1ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

ecology farming

IFOAM

AND

nr 2 // April 2011

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

CURRENT STATUS of organic farming

worldwide

Growth of organic agricultural land 1999-2009 in million hectares

0

10

20

30

40

ORGANIC INTEGRITY

It started with rumours CLIMATECHANGEOrganic agriculture can play a major role to combat climate change

210x285_Ecology_a_Far#5E94.indd 1 28.04.11 14:47

3ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

Tableof Con

tents

APRIL 2011 // NR 2

ANd MORE....Editorial 5News 6Column by Gunnar Rundgren 7Calendar 49Preview next issue 50

FACts & FIGuREs11 Current status of organic farming worldwide Helga Willer reports about the current status of

organic farming worldwide. Not only is production increasing, but the world market also normally shows double digit growth figures. The recession year 2009 was different, as Amarjit Sahota shows.

AquACuLtuRE18 From a ‘nice niche’ to the ‘whole cake’? Organic aquaculture is developing fast,

but it is still an absolute niche. Stefan Bergleiter gives an overview and argues how to make the next step.

AustraliaArgentinaUSA (2008)China (2008)Brazil (2007)SpainIndiaItalyGermanyUruguay (2006)

124,401,951,851,771,331,181,110,950,93

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Australia

Argentina

USA (2008)

China (2008)

Brazil (2007)

Spain

India

Italy

Germany

Uruguay (2006)

Million Hectares

FACts & FIGuREs11 Current status of organic

farming worldwide Helga Willer reports about

the current status of organic farming worldwide.

COuNtRY REPORts16 the organic sector in turkey Turkey is a large player on the

international market for organic dried fruits and nuts, but produces a lot more.

AquACuLtuRE18 From a ‘nice niche’ to the

‘whole cake’? Stefan Bergleiter gives an

overview and argues how to make the next step.

MARkEt & ECONOMY22 the global market for organic

food and drink

34 us market perspective A North American update by

Laura Batcha

46 African organic cocoa Africa is struggling to take

a better share of the global organic cocoa market

INNOvAtION IN AGRICuLtuRE24 More regulations for organic

greenhouse production? The discussion about

soil based production in greenhouses continues.

ENvIRONMENt28 Organic agriculture: Fit for the challenges of

climate change? Urs Niggli explores the question

of whether organic agriculture is fit for climate change.

EvENts32 BioFach/vivaness assert their posi-

tion as leading world trade fairs

42 What you see is what you get Geo Fair Trade Symposium

stANdARds & CERtIFICAtION39 IFOAM launches new logos

40 From anti fraud initiative to organic integrity

How to prevent fraud and maintain integrity in a fast growing market with premium prices?

POLItICs45 Eco-Farming can double food

production A new report from FAO argues

that ecological farming systems are the answer to new challenges in feeding a growing world population.

Million hectares

5ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

Denise Godinho Peter Brul

iNTROdUCTiON

Facts and figuresThis edition of Ecology & Farming presents a lot of figures about the continuing growth in the number of organic producers, the acreage and the consumption of organic food and bevera-ges. Nowadays there are more than 1.8 million farmer families, that is (far) more than 5 million people, working on organic farms and probably more than 10 million people working in the enti-re chain: farming, processing, trading, retailing, doing research and providing advice and other services. The power of the organic movement is in the people involved; people who earn their daily living in this exciting sector. People who are dedicated to bringing about change! Orga-nic agriculture has seen double digit growth figures almost every year since records were first kept. Such growth has positive environ-mental effects, sustains long term soil fertility and improves animal welfare. It strengthens consumer awareness about food production issues and is attracting more and more politi-cal interest. Decision makers are keen on hard figures and the figures provided by the organic movement are convincing. A new report from the United Nations (see page 45) also carries the message that ecological agriculture is the way forward. But of course there is another side of the coin. In such a growing industry, with higher product prices, things can go wrong now and then. It can attract people expecting to make fast

money. Standards, inspection, certification, accreditation of certifiers: all the serious and bureaucratic measures to control the entire production chain from farmer to consumer, are normally enough to guarantee that the system works. In this issue we also report about cases where practices are uncovered which cannot be tolerated and measures to prevent this from occurring. IFOAM is a federation of movements. Typically for organic movements, it is not centralized, but consists of thousands of active centres. That is a strength, but it means that communication is a challenge. Communication is a key, to inform each other about new developments, inspiring initiatives, facts from elsewhere and global trends; all this knowledge is useful in our own local circumstances. Fairs and conferences are a good platform. Every day of the year, there are several conferences, fairs or workshops on organic production taking place somewhere in the world. Many farmers’ organizations have their own magazines and there are private ini-tiatives to inform traders digitally about market trends. With Ecology & Farming, we aim to col-laborate with the existing organic news media and the experts’ blogs to bring the most up to date and important issues to the attention of the global movement. Hope you join us and will subscribe.

Bejo Zaden B.V. • (+31) (0) 226 396 162 • www.bejo.com

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6 72-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

// NEW quALItY MANAGEMENt PROGRAMMEOrganic products are strictly controlled:

detailed quality standards and complex

certification systems, as well intensive

monitoring by the media, create a

clear regulatory burden for the organic

sector. In spite of long standing efforts

from trade partners, certification bodies

and authorities to avoid contamination

by chemical residues (and identify the

reasons when this does occur), these

efforts impose enormous costs on the

parties concerned and don’t always

provide satisfactory results.

IMO has launched a new quality

management service aimed at streng-

thening international trade relations in

the organic sector.

“As an international control body active

in quality assurance for sustainable

produce, it is really important to us to

improve the competitiveness of organic

products, through a quality manage-

ment system for imports”, explains

Dr. Peter Schaumberger, CEO of the

Institute. “Together with our clients we

have developed a new service ‘Con-

Cert - IMO Import Safety Services’

designed especially for importers. The

programme facilitates compliance with

residue limits, food safety guidelines

and traceability requirements.”

IMO’s approach is based on the convic-

tion that an effective quality manage-

ment system can only be created with

the involvement and commitment of all

the trading partners. “All the involved

parties must understand the require-

ments of the international market and

should be willing to support the esta-

blishment of a common internal quality

management system. The best possible

product quality can only be reached

through continuous self-monitoring and

improvement”, said Judith Hobmeier,

Head of the new service.

ConCert consists of different modules,

which provide the tools and methods

required to build up a comprehensive

quality management system along the

supply chain. Sampling by experienced

inspectors, in the field, before shipping,

or in the country of import, allows

timely analysis to detect possible

residues. The competent evaluation of

analysis reports, against different orga-

nic standards, allows any further action

required to be quickly initiated. A new

traceability software ensures product

flow transparency. The programme

is specially designed for the needs of

small and medium businesses in deve-

loping countries. The modules can be

customised to the individual needs of

the client and can be used worldwide,

even when the organic certification is

not issued by IMO.

Matthias M. Werner, NCT Nord

Trading GmbH, uses ConCert suc-

cessfully in China. “With the help of

the ConCert Programm from IMO we

have succeeded in creating a regulatory

framework for the purchasing of orga-

nic Goji products from China. With this

framework we can achieve the highest

possible product safety, while avoiding

the possible perception of mistrust in

our suppliers. Due to well known pro-

blems with pesticide residues in Goji

products from China, the authorities

required us to submit a conclusive

concept to ensure no contaminated pro-

ducts are imported. The controls inclu-

ded in IMO’s ConCert Programme,

in which the product is sampled and

analysed in the port before shipping, it

was possible to achieve all the special

conditions imposed by the authorities

and to import residue free organic Goji-

Berries. The cooperation and flexibility

of IMO was outstanding.”

