| |  | | April 2006, vol.1, no. 4 |
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- Triodos finance facility for organic producers from developing countries
- First national Nigerian organic conference held
- Kenya national organic week
- Organic training held in Zambia under EPOPA
- Newsletter publication schedule
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| | 1. Triodos finance facility for organic producers from developing countries
| | | There is a huge and growing demand for organic produce in Europe and the USA. Because of the limitations imposed by climatic conditions on the growing of certain high-value crops in these regions, this has created a good market penetration opportunity for organic producers from developing countries. Yet the market’s requirements of consistent supply, high quality, product certification and high volumes present huge barriers to the entry of small-scale organic farmers. Access to credit is yet another barrier. Without reliable and affordable credit facilities, it is impossible to be a reliable supplier to these markets.
Triodos Bank, headquartered in the Netherlands and a pioneering force in the world of sustainable banking, has devised an innovative loan facility to assist organic and Fair Trade producers from developing countries to access the European and USA markets. The facility is offered through three funds under management of Triodos International Fund Management: Triodos-Doen, Hivos-Triodos Fund or Triodos Fair Share Fund.
The purpose of the facility is to assist certified organic and/or FairTrade producers and export organizations in pre-financing their signed export contracts with foreign buyers. This helps them with cash in the costly pre-harvest, pre-shipment season while they are waiting to be paid by the importer - a process that can be delayed for months.
As Koert Jansen, responsible for the Triodos Trade Finance Facility, explains, "Exporters in developing countries generally lack access to adequate finance. If available at all, it is expensive with long application procedures. Without timely and affordable financing in place, farmers cannot be paid at the moment they harvest their produce and are forced to sell it to middlemen at low prices.’" The Triodos Trade Finance facility helps to plug this critical gap by making it possible for the exporting organisation to pay the farmers on time, assuring that they benefit from much better prices based on organic and Fair Trade premiums.
In Africa, the three funds managed by Triodos are currently working with organic and/or Fair Trade producers in Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Mr. Abainenamar, General Manager of Unex Coffee and Cotton Exporters Cooperatives in Uganda, said of their experience with Triodos, “We were relieved to find a financial institution that is professional and understands the aspirations of small farmers. Our relationship (with the bank) has become stronger every year.”
For more information, contact Koert Jansen at koert.jansen@triodos.nl or visit the international website of Triodos Bank at www.triodos.com
| | | | | 2. First National Nigerian organic conference held | | | Efforts to spread the message of the potential of organic agriculture in Nigeria received a major boost with the holding of the 1st National Workshop on Organic Agriculture in October 2005. Held at the University of Agriculture at Abeokuta, it was the culmination of more than a year of planning.
The university was nominated by a team of agricultural experts meeting in March 2004 to coordinate organic agriculture in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. A 22-member interdisciplinary Working Group on Agriculture at the university was formed. Among its tasks was the compilation of a list of stakeholders in organic agriculture in Nigeria, as well the convening of the October 2005 conference. Up to the time of the conference, the project has operated with funds committed by the university, although it is hoped that with time external grants will become available as the project demonstrates the relevance and the potential of organic agriculture.
The conference took place over a three-day period. A glossy Book of Abstracts of the more than 50 organic agriculture papers presented accompanied the packed program. One hundred thirty stakeholders in agriculture from all over Nigeria, scientists and students, took part in the workshop. Among issues discussed where the present state of organic agriculture in Nigeria, constraints to its growth and strategies for redressing them. In addition to the presentation of papers, two field trips were part of the program of activities.
A National Steering Committee was elected for a one-year term, consisting of representatives from various regions of Nigeria as well as from government. In addition to the seed money provided by the University of Agriculture, the conference received excellent co-sponsoring support from the private sector, providing a good multi-sector base for the promotion of organic agriculture in Nigeria.
For more information, contact the project’s Coordinating Scientist, Dr. Isaac Aiyelaagbe at ola_olu@yahoo.com or organicagriculture_unaab@yahoo.com
| | | | | 3. Kenya national organic week | | | The
Kenya Organic Agricultural Network is the country’s umbrella body for
organic agriculture stakeholders. KOAN coordinates, facilitates and
provides leadership and professional services to its members and to
other stakeholders involved in the organic agriculture industry in
Kenya. They aim to develop skills in the areas of organic production,
marketing, standards and certification, training, extension and
information exchange. They also plan to develop strategies in
networking, policy and advocacy in the promotion of organic
agriculture.
KOAN has planned a Kenya
National Organic Week (KNOW) to begin on May 30 in Nairobi. The week
will kick off with the holding of KOAN’s Annual General Meeting. Among
the many other activities planned for the general public are a debate
on national TV with the discussion topic “Organic agriculture vs. GMO;”
the grand opening of an organic restaurant, as well as a get-together
at which government representatives, investors, donors and others will
be invited to become familiar with KOAN’s work and to learn more about
organic agriculture.
The organic week will lead into Ecofest
2006, the second annual weekend festival held in Nairobi to
commemorate World Environment Day. The festival will feature two days
of family-oriented entertainment, demonstrations and other events with
a strong environmental slant. The organic component of Ecofest 2006
will include catering using organic ingredients sourced through KOAN
farmer members, an organic farmers’ market as well as an organic
demonstration garden.
For more information, contact KOAN National Coordinator Eustace Kiarii at koansecretariat@elci.org
| | | | | 4. Organic training held in Zambia under EPOPA | | | Organic Sector Development Training is the name of a training program carried out within the EPOPA Programme ( Export Promotion of Organic Products from Africa, www.epopa.info).
A training session was held in Zambia from 26 March to 8 April 2006. There were 26 participants from different parts of the organic sector in Zambia. The training covered production, marketing, standards and certification, policy and organizing the organic sector. There was also a session on the various issues to consider when setting up an organic project. The training ended with each of the participants preparing a draft organic project which was presented to the other participants acting as a review committee.
There were a lot of new contacts made between the different participants, which is encouraged through the wide selection of participants from private, governmental and the NGO sector in Zambia.
For more information, contact EPOPA Training Manager Peter Lustig, peter@grolink.se
| | | | | 5. Newsletter publication schedule
| | | Teething technical problems delayed the launch of the Africa Organic News, and caused the first few issues to be published in an adhoc manner. From the May issue the newsletter is scheduled to be published during the last week of each month. In order for items to be considered for publication during a certain month, they must be received by the Africa Organic Service Center by the 15th of that month. Any items to do with or impacting on organic agriculture in Africa are welcome. Submissions may be in French or English.
It is expected that the French version of the newsletter will be mailed out at the same time as the English version or soon thereafter. Readers are asked to bear with the AOSC when they receive both versions, until the logistics of separating the English and French mailing lists have been worked out. An automatic subscribe/unsubscribe option will soon feature.
Suggestions and feedback on the newsletter are welcome. It is a work in progress and improvements can be expected with every issue.
Correction: In the inaugural issue of the newsletter, AOSC Advisory Committee member Rene Tokannou was referred to as being from Burkina Faso. He is actually from Benin. Apologies are extended for the error. Editor
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