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Organic Agriculture Contributes to Food Security and Rural Development in Africa |
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June 28, 2006
Organic Agriculture Contributes to Food Security and Rural Development in Africa |
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Thiès, Senegal, June 28th 2006 — The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) today presented diverse and effective examples of how Organic Agriculture contributes to Food Security and Rural Development in Africa. African press, leaders and representatives from NGOs, the FAO, the World Bank and national dignitaries witnessed the potential of Organic Agriculture. |
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During
a half day event, including a tour of an organic farm, representatives
from Egyptian, Ugandan and Senegalese organic movements showed how Organic Agriculture is a means to further endogenous
development for rural communities on a local level.
Dr. Zakaria El Haddad told
the success story of SEKEM, an Egypt-based initiative that was founded
in 1977 by Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish, and was presented with the Right
Livelihood Award in 2003 for the establishment of "a business model for
the 21st century in which commercial success is integrated with and
promotes the social and cultural development of society through the
'economics of love'". SEKEM has created the blueprint for the healthy
corporation of the 21st century. Taking its name from the hieroglyphic
transcription meaning "vitality of the sun", SEKEM was the first entity
to develop biodynamic farming methods in Egypt. SEKEM produces a large
variety of consumer products of a high quality, both for local use and
for export. SEKEM has an all-encompassing and holistic vision that aims
to create self-sustaining economic, social and cultural development.
Mr.
John Bosco Mugisha presented the Export Promotion of Organic Products
from Africa (EPOPA) project, which began in 1994 as a program of the
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). EPOPA aims
to give African smallholder farmers a better livelihood through the
development of local and international organic markets. The increase in
agricultural production benefits rural communities, and thus the
farmers. More than 30000 smallholder farmers have benefited from a
premium price for their organic crop. The agricultural sector,
particularly in Tanzania and Uganda, are constantly exposed to
innovative and environmentally sound organic farming techniques,
leading to abundant local spin off developments.
The host of
the event, Mr. Souleymane Bassoum, explained how the Agrecol project in
Senegal connects consumers and producers around the most basis need:
daily food. By signing an agreement, producers agree to produce
according to the Principles of Organic Agriculture. Consumers know
where they can buy safe and traditional food. Through local markets and
festivals both groups meet each other to celebrate their common goal -
sound production systems for healthy food. The farm tour, which
included an organic lunch with local, traditional food, provided real
life examples of the project in practice.
IFOAM’s President,
Gerald A. Herrmann, appreciated the presentation of the exemplary practices
of Organic Agriculture in Africa. He noted “Although the examples are
all different, they share the common thread that optimizes the use of
local conditions, while refraining from external inputs and
demonstrating successful community-based development. Because Organic
Agriculture is based upon local knowledge, both uses and advances
diversity and involves little risk, it represents an ideal means for
rural development, and directly contributes to food security.”
IFOAM
organized the event in Thiès in response to the Africa Fertilizer
Summit, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria from June 9 – 13. As opposed
to reliance upon external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides,
the presentations showed that Organic Agriculture puts farmers at the
center of the farming strategy, restoring the decision-making role to
rural communities, guaranteeing the local control of resources and
encouraging active participation in a value added food chain.
For more information, visit the following websites:
www.sekem.com
www.grolink.se/epopa
www.agrecol-afrique.sn
www.ifoam.org
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IFOAM is the international umbrella organization of Organic Agriculture movements worldwide.
IFOAM’s mission is leading uniting and assisting the organic movement in its full diversity.
Our
goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and
economically sound systems taht are based on the Principles of Organic
Agriculture. |
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