// NEW CENtRE OPENs Its dOORsAt a time when agricultural research

centres are down-sizing or closing

completely, it comes as good news

that Coventry University and Garden

Organic (formerly the Henry Double-

day Research Association) have come

together to form the new Centre for

Agroecology and Food Security, based

in the Midlands, UK. This applied

research centre captures the 25+ years

of international expertise in organic

farming and agroforestry research of

both institutes, along with several of

the staff including Prof Phil Harris,

Dr Julia Wright, and Dr Margi Len-

nartsson. The Centre will undertake

both research and education, with a

Masters degree and several short cour-

ses already in the pipeline. Four main

themes will drive the research: fair

markets, agriculture in unstable envi-

ronments (including conflict zones),

sustainable technology development

and the socio-political dimensions of

food and farming. Dr Wright states

“We are on the cusp of a rennaissance

in agriculture and everybody knows

that there is only one direction left to

us if we want to survive. The scientific

domain for this pathway is agroecology

– the science of sustainable agriculture.

This Centre aims to spearhead and

mainstream this pathway, in collabora-

tion with all our colleagues and friends

with whom we’ve worked for so many

years. Now is the time.”

// BtOBIO LANds IN MILAN ANd LOOks AhEAd tO thE uNIvERsAL ExPO 2015

BtoBIO EXPO, the new biennial inter-

national exhibition of certified organic

products, makes its debut on May 8-11,

2011 at Fiera Milano, in Rho-Pero,

in Hall 18, alongside and in synergy

with the trade show TUTTO FOOD.

At BtoBIO EXPO, the only Business

2 Business exhibition for the organic

sector in Italy, thousands of operators

in the Italian and agro-food business

will be able to find a complete range of

certified organic products.

BtoBIO was created in response to

express demand from lots of players

in the sector (first and foremost pro-

ducers and processors), who feel the

need for a new boost for the sector to

ensure broader and better dissemination

of organic products, both abroad and

on domestic markets and through all

distribution channels. Apart from some

specialized businesses, the majority of

exhibitors at BtoBIO are closely focu-

sed on normal trade, serving and deve-

loping a market that has never suffered

a crisis anywhere in the world, and that

has safety, genuineness, and respect for

the environment as its core values..

One of the main goals is to continue

to cooperate with TUTTO FOOD and

take part in the Universal EXPO in

2015: one of the world’s main interna-

tional shows for the agro-food sector

(as well as for the entire organic chain,

including non-food).

More details at www.btobio.it

Column

There was always a simple agrarian equation that farmers must produce

more energy as food than the energy they spent on growing it. For a long time

this energy equation remained the same. Gradually, productivity increased

and new lands could be tilled, thereby allowing a slow increase in population.

Overall productivity per worker didn‘t increase so much; slash and burn far-

ming, almost without tools, is almost as productive as farming with oxen and

a plough. Three things, all linked to each other, changed this dramatically:

the emergence of the capitalist market economy, industrialization and fossil

fuel energy.

The production per agricultural worker in the most advanced economies

has now reached 2,000 tons of grain per person year, compared to historical

times when it was just a few tons; an increase in labour productivity of about

a thousand fold. In the poorest countries the average value produced by a farm

worker is just above 100 dollars per year. In France it is some 40,000 dol-

lars. And, the gap in productivity between the rich and the poor is widening.

Labour productivity in modern farming can largely be explained in terms of

the command of energy resources. The modern farmer is de facto in command

of a massive army of ‘energy slaves’; a barrel of oil represents the energy of

25,000 hours of human toil – the equivalent of 14 people working a year under

normal Western labour standards. The energy efficiency of modern farming

is considerably lower than in pre-industrial farming systems. Our ancestors

would have starved to death if their energy ratios were as bad as ours; indu-

strial countries use between 10 and 15 times more energy in the food system

than is contained in the food they end up eating. Organic farming is somewhat

more efficient than non-organic, but organic farmers in industrialized countries

also have a very energy-inefficient production.

Most farmers in developing countries, have almost no access to fossil fuel

energy resources. Yet they are supposed to compete with their colleagues in

developed countries who use energy resources that are the equivalent of hund-

reds of labourers. Perverse subsidy systems, trade and food policies further

bend the rules in favour of farmers in rich countries. And to make matters even

worse, various kinds of ‘climate’ or ‘carbon’ standards are now being imposed

on poor farmers. But the reality is that (with the exception of slash and burn

farmers) they are performing much better than industrialized farms, regardless

how we measure (per hectare, per man hour or per kg crop or meat). The orga-

nic sector should avoid repeating this way of penalising those who are already

disadvantaged, and we should realise that the energy use of modern farming

is highly inefficient. The only more disturbing feature in modern farming is

the destruction of natural capital in the form of soil erosion. Organic farming

began with a concern about the soil issue. We now need to take the energy

challenge much more seriously.

Gunnar’s blog: http://gardenearth.blogspot.com/

News

Gunnar RundgrenOrganic Energy

9ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

thE 2011 NAtuRAL PROduCts ExPO WEst SupplyExpo (expowest.com, supply-

expo.com), which took place between

March 10 -13, was the largest ever in

its 31 year history. Held at the Anaheim

Convention Center in California, the

event attracted 3,533 exhibitors and

more than 58,000 industry members.

It covered more than 1 million square

feet of space with educational and

community events and exhibits. The

event attracted 6% more exhibitors

than before, from over 35 countries.

They showcased the newest and most

innovative natural, organic and healthy

products and ingredients.

“The record number of booths at this

year’s Expo West is proof positive of

industry growth and translates to healt-

hier food choices on store shelves,”

said Adam Andersen, show manager.

“Year after year we continue to offer

businesses within the healthy lifestyle

marketplace a premier place to launch

new products and the opportunity to

build community.”

“We launched our brand at Expo West

this year,” said Ulli Saeuberlich of Vita-

care.  “This was the ideal opportunity

to launch our brand. We had buyers

from Whole Foods, Mothers Market

and Earth Fare showing strong interest

in bringing our line into their stores.”

Nutrition industry sales totalled

approximately $115 billion in the U.S.

in 2010, with sales growing 6% over

2009 levels, according to Nutrition

Business Journal. While the economy

caused growth to slow in 2009, consu-

mers continue to be interested in main-

taining their health with 2010 sales

of nutrition products on the rise. The

further growth potential for the industry

and knowledge about consumers was

highlighted in one of the seminars ‘The

Future of Wellness’.

Len Monheit, Executive Director of

Supply Network, announced the launch

of engredea for 2012. He said “Custo-

mers and attendees were receptive to

the news of this event that will allow

them to focus on innovation, idea gene-

ration, ingredients and healthy product

development in a unique and invaluable

setting.” This year’s sister trade show,

Natural Products Expo East, returns

to Baltimore, MD in Boston between

September 21 and 24, 2011. More

details about these events and the other

activities of New Hope Natural Media,

including the newly launched online

directory tool, ‘Find & Compare’, can

be found by visiting newhope360.com.

