ORCA: Database with information on organic research institutions now online

The database gives a unique overview of research institutions active in organic agricultural research world-wide. The database can be searched by keyword and by country. For each institution the key activities are listed. A distinction is made between institutions that are active in organic farming research and those that are of interest to organic research. Furthermore there is the category "other organic partners" under which institutions are named that are not active in research but which are of relevance to organic farming research like disssemination centres. 

The ORCA concept has been developed jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations  (Italy), Tufts University (USA) and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL (Switzerland).

The Organic Research Centres Alliance ORCA is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, the Swiss Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL and the Danish International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems ICROFS.

Partners who have so far joined the Alliance include:

• the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research ISOFAR,
• the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM,
• Agro Eco Louis Bolk Institute,
• Vienna University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences BOKU and
• the German Federal Research Institute von Thunen vTI.

More information

Links

• FAO.org/OrganicAg: ORCA database
• FAO.org/OrganicAg:ORCA Portal
• FAO.org/OrganicAg: ORCA project proposal

Contact

• Nadia El-Hage Scialabba
  Senior Officer, Organic Agriculture Programme
  Natural Resources Management and Environment Department
  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  Viale Terme di Caracalla
  00153 Rome, Italy
  Tel +3906 5705 6729
  Fax +3906 5705 3064 E-mail nadia.scialabba(at)fao.org