September 16-19, 2009: SEAE Technical Conference on organic production in Mediterranean Basin

The 2009 technical conference of the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture SEAE will take place in Mallorca. 

The aims of the conference

• To know the progress and the current situation of organic production in the Mediterranean;
• To evaluate the interest of the major organic productions (Olives, Vine, Carob-tree, Almonds and Husbandry);
• To identify the environmental and socioeconomic constraints for a linkage to Agroecological strategies;
• To propose the needs of a Mediterranean area in policies and differentiated norms and standards.

Conference topics

Scientific and not scientific papers can be presented on the four topics of the Conference.

• Mediterranean agro-environment conditions;
• Sustainability of Mediterranean agro systems;
• Socioeconomic aspects
• Needs and challenges.

Papers will be presented in a poster format only - also in English.

Information

Instructions, template and a flyer are available at the SEAE webpage at www.agroecologia.net.

Deadlines

• May 20: Deadline for the submission of abstracts
• May 20 - 30: Scientific Committee revision of presented abstracts
• June 1: abstracts acceptation is communicated 
• July 17: full papers should be presented

Contact

Please send abstracts to the Permanent Secretary of SEAE coordinador(at)agroecologia.net

Background

The countries of the Mediterranean basin share similar climate and ecological conditions, with strong environmental links – water scarcity, soil degradation and erosion- and a millenary history generated on the political conflicts within European countries and countries from the Southern part of the Mediterranean sea. Historically, the ten countries that initiated the Process of Barcelona (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) have taken a very important role in the agrofood sector. The opening of a free trade area would be both, an opportunity to re-launch the economy and a thread due to the similarity of the crops and the coincidence of vegetable and fresh fruit harvesting periods.

The countries of the Southeast of the Mediterranean basin do not have food self-sufficiency and in addition these countries suffer major limitations and have inadequate production factors. Adopting an environmentally friendly agriculture, could counterbalance the devastating effects of globalization, especially in terms of food security Organic farming (OF) as it’s a model of rural and territorial sustainable development emerged from its multifuncionality, can contribute to a sustainable economic development of the Mediterranean basin. In many of Mediterranean countries, OF represents a promising production system, although in the developing countries, it is still considered an export production system for small market niche. One strategic factor of sustainable development is the access to a training, certification, research and markets. Regarding this last one, the important aspects are the  development of local markets, the direct relationship with the consumer (short supply chain), the impulse of catering for schools, etc. The recent faster development of OF in many of the Mediterranean countries are one indicator of the interest of markets actors, taking the attention of many Governments.

Scheduled Programme

• Wednesday, 16th September
  • 10h00 Visit to Agroecological Mediterranean sites
  • 18h00 Roundtable1: Organic farming in Balearian Islands 20h00 Welcome Reception at Palma City Town Hall
    
    
• Thursday, 17th of september: Agroenvironmental Aspects
  • 09h00 Accreditation of the participants
  • 09h30 Welcome speeches (Invited Authorities) 10h00 Speech 1: Mediterranean Union J. Ferre, IEMED
  • 10h45 Ecology, landscape and agriculture A. Martínez
  • 11h30 Coffee break
  • 12h00 Mediterranean Soils J. Porta
  • 13h00 Climate change in the Mediterranean M.Millán, CEAM
  • 13h30 Posters Session 1
  • 14h00 Lunch (Organic)
  • 16h00 Eficiency and energy balance in OF (prov.)
  • 16h45 External Costs Saving by Organic Farming I. Murray 17h30 Coffee break 18h00 Environmental Services of OF M. Glez de Molina
  • 18h45 Annual General Assembly of SEAE (open)
  • 21h30 (organic) Gala dinner of SEAE

• Friday, 18th of September : Socioeconomic Issues
  • 09h30 Mediterranean Insularity and Organic Farming (prov.)
  • 10h15 Mediterranean policies & OF R. Cubell, G. Catalunya
  • 11h00 Coffee break
  • 11h30 Panel: Mediterranean experiences in OF (prov.)
  • 13h30 Poster Session 2
  • 14h00 (Organic) Lunch
  • 16h00 Organic Marketing in Mediterranean Basin (prov.)
  • 16h45 Research in OF in Mediterranean countries (prov.)
  • 17h30 Roundtable2: Future of Mediterranean OF (prov.)
  • 22h00 Welfare Dinner

• Saturday, 19th of September
• 9h30-18h00 Visit to organic vineyards and vineries (prov.)
• Parallel meetings
• Meeting of organic Mediterranean Associations (prov.)
• Meeting of the IFOAM ABM Regional Group Board (prov.)
• Meeting of project Consortiums (prov.

More information

Conference homepage