IN MEMORIAM –Victor Ananias (1971-2011)

Victor Ananias, founder and Chairman

of the Board of the Bugday Association

in Istanbul, Turkey, was found dead

in his bed on March 2. Victor, just 40

years old, passed away in his sleep.

He had done so much and had so much

more to do. His unexpected death is a

great loss for Bugday and the organic

movement. Victor was a pioneer of

the organic movement in Turkey. In

many ways he was the catalyst that

got it started. In 2006, he initiated the

founding of the Ecological Farmers

Markets, which allowed small organic

farmers to sell their produce directly

to the consumers. Another signature

project set up by Bugday was TaTuTa,

a network of organic farms, spread all

over Turkey, which accept visitors and

volunteers from all around the world.

Victor Ananias was also very much

involved in the international network

on organic farming. He was the Secre-

tary General of the European Centre

for Eco-agricultural Tourism (ECEAT),

an active member of IFOAM’s ‘good

governance task force,’ a member

of the board of the European Envi-

ronmental Bureau and many other

networks.

In February, at the Nuremberg Biofach,

we developed our ideas for an article

on organic agriculture in Turkey that he

and I were planning to write together

for this issue of Ecology & Farming.

Victor was the expert on domestic mar-

ket development and the link between

organic agriculture and rural develop-

ment in Turkey. We also discussed the

idea of a magazine for Turkish organic

farmers, a missing link in the infor-

mation supply to the farmers. Through

Bugday, Victor had regularly managed

to get news items on organic agricultu-

re, organic food and related issues into

the media and particularly television.

Peter Brul

For more information on Bugday and its projects, please see www.bugdayglobal.org.

Victor Ananias sowed many seeds for the growing organic movement in Turkey. We hope that others will take care of its future.

News

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IMO Head Office Weststrasse 51 CH – 8570 Weinfelden Switzerland Phone: +41 (0) 71 626 0 626 Fax: +41 (0) 71 626 0 623 imo@imo.ch

www.imo.ch

11ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

FACTS & FiGURES

Figure

Distribution of organic land by continent 2009Source: FiBL/IFOAM Survey 2011

Organic agriculture is now practiced in at least 160 countries, as shown by the 12th survey on organic agriculture worldwide, carried out by Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Data were provided by experts from the organic sector, certifiers and governments. Since the first survey (2000), the total certified organic agricultural land, the number of producers, the global market for organic food and drink and the number of countries with organic legislation have all continually grown – even in 2009, a year of economic crisis. The first data for 2010 shows that growth has continued since then.

By Helga Willer

According to the survey, there were

37.2 million hectares of organic

agricultural land in 2009. A major part of

this land – one third – is located in Oce-

ania, followed by Europe, which has one

quarter of the world’s organic agricultural

land. With more than 12 million hectares,

Australia is the country with the largest

area of organic agricultural land (97 per-

cent of which is extensive grazing areas),

Argentina is second, followed by the Uni-

ted States in third place.

The proportion of organically managed

land is highest in Oceania and in Europe.

in the European Union, 4.7 percent of the

agricultural land is organic. The countries

with the highest shares are the Falkland

islands, followed by Liechtenstein and

Austria. in seven countries more than ten

percent of the agricultural land is organic.

Since 2008, the amount of organic agri-

cultural land has grown by 2 million hec-

tares: compared with 1999, it has more

than trebled. in 2009, growth occurred in

all regions, Europe being the region with

the highest growth – here the organic

agricultural land increased by one million

hectares or twelve percent, partly due

to the many action plans that have been

implemented in recent years. By country,

the most growth was in Argentina (+0.4

million hectares), Turkey and Spain (both

+0.2 million hectares).

Further areas

Apart from agricultural land there are

other organic areas, the largest of these

being wild collection areas. Further areas

are aquaculture, forest and grazing areas

on non-agricultural land. it should be

noted that many countries do not report

these areas, only communicating details

about the agricultural land. The total size

of these areas in 2009 was 41.9 million

hectares, an increase of 10 million hecta-

res compared with 2008. Large increases

of wild collection and beekeeping areas

were reported for Cameroon and Russia.

Organic production area grows with one million hectares per year

CURRENT STATUS of organic farming

worldwide

By Helga Willer

12 132-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

19992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

11,014,917,519,825,629,829,030,132,435,237,2

0 10 20 30 40

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Naamloos 1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Diagram 2

Mill

ion

Hec

tare

s

Falklands (Malvinas)LiechtensteinAustriaSwedenFrench GuianaSwitzerlandEstoniaCzech RepublicLatviaItaly

35,70%26,90%18,50%12,60%11,70%10,80%10,50%

9,40%9%

8,90%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Falklands (Malvinas)

Liechtenstein

Austria

Sweden

French Guiana

Switzerland

Estonia

Czech Republic

Latvia

Italy

Share of total agricultural land

not only in industrialized countries but

also in countries in the South, more effort

should be put into developing local mar-

kets. in order to be able to draw clear

conclusions on the potential that organic

farming has in developing countries, more

data is needed, covering issues such

as the domestic supply of organic food,

export and import volumes and values

and information on yields. With more and

more countries implementing organic far-

ming regulations, data collection activities

should be improved in the future, with

governments supporting such activities.

Helga Willer, FiBL & IFOAM member

ReferencesWiller, Helga and Lukas Kilcher (Eds. 2011): The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends 2011. IFOAM, Bonn and FiBL, Frick. More information at www.organic-world.net.

However, market data for these countries

and regions are still scarce.

Conclusions

As shown in Europe, a strong organic

movement, a strong market and govern-

ment support has a positive influence on

the development of the organic sector.

Many countries, particularly in Latin Ame-

rica are now launching action plans for

organic farming. Another form of govern-

ment support is the implementation of

government regulations, often imple-

mented to facilitate the export of organic

products. From the data gained through

the global organic survey it is clear that

organic farming is playing an increasingly

important role in many countries of the

South and the export potential for organic

products continues to be high. However,

to assure the supply of organic products,

Figure

Growth of organic agricultural land 1999-2009Source: FiBL/IFOAM Survey 2011

Most of this land is Latin America, fol-

lowed by Asia and Africa. The countries

in the South with the most organic land

are Argentina, China and Brazil, and the

highest percentages of organic land are

in the dominican Republic, several Pacific

island States, East Timor, Uruguay and

Argentina, where the proportion of orga-

nic land is comparable to that in Europe.

These countries are, however, clearly

exceptions. Only a few developing coun-

tries and emerging markets have more

than one percent organic agricultural

land. However, in most countries in Latin

America and Asia and in some African

countries this figure is growing. in parti-

cular, india, China, and Brazil are seeing a

growing demand for organic products – a

development which is expected to trans-

form these organic food producer coun-

tries to important consumer countries.

Figure

The ten countries/areas with the highest shares of organic agricultural land 2009Source: FiBL/IFOAM Survey 2011, based on data from governments, organic sector organisations and certifiers

Current status of organic farming in deve-

loping countries and emerging markets

The analysis of the global organic data

for developing countries and emerging

markets shows that they contain more

than one third of the world’s organic

agricultural land (13.4 million hectares).

ProducersA total of 1.8 million organic producers was reported, an increase of 0.4 million compared with 2008. According to the data, more than three quarters of the producers are located in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The country with the most producers is india, followed by Uganda and Mexico.

Markets and tradeAccording to Organic Monitor, the glo-bal market for organic food and drink is recovering from the economic crisis. Single-digit market growth was observed for the first time in 2009 because of the economic slowdown which reduced industry investment and consumer spen-ding power. According to Amarjit Sahota organic food and drink sales expanded by roughly five percent to 54.9 billion US dollars in 2009. The countries with the largest markets are the US, Germany, and France. The highest per capita con-sumption is in denmark, Switzerland, and Austria.

AustraliaArgentinaUSA (2008)China (2008)Brazil (2007)SpainIndiaItalyGermanyUruguay (2006)

124,401,951,851,771,331,181,110,950,93

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Australia

Argentina

USA (2008)

China (2008)

Brazil (2007)

Spain

India

Italy

Germany

Uruguay (2006)

Million Hectares

Figure

The ten countries with the most organic land 2009Source: FiBL/IFOAM Survey 2011, based on national sources

World map of organic agriculture

14 152-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

COUNTRY REPORT

The main organic export products today are sultanas,

apricots, dried figs, hazelnuts, fruit juices/concen-

trates (apple, cherry, pomegranate), tomatoes (paste,

concentrate), herbs and textiles. Turkey has been a

market leader in exporting sultanas, apricots, dried figs

and hazelnuts for 25 years, and occupies a very strong

position. Competitors from neighbouring countries

and others (e.g. Argentina, South Africa, and the USA)

export similar fruits and nuts, but in different qualities

and quantities. Their prices are often higher and/or the

harvest period differs.

From the beginning, the driving force for the deve-

lopment of the production was international market

demand, especially from Europe. The increase in

production and export has been a response to rising

demand from European markets. The market was boos-

ted after the implementation of EU organic legislation

in 1992. A few years later, the exporter içik started

to develop a domestic market. And while these first

attempts were not successful, since then more compa-

nies and individual farmers have now emerged to sup-

ply the domestic market.

Production for the export market is strongly led by the

exporters. Farmers just play a role as primary produ-

cers, who get most of their information from their buyer.

They are typically in a weak position and receive a rela-

Year No. of farmers Acreage (ha) Production volume (tonnes)

1986 75 200 800

1990 313 1037 4,000

2000 13,187 Not counted Not counted

2004 12,800 210,000 218,000

2009 36,000 325,000 500,000

The development of organic farming in TurkeySource: MARA, Aegean Exp. Union, PB

In 1985, around 75 certified farmers were producing around 800 tons of organic raisins, figs and apricots for the two companies. By 1990 there were already more than 300 farmers, producing more than 4,000 tons of dried fruits, nuts, cotton, sesame and chickpeas for more than 10 exporters. In 2010 around 35,000 farmers are certified and the export value is more than 100 million Euro.

By Peter Brul

A large part of Turkish agriculture is still very traditional, low input, small-scale mixed farming. Turkey also has a long history of being one of the main producers of some products (such as dried fruits and nuts) for the world market. When the Turkish government began to subsidize chemical inputs, in an attempt to modernize production, some buyers in the European health food market reacted. Rapunzel from Germany and the Good Food Foundation, representing several European companies, began to encourage certified organic agricultural production in Turkey in the mid 1980s. Since then the number of farmers, the acreage, the range of products and (export) companies involved have all steadily increased.

THE ORGANIC SECTOR IN TURKEY

The development of organic farming in Turkey

16 172-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

tively low price premium.

Quality problems have appeared several times with

organic export products, especially with high pesticide

residues. in Germany, the biggest export-market, and

in the Netherlands, where many organic products are

imported and re-exported to other EU-countries, Turkey

is known as one of the countries that has problems with

residues in certified organic products. Communication

about quality problems has not always been adequate

and it was often difficult to find the real source of the

residue problems. The frequency of problems and the

lack of transparency has caused an image among

importers that, at least part of, Turkish organic produc-

tion is unreliable and lacking in credibility.

Ten years ago the Aegean Exporters Union took the

initiative, together with several exporters, of establishing

a Turkish pavilion at BioFach. They have been regularly

attending the fair since then. in 2010 there were 16

companies present, of which 12 were in the Turkish

pavilion.

Government support

The Turkish government started supporting organic

agriculture in 2004, by providing subsidized credit. They

offer a 60% subsidy rate for operating finance for the

first year and for up to 3 years for investment capital.

during 2005-2009, the payment terms were extended

to 1.5 years for operating and 5 years for investment

and then again in 2010 to 2 years and 7 years respecti-

vely. in 2009, almost 5,000 farmers received a subsidy

of around 100 euro per ha and the government spent

nearly 3.5 million Euro on these subventions.

One of the results of this policy is that organic farmers

in Turkey do not get much (or any) extra income from

a price premium, but rely on the subvention. Usu-

ally organic farmers can count on a price premium of

around 20 %, although this varies widely, depending

on the product and market situation. it also changes

with price fluctuations in conventional product prices,

but this is a useful rule of thumb. in some cases, where

the cost of producing organically is much higher than

in conventional production, market prices for organic

produce can be more than twice the conventional price.

The price premium for Turkish organic products is gene-

rally quite low: export products often achieve (far) less

than 10%. This brings the sector into a situation where

further growth and development is fully dependent on

state subventions. if the government changes its policy

and lowers the subsidies, there is no economic basis

anymore for organic farming.

domestic market development

Although it has been in existence for more than 15

years, the domestic market is still quite small, with retail

sales of approximately 12 million Euro. The develop-

ment of the domestic market requires much attention

and needs to be well structured. The knowledge and

the awareness of Turkish consumers of the impact of

agricultural production systems on the environment,

product quality and health, is generally, not well deve-

loped. But there is already a group of consumers in the

big cities, especially in istanbul, and the market is gro-

wing - by more than 10 % in 2010. Organic products

are mainly sold on farmers’ markets. The big retailers

are only just starting to become involved in organic

marketing. The Quality Manager of Tesco-Kipa, Mahir

Müderriszade, is optimistic about the marketing of orga-

nic products in their supermarkets. Kipa was founded

in 1992 and merged with Tesco in 2003. Tesco is the

world’s third largest food retailer and is very successful

in organics in the UK, its home base. Tesco is known for

its intensive audits of suppliers and Tesco Kipa follows

this line by inspecting its suppliers and making analyses

from the beginning of the season. Tesco-Kipa sees the

greatest demand for organics in fresh fruit and vegeta-

bles. it now offers 30 organic items in this category, but

would like to have as many organic produce items as

conventional ones by the end of 2011.

A strong and well developed organic domestic market

will also help Turkey’s position on export markets. it will

give farmers and producers a much better and much

more direct feeling about the market, because of direct

responses from retailers and consumers. Farmers, who

only produce for export, only get responses from con-

sumers that are conveyed through a number of links

in the chain. The final consumer is far away and out of

sight. Farmers do not really understand what motiva-

tes people to buy their organic products. in countries

with a domestic market, the interaction between organic

consumers and producers leads towards a more creative

and innovative culture. Turkish farmers have not been

very involved in the development of the organic sector;

for example there is no form of organic farmers’ associ-

ation. And, although organic agriculture has been on the

programme of the research institutes and the advisory

service for several years, buyers are by far the main sour-

ce of information for organic farmers. By definition they

are not an independent source and there are large diffe-

rences in the quality and quantity of information that buy-

ers and exporters give to their suppliers. Organic farmers

were leading in introduction of innovations like intensive

monitoring of pests and diseases, strong reduction of soil

tillage and green manure in vineyards and fruit growing.

Organic textiles

Turkey was one of the first countries to produce cer-

tified organic cotton and textiles. Production has

increased greatly over the last twenty years and Turkey

remains an important player in the market, being the

world’s third largest producer after india and Syria. india

provides over 80 % of the global supply of organic cot-

ton. Turkey produces around 15 %, but istanbul has a

strong position in the organic textile market.

Herbs

Turkey is also a major producer of herbs and medicinal

plants, with Germany being the main export market.

Many of these products are harvested in natural areas.

due to increasing demand for these natural products,

there is increasing concern from the government and

NGOs about ecological damage caused by collecting

from nature. .The iUCN and iFOAM have organized

seminars to discuss certified organic production as an

alternative. Leading companies in natural medicinal

products (including Weleda, Vogel and VSM) are using

more and more certified organic ingredients, partly from

Turkey (especially roses for rose oil).

COUNTRY REPORT

Organic cotton production 1992-2010 in metric tons

1992 1997 2000 2005 2010

Turkey 130 800 900 35,000 40,000

Worldwide 3,408 7,967 10,000 75,000 240,000

AQUACULTURE

Organic aquaculture

Globally, capture fishery volumes have been stag-

nating over the past twenty years, while aqua-

culture has been increasing steadily, keeping pace

with, or even exceeding population growth, leading to

an increased average per capita fish consumption of

17.2 kg in 2009, (compared to 16.2 kg in 2002 - FAO;

20101). At a first glance, this trend looks encouraging,

but the non-sustainable aspects of modern aqua-

culture have become more evident in recent years,

particularly the dependency on fishmeal as a feedstuff

for carnivorous species, stakeholder conflicts around

coastal areas, the welfare of fish reared in highly inten-

sive systems and the use of chemicals, hormones, and

antibiotics for camouflaging the effects of poorly con-

ceived production methods.

There is a strong level of consensus among the indu-

stry, NGOs and consumer organizations that certified

organic aquaculture offers credible ways to overcome

the problems mentioned above. The growth rates are

The world’s seafood supply is a major topic in the sustainability debate and the media frequently discusses responsible seafood choices. While capture fishery policy is the main focus of public attention, half of the fish that we consume as food comes from ponds, net-cages or mussel lines, i.e. it is farmed in aquaculture. Organic aquaculture is one of the main growth sectors in the organic market. What are its prospects?

From a ‘nice niche’ to the ‘whole cake’?

Stefan Bergleiter

Traditional fishing in Bangladesh

18 2-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING 19ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

impressive (nearly 1000% since 2001), and organic

seafood is widely available in health food shops and

well-stocked retail stores. A certain level of main-

streaming has been achieved (the ‘nice niche’) but will

the organic approach eventually completely replace

conventional aquaculture products (the ‘whole cake’),

and if so how?

Certified organic aquaculture started in the early nine-

ties, when organic farmers in Austria and Germany

developed carp ponds as a side-activity, selling regio-

nally to farm stores and weekend markets. in general,

however, aquaculture is highly globalized, and produc-

tion usually takes place far from the main markets. For

example, domestic aquaculture only contributes about

3% to German fish consumption. But an impressive

increase in organic fish volumes has been achieved

through projects in north-western Europe (organic sal-

mon), the Mediterranean (organic sea bass and bream),

south-east Asia and South America (organic shrimp,

tilapia, and pangasius). A census of organic aquaculture

conducted in 2009 (Bergleiter et al., 2009) showed pro-

duction in Europe to be approximately 25,000 t, 20,000

t in Asia, 7,000 t in the Americas, 2,000 t in Africa, and

around 1,000 t in Oceania. Since then, new projects

have been certified and in 2011 there may be about

80,000 t of certified organic seafood altogether. World

aquaculture production (excluding seaweed), is around

60 million t – so only 0.1% of total production is cur-

rently certified and marketed as organic.

This figure appears to shatter any hope of achieving

‘100% organic’ in cultured seafood - but this is far from

the case.

1 An overwhelming part of the world aquaculture

industry is already producing very close to, or even in

accordance with, organic principles, but hasn’t transla-

ted this into formal certification. This is particularly true

for bivalve shellfish (13.1 million t or 24.9% of global

aquaculture) and seaweed culture which in general

are ‘no input’ systems. The areas where the industry

doesn’t meet organic standards are mostly related to

the recycling or re-use of ropes

and other disposable culture

materials and to appropriately

siting farms in areas with the best

water quality. Both these issues

are increasingly being tackled by

national and international legisla-

tion, so that organic group certifi-

cation of large areas seems within reach. Pilot certifica-

tions of existing fish farms in ireland, Chile, and the UK

are expected to awaken the market for organic mus-

sels, and for convenience products, e.g. deep-frozen

mussel dishes, which combine the benefits of organic

ingredients and processing.

2 Cyprinids (the carp family) are by far the largest

family of farmed finfish (20.4 million t or 38.8%). These

are mostly produced by Asian family enterprises and

consumed locally. Typically, they apply organic produc-

tion principles, often using polycultures that include

rice, ducks, or pigs, and give a general priority to ferti-

lizing rather than feeding. Nevertheless, these systems

would certainly still face several obstacles if they were

to seek organic certification, mainly due to gaps in

quality management and the traceability of different

inputs. Ongoing urbanization and increased domestic

exports to the big cities are likely to lead to much more

attention being paid to food quality and safety, which

will result in moves towards standardization and reliable

certification. These farmers are not so far away from

being organic and could easily make the move with

right incentives.

3 Shrimp and prawns are the most important aqua-

culture export items from many Southern countries. in

south-east Asian countries, a large proportion of these

are farmed in extensive, low or no-input systems that

are very suitable to be converted into certified organic

operations. The major challenge here is to establish

internal Control Systems, enabling large numbers of

small-scale farmers to run their operations in accordan-

ce with agreed standards, e.g. regarding mangrove pro-

tection and reforestation. At moment, there is approxi-

mately 7,000 t of organic shrimp production certified

by Naturland in Vietnam, Bangladesh, india, indonesia,

and Thailand, and this represents only a fraction of the

potential in these countries.

in South America and Madagascar, shrimp companies

are usually large, integrated enterprises, which have

the ability to implement organic standard requirements

directly and to take immediate action along the whole

chain. The farms produce using a semi-intensive model,

i.e. feeding the shrimp, together with additional fertili-

zation. The main challenge for organic candidates here

will be to source certified organic vegetable feedstuff

at a reasonable cost. This is being tackled by initiating

pilot organic projects producing manioc, rice, soy and

corn in these countries. Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Costa

Rica and Madagascar, currently produce approxima-

tely 5,000 t of certified organic shrimp. if we compare

these figures with annual German shrimp imports (some

40,000 t*) and consider the potential of converting

extensive farming areas within

a relatively short period of

time, it seems feasible that

conventionally farmed shrimp

may just disappear from the

shelves in near future.

4 Salmon is a very sought-

after aquaculture product and,

due to feed and energy costs,

prices are steadily increasing.

Over the past decade, orga-

nic salmon has become well

established in European mar-

kets. in ireland, certified orga-

nic production already makes

up more than half of the total

salmon volumes and strong

market demand is currently

pushing other countries to fol-

low this example. The requi-

rements for farming organic

salmon are clear and widely

accepted, with the goals on increasing product quality

and environmental performance. Yet these standards are

also demanding and expensive to meet. As long as there

is a demand for lower quality salmon, grown under less

strict environmental conditions, the two major salmon

producing countries, Chile and Norway will be reluctant

to contribute to the organic momentum.

5 The other main organic aquaculture species can be

located somewhere between the scenarios given in this

overview: the Mediterranean species (sea bream, sea

bass and meagre) can be compared to organic salmon,

but haven’t yet had the same period of mainstreaming.

Organic trout and char producers in Austria, Germany,

the UK and Switzerland are usually smaller farms and

still mainly focus on local markets. delivering to large

retail structures remains a challenge to them. Organic

tilapia and pangasius production can be compared to

semi-intensive shrimp farms; the critical factor in orga-

nic conversion is obtaining a supply of certified organic

feed from – as far as possible domestic – organic agri-

culture.

All in all, it is obvious that there is no obstacle from

the producers’ side for a complete replacement of

conventional aquaculture products within a few years.

How ever, aquaculture producers rely on clear signals

and commitment from the

retailers. The profit margins

for aquaculture farms are

small, and it is very difficult

for them to pre-finance

adjustments to their farming

system without a clear eco-

nomical sign and backing.

Responsible seafood sour-

cing needs to be a joint mar-

keting venture that involves

both ends of the value chain.

The single most critical factor

in the future growth of orga-

nic aquaculture is the supply

of certified organic vegetable

feed. The supply of vege-

table feed is being widely

discussed in the aquaculture

industry as a whole, so this

is no weakness, but it is a

more central issue when

seeking to meet the stricter

sustainability criteria set by organic standards. While

there are other ‘green’ aquaculture labels these typically

do not address the sustainability of the feed compo-

nents that are used.

Stefan Bergleiter, Naturland association (www.naturland.de) and IFOAM Auquaculture Group member

References: FAO (2010): The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2010. Rome, Italy, ISBN 978-92-5-106675-1. Online: www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1820e/i1820e.pdf.Bergleiter, S., Berner, N., Censkowsky, U., Guliá-Camprodon, G. (2009): Organic Aquaculture 2009 – Production and Markets. Munich, Germany, ISBN 978-3-00-026707-9.FAO GLOBEFISH (2010): Shrimp market reports, Online: www.globefish.org/shrimp-market-reports.html.* It is difficult to find market figures that distinguish between wild and farmed shrimp

‘There is about 80,000 tons of certified organic seafood. World aquaculture produc­tion, is around 60 million t, so only 0.1% of total production is currently certified’

AQUACULTURE

21ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-201120 2-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

22 232-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

USAGermanyFranceUKItalyCanadaSwitzerlandJapanSpainAustria

17,8355,8003,0412,0651,5001,2841,0231,0000,9050,868

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000

USA

Germany

France

UK

Italy

Canada

Switzerland

Japan

Spain

Austria

Million Euros

MARKET & ECONOMY

Organic Monitor projects that global organic food

and drink sales will expand more rapidly from 2011

onwards. Consumer expenditure is rising as the world

economy comes out of recession. With food inflation

looming again, the prices of organic products are envi-

saged to increase. in anticipation, leading organic food

companies are ‘locking-in’ their supply of organic ingre-

dients; some by investing in ethical sourcing projects in

developing countries.

The report finds that the price premium remains a major

barrier to wider adoption rates. The high prices of orga-

nic products restrict demand to more affluent consu-

mers. One major challenge to overcome is the percep-

tion that organic products are expensive. Even though

some organic products have a price differential of just

15 percent, the perception of high organic premiums

dampens consumer demand. Some consumers see

organic foods as expensive products that they cannot

afford, in spite of the associated environmental, ethical

and potential health benefits.

The report gives future growth projections for the

organic food industry. Organic farming is practiced on

37 million hectares in 160 countries. Organic Monitor

expects most increases in organic farmland to occur in

developing countries and demand to remain concen-

trated in affluent countries. Although the sales share in

Asia, Australasia and Latin America is rising, the bulk

of spending is in Europe and North America which

account for over 90 percent of global sales. Although

demand is increasing in other regions, low consumer

awareness and low disposable incomes limit sales to

the most affluent countries. A major challenge for the

industry is to ease this over-concentration of demand.

Organic standards appear to becoming an impediment

to global trade in organic products. The number of

organic standards is proliferating and there is a lack

of harmonization between leading standards. Conse-

quently, organic food producers have to adopt multiple

standards to develop an international presence.

Organic Monitor also sees growing convergence bet-

ween organic and other eco-labels. Growing consumer

demand for ethical and ecological products is leading

food companies to consider various eco-labels. Leading

certification agencies are responding by integrating

sustainability values into their organic standards. Thus,

a growing number of organic products are certified as

both organic and Fair Trade. This development is most

evident for commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea and

sugar.

By amarjit SaHota

In 2009 global sales of organic food and drink increased by 4.7 percent to USD 55 billion. Single-digit market growth was observed for the first time because of the financial crisis affecting investment and consumer spending power. The sluggish growth in 2009 is an anomaly in the long-term development of the organic food industry. Global revenues have increased over three-fold since 2000, from US $18 billion and double-digit growth rates were observed each year, except 2009. Healthy growth rates are envisaged to restart as consumer spending power rises and as more countries come out of economic recession.

for organic food and drink

Figure

The ten countries with the largest markets for organic food 2009 Source: FiBL/IFOAM Survey 2011

The European market was the most affected by the

financial crisis; major food retailers rationalized their

organic product ranges as consumer purchasing power

declined. The UK organic products market contracted in

2009, whilst the German market stagnated. By contrast,

the market in some countries - including Sweden and

France –reported growth rates in excess of 15 percent.

The North American market for organic food and drink

continues to show healthy growth. it has overtaken the

European market to become the largest in the world

(see Laura Batcha’s article on p.28). Although the US

has seen a large rise in organic farmland, its organic

food supply continues to fall short of demand; many

organic products are imported from various regions,

with Latin America a major source of organic fruits,

vegetables, meats, seeds, nuts and ingredients.

The market for organic products in other regions is also

showing healthy growth, especially in Asia and Latin

America. Growing consumer awareness of organic agri-

culture and increasing distribution are the major drivers

of market growth in these regions. Organic foods are

becoming widely available in large food retailers, with

some launching private labels.

THE GLOBAL MARKET

Another challenge that the organic food industry faces

is managing supply-demand imbalances. The conver-

sion period to organic agriculture, typically two years,

causes a lag between supply and demand. Thus, some

sectors of the organic food industry face product shor-

tages, whilst others experience overproduction. The

price premium is the major barrier to wider adoption

rates.

Note: All figures are rounded. Source: The Global Market for Organic Food & Drink (Organic Monitor)

* This article has been prepared from the report ‘The Global Market for Organic Food & Drink: Business Opportunities & Future Outlook (Organic Monitor, Dec 2010)’. Organic Monitor is a speci-alist research, consulting and training firm that focuses on the glo-bal organic and related product industries. For further information, visit www.organicmonitor.com

24 252-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

By leen janmaat, marian Blom

To answer the question of whether

aquaponic systems can fit in with

organic production, we have to look at the

basis of organic agriculture. Organic agri-

culture is based on four principles:

health, ecology, fairness and care.

The second principle says that organic

agriculture should be based on living

ecological systems and cycles, work

with, emulate and help sustain them. This

principle roots organic agriculture within

living ecological systems. it states that

production needs to be based on ecologi-

cal processes and recycling. Nourishment

and well-being are achieved through the

ecology of the specific production envi-

ronment. in the case of crops this is the

living soil.

Living ecological systems

The problem with greenhouse production

is that it is a isolated production system. it

requires high inputs (nutrients, energy and

water) and also gives high outputs (up to

60 kg per m2). Substrate or recirculation

water can also be defined as a living eco-

logical system. But it is a closed system.

The discussion about ‘what is organic’ is

a matter of scope and scale. The more

isolated the system is, the easier it is to

control. For example cress grown in (natu-

ral) substrate is an isolated and controlled

system and there is hardly any difference

between organic and conventional pro-

duction. The main difference is the use

of fertilizers. isolated production systems

and hydroponic production need fertilizers

that are directly available to the plants.

This makes a difference compared to soil

based production where micro organisms

in the living soil play a critical role as a

mediator. One of the main problems

with aquaponic organic production is the

accumulation of salts in the substrate.

More regulations FOR ORGANIC GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION?

Striking the right balance

during the Hortifair in Amsterdam we

often meet organic growers from the USA

and Canada (USdA certified) who ask us

the same question; do you have organic

fertilizers without sulphate or other ballast

salts? Our answer is yes we have many

chemical fertilizers but they are prohibited

in organic production.

in terms of energy and emissions a more

closed system can be more sustainable,

especially when we compare production

per square metre. So a closed aquaponic

system is easier to control and maybe

more sustainable, for example same

energy input but lower yields, but is it also

organic?

Organic = living soil

Care for the environment, the integration

of nature and agriculture and minimal

dependence on external inputs. These are

the distinguishing features of organic pro-

duction. Controlled, closed, greenhouse

production that produces high yields at

low cost is a form of industrial production,

even if it is technically sustainable. Green-

house production is already estranged

from its environment. if we also exclude

the soil, what is left of our organic roots?

We are just left with a production system

that doesn’t use chemical inputs. That’s

rather weak. We argue for an open and

consistent organic production system that

is ‘naturally sustainable’, with crops in a

living soil producing healthy products.

(See figure, on page 26.

A level playing field

One of the major drivers behind the dis-

cussion over the rules for greenhouses in

the EU is the call for a level playing field.

Organic greenhouse production should

follow the same rules, no matter what

member state the organic producer is in.

iNNOVATiON iN AGRiCULTURE

In the last Ecology & Farming, Mike Nichols argued the case for allowing aquaponic systems in organic greenhouse production. Leen Janmaat and Marion Blom argue why organic greenhouse production should remain soil based. Organic gardeners have started to grow in substrate in a few countries. In the United States, the USDA certifies products from such greenhouses as organic. But while aquaponic production might be environmental sound, is it also organic? In Europe, the EU commission is planning to provide special regulations for organic greenhouse production.

26 2-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

This request from organic producers is

very understandable. For horticultural pro-

ducts, including organic greenhouse pro-

ducts, the market is very international and

competition is fierce. dutch and Spanish

growers compete on German and other

markets. italian products are sold in the

UK and Bulgarian cucumbers are sold in

Sweden. if your competitor in another EU

country is producing tomatoes that are

organically certified according to EU regu-

lation 834/2007 and yet he has to adhere

to less stringent rules, then you can justi-

fiably get angry. it is unfair competition.

However, this level playing field is under-

stood differently in different countries.

Twenty four of the member states (inclu-

ding the Netherlands and France) do not

allow organic production in growing medi-

ums. Growing in the soil is the basis of

organic production. Sweden defends its

right to produce local food as a principle.

Spain and italy view heated greenhouses

as a contravention of organic principles.

denmark has different conversion periods

than other member states, and aligning

them is a major challenge. in reality it is

only partly possible to overcome diffe-

rences. interpretations and private rules

for sectors that are not well covered by

the EU regulation, such as greenhouse

production systems, have developed,

depending on geographical location (high/

low altitude, inland or coastal), climate,

the state of development of agriculture

and technical, logistical and societal cir-

cumstances. These differences are not

easily wiped out. Furthermore attempts to

set a level playing field might easily result

in overregulation, strangling sectoral

innovations. And finally, we have hardly

ever come across a rule that did not leave

room for differences. Reality is always

more complex than can be mastered in

a rule.

Having said all this, we think it is a good

thing to discuss the level playing field. But

we have to have a sensible discussion

and focus on the topics that really need

to arranged at an EU level. For the rest,

we should leave it to the member states

and live with the diversity that is natural in

organic systems.

Leen Janmaat, Louis Bolk Institute Marian Blom, Biologica, IFOAM-EU group

Figure 1

Agro-ecosystem-organicSource: LBI

Fungi Crop rotation

Climate Antagonists

soil preparation

Compost

Fertilisers NPk

Physical damage soil heating

thermal & mechanical weeding Crop rotation

Nitrification

stimulation

disturbing

iNNOVATiON iN AGRiCULTURE

Green manure

Nutrients

Litter/straw Crop-waste

Micro Organisms

Predators

soil-life

Pests/Insects

Crops Weeds

Organic manuring

Availibility of N Predators

People

Cattle

The Netherlands

Greenorganics_adv-Ekoland.pdf 13-10-2010 8:29:40

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Organic soil management improves soil fertility

Fit for the challenges of climate change?

The current international efforts to combat climate change provide governments with an ideal platform for fostering a shift towards more sustainable agricultural production. Organic farming can play a major role in this as it generates significant environmental and developmental benefits, through better resource management. In addition, it is better at carbon sequestration in soils and this potentially offers additional sources of income to farmers choosing to farm organically. And finally, organically labelled foods enable consumers to vote for sustainable agriculture with their shopping trolleys.

Organic agriculture:best choice anymore today’ according to

Olivier de Schutter, the UN Special Rap-

porteur on the Right to Food: “A large

segment of the scientific community now

acknowledges the positive impacts of

agroecology on food production, poverty

alleviation and climate change mitigation

– and this is what is needed in a world of

limited resources.”

Organic agriculture can deliver solutions.

Fertile soils with stable physical proper-

ties are the top priority of sustainable

agriculture. Fertile soils require vast

populations of bacteria, fungi, insects and

earthworms, which build up stable soil

aggregates. There is abundant evidence

There is a unique unanimity among

scientists that agriculture will undergo

fundamental changes in the coming

years. The unsustainable production of

food, feed, fibre and fuel has strongly

degraded global ecosystems and the

services those systems provide for human

survival. A shift towards sustainable agri-

cultural production will entail the adoption

of comprehensive, more system-oriented

strategies. Such strategies include using

more farm-derived inputs and ecological

processes and functions to boost produc-

tivity. Furthermore, the shift will necessi-

tate drawing on the traditional knowledge

and entrepreneurial skills of farmers.

Conventional agriculture ‘simply is not the

from European, American, Australian and

African studies that organic soil manage-

ment improves soil fertility. Compared to

conventionally managed soils, organically

managed ones have higher organic matter

content, more biomass, higher enzyme

activities among micro-organisms, better

aggregate stability, improved water infil-

tration and retention capacities and expe-

rience less water and wind erosion.

Good carbon-capture performance.

Organic farmers use many techniques for

building up soil fertility. The most effec-

tive ones use animal manure, composted

harvest residues and leguminous plants

as (soil) cover and (nitrogen) catch crops.

introducing grass and clover leys into

the rotations as feedstuff for ruminants,

diversifying the crop sequences, and

reducing ploughing depth and frequency,

are other ways to augment soil fertility.

By urS niggli

ENViRONMENT

30 312-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

Techniques for enhancing soil fertility

help to maintain crop productivity in the

case of drought, irregular rainfall events

with floods and rising temperatures. Soils

under organic management retain sig-

nificantly more rainwater thanks to the

‘sponge properties’ of organic matter, as

demonstrated by the scientists at Rodale.

This water reservoir was the most likely

reason for yields of corn and soybeans

being higher on organic farms in dry years

than on conventional farms. At the same

time water capture on the organic plots

was approximately 100 per cent higher

during torrential rains than on the conven-

tional ones. This significantly reduced the

risk of floods, an effect that could be very

important if organic agriculture were prac-

ticed over much larger areas. in the Swiss

dOK field trial, water infiltration capacity

was 20 to 40 per cent higher in organi-

cally managed loess soils than conven-

tionally managed ones. Similar findings,

that organic farming improved the physi-

cal properties of soils and therefore the

drought tolerance of crops, have emerged

from on-farm experiments in Ethiopia,

india and the Netherlands.

The capacity of farms to adapt to climate

change depends not only on soil quali-

ties, but also on their diversity of species

and diversification of farm activities. The

parallel farming of many crop and lives-

tock species greatly reduces weather

and market induced risks. Landscapes

rich in natural elements and habitats

provide a more effective buffer against

climatic instability. New pests, weeds and

diseases – the results of global warming

– are likely to be less invasive in natural,

semi-natural and agricultural habitats that

contain a high number and abundance of

species. These are exactly the techniques

used on good organic farms.

Making organic farming more robust.

As impressive as all these findings may

be, they mostly reveal potentials from sci-

entific field experiments and case studies.

Poorly managed organic farms do not

achieve carbon capture in the soil, more

biodiversity or better adaptation capaci-

ties. it is good organic practices (rather

than an absence of artificial inputs), such

as diversified crop rotations, cropping

systems with recirculation of manure and

compost, green manuring in temperate

or agroforestry systems in tropical zones

and reduced or low tillage, that make

the difference. They are the backbone of

organic agriculture. Achieving the optimal

balance between productivity, complexity

and homeostasis requires good science

and good farm management. Organic

ENViRONMENT

mainly nitrogen – and synthetic pesticides

have substantially increased conventional

crop productivity. However, only 17 per

cent of the 100 million tons of industrial

nitrogen produced in 2005 was taken up

by crops. The remainder was lost to the

environment through different pathways.

High levels of reactive nitrogen (NH4, NO3)

in soils can contribute to the emission of

nitrous oxides, and are a major source of

agricultural emissions. The efficiency of

fertilizer use decreases with increasing fer-

tilization, because more fertilizer escapes

into water bodies and the atmosphere.

in organic agriculture, the ban on indu-

strially produced nitrogen and a reduction

in livestock density considerably decre-

ase the concentration of easily available

mineral nitrogen in soils and, thus, N2O

emissions. Furthermore, diversifying crop

rotations with green manure improves soil

structure, further diminishing N2O emis-

sions. Organically managed soils are bet-

ter aerated and have significantly lower

mobile nitrogen concentrations, another

factor that reduces N2O emissions. This

means that there is a limited availability of

nitrogen in organic systems, which requi-

All these techniques also increase carbon

sequestration rates on organic fields.

Sixty-two long-running field experiments

in the United States, Europe, Asia and

Australia have revealed significant car-

bon gains on organically managed plots,

whereas in the conventional or integrated

plots soil organic matter was exposed

to losses by mineralization. The average

difference in the annual sequestration

rate between the best organic and the

worst conventional management in four

field trials in Germany, Switzerland and

the United States amounted to 590 kg of

carbon (or 2.2 tons of CO2) per hectare of

arable land. The mean duration of these

four experiments was 20 years, which

shows that sequestration is a sustained

process.

A further increase of carbon capture

in organically managed fields can be

achieved by reducing the frequency of

soil tillage. in a field experiment at Frick in

Switzerland the annual sequestration rate

was increased by to 3.2 tons of CO2 per

hectare, per year, by shifting from turning

the soil over with a plough to preparing

the seed bed by loosening the soil with a

chisel plough. The development of low-till

cropping systems specifically adapted to

organic management should be a major

priority for future on-farm research. Some

successful techniques have already been

demonstrated in a book published by the

Rodale institute in Pennsylvania1.

More efficient use of nitrogen and less

greenhouse gas emissions.

Mineral nitrogen in soils is used in con-

ventional farming to boost crop produc-

tivity. Heavy inputs of soluble fertilizers –

res careful and efficient management. in

a long-running field trial in Switzerland,

lasting 32 years, the total nitrogen input

into an organic arable crop rotation over

28 years was 64 per cent of the integra-

ted/conventional rotation, yet the total

organic yields over the same period were

83 per cent of the conventional ones.

This demonstrates that organic farms use

nitrogen in a more efficient and less pol-

luting way.

Organic farms are better at adapting to

climate change.

The adaptive capacity of farmers, farms

and production methods will become

especially important in responding to

climate change. As unpredictability in

weather events increases, robust and

resilient farms will become more compe-

titive and farmers’ local experiences will

be invaluable for permanent adaptation.

Organic agriculture stresses the need

to use the knowledge of farmers and

farming communities, particularly about

aspects of farm organization such as

crop design, the management of natural

and semi-natural habitats on and around

the farm, the use and selection of locally

appropriate seeds and breeds, on-farm

preparation of fertilizers, natural plant

strengtheners and traditional drugs and

remedial techniques for livestock, as well

as innovative and low budget technology.

Tengo and Belfrages2 have described such

knowledge as a ‘reservoir of adaptations’.

‘Good organic practices, such as diversified crop rotations, recirculation of manure and compost, green manuring and reduced tillage, make the difference’

‘There is a unique unanimity among scientists that agriculture will undergo fundamental changes in the coming years’

standards are an excellent starting point,

but need to continually evolve with incre-

ased knowledge.

Positive environmental impacts – such as

lower energy use, high carbon sequestra-

tion rates or diversified agro-ecosystems

and species-rich buffer zones – are

not yet sufficiently defined in organic

standards or part of the annual inspec-

tion. Sustainability assessment tools need

to be included in organic certification in

the near future.

Urs Niggli, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and IFOAM World Board member

1 Moyer, J. (