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July 11 and 12, 2011: Workshop on organic farming in Africa in Brussels

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On July 11 and 12, 2011, the workshop "Building strategies for Africa: Adding-value through organic agriculture", took place in Brussels. The papers are now available at the website of the European Commission.

A joint African Union Commission and European Commission initiative, this high-level expert workshop on organic farming aimed at promoting the exchange of knowledge and best practice on organic farming among international experts, with a focus on Africa.

Bringing together about 80 practitioners and experts from all over Africa and Europe, strategies for organic farming policies in Africa have been discussed in order to unleash the potential this segment has for economic progress and sustainable development, especially targeting value-added market segments

The workshop was chaired by Nikiforos Sivenas, Director A, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission, and Gebreyohannes Abebe Hailegabriel, Director Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission.

The presentations can be downloaded at the website of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/events/organic-africa-2011_en.htm).

  • "Organic farming in perspective" by Jean-François Hulot, Head of Unit Organic farming, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
  • "Supportive Policies in organic farming – past, present and future: AU perspective" by Dr. Sarah Olembo, Senior Policy Officer, African Union

Session 1: Requirements

  • "The Import regime for organic products into EU" by Paul Axmann, Organic farming Unit, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
  • "Organic farming standards" by Isabella M. Agra, CODEX Ghana
  • "Certification and inspection" by Antoine Faure, ECOCERT
  • "Trade Requirements and the Worldwide Concept of Equivalence" by Diane Bowen, Global Organic Market Access (GOMA) Project
  • "The East African Organic Products Standard (EAOPS)" [272 KB] by Musa Kiggundu Muwanga, National Organic Agricultural Movement Uganda (NOGAMU)

Session 2: Overcoming the constraints

  • "Barriers to Expansion" by Bo van Elzakker, Agro Eco – Louis Bolk Institute, the Netherlands
  • "Growing better lives in Africa through effective capacity building in organic agriculture and rural advisory service delivery" [4 MB] by Hervé Bouagnimbeck, Africa Office Coordinator International Federation of Organic Agriculture (IFOAM)
  • "EU - SSA Civil Society Alliances" by Stuart Coupe, Political Advisor Practical Action
  • "Linking biodiversity to High Nature Value and Organic Farming in Romania" by Razvan Popa, ADEPT Foundation Transylvania
  • "Creating value chains" by Evelyne Sissinto, Project Manager HELVETAS Benin
  • "GLOBALG.A.P. - Food Safety and Sustainability" by Nigel Garbutt, Chairman GLOBALGAP
  • "Fair Trade & Organic" by Nabs Suma, FairOrganics Solutions Ltd

 Session 3: Best practice

  • "Developing the Organic Sector - Best Practices from Africa" by Martha Wangu Musyoka, International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and Samuel Kiruku Ndungu, Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN)
  • "Developing the Organic Sector - Best Practices from the EU" by Dr. Jürn Sanders, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Institute of Farm Economics
  • "Best Practices for Organic Policy" by Dr. Sophia Twarog, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
  • "Organic Agriculture: African Union Commission and European Commission - Ways Forward" by Dr. Sophia Twarog, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Further information

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