS TO: • enable IFOAM policies to be based on sound scientific findings • establish research priorities and strategies with various stakeholder organizations in IFOAM • enhance the sustainability of all agriculture based on the principles of Organic Agriculture • build capacity and mobilize partnerships to assist small- scale producers in developing countries • advocate for increased funding in organic research and innovation • represent IFOAM members involved in organic research

22 IFOAM SEEDS PLATFORM

• IFOAM SEEDS Platform is a self- organized structure bringing together individuals and organizations to move forward on the issue of seed and breeding in Organic Agriculture • The 18 th IFOAM Organic World Congress in Istanbul, October 12-15 2014 provided an occasion for members of IFOAM - Organics International and international experts to discuss the role of seeds and in organic agriculture. A Pre-conference Meeting for Seeds and Breeds for a More Organic World was organized to share ideas on how to create a framework within IFOAM - Organics International to define organic breeding and to identify a model for dealing with intellectual

property rights in organic agriculture. 23 IFOAM INTERCONTINENTAL NETWORK OF ORGANIC FARMERS ORGANISATIONS (INOFO) • INOFO is an autonomous self- organised structure within IFOAM - Organics International. • INOFO is the minimal infrastructure that belongs specifically to organic farmers organisations, that can facilitate a relationship allowing them to consult, cooperate and, eventually, to speak with a legitimate common voice on matters of common concern. • IFOAM - Organics International is currently implementing a project to strengthen INOFO and to define and manifest farmers’ strategic priorities, contributing to the empowerment of organic smallholding family famers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

24 Projects of IFOAM Organics International

• I-GO 2 (-2009), I-GO Exit (2009/10), AFSP (2010-13) and APELL (2013-15), funded by Hivos • TP Organics (-2010) funded by EU with IFOAM EU • Organic Tea project (-2013), funded by CFC for China & India • BioFach African Pavillon (2008- 11) funded by SNNC and Norad with Grolink/Agroeco, • GOMA (2009–12) funded by Norad with FAO and UNCTAD and UNFSS (2013) funded by SECO • Africa Manual and Proeco Organic Productivity in Africa for FIBL (2009–11 and 2013-16) funded by SDC and Hivos • Organic Guarantee System (2010-11) funded by Bio Suisse • Organic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (2010+2014) for UNEP with Grolink, Louis Bolk and Organic Services • Kyrgyz National Organic Action Plan (2012) funded by Helvetas, GIZ et al. • OSEA II (2010-13) and OTEA (2014-2018), funded by SIDA with the NOAMs in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Grolink. • PGS Study (2011-14), for UNALM, Peru and PGS Project for ADB (2014–15) • NGO Coordination for the city of Bonn and UN DPI (2011) • BOKK projects (2012-18) for North Korea, funded by the EU • Innovation Award, OFIA and Capacity building of Extension Agents in South Korea, funded by RDA (2012-14) • Best Practice Guidelines Development funded by Migros (2011-13) with FIBL and WWF, Switzerland and SOOAN Organic 3.0 Think-tanking financed by SOAAN members • INOFO capacity and institution building (2014-16), funded by IFAD • Nutrition in Mountain Agro-ecosystems (NMA) (2014- 2018) Project in Nepal, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia and Peru funded by SDC

25 International Society for Organic Farming Research (ISOFAR) 2015 Goesan International Organic EXPO + Industry Fair Goesan-South Korea

Fair Grounds of the ISOFAR 2015 Goesan International Organic EXPO With 1.1 Million visitors, the biggest organic event ever 26 27 28 29 Another opportunity!!

30 CONCLUSION: Further collaboration

• There is a need to have a unified voice and lobbying for a more sustainable agriculture/horticulture, • Collaboration as in the case between ISHS and IFOAM will strengthen the movement, • Local practices especially best practices must be presented and discussed at regional/international levels, • Science and practice must be linked to provide and maintain the best (two-ways) communication, • Replicable, long-term scientific results are required to provide guidance in improving organic standards, production systems and the market…

31 Thank you for your attention

Working towards impact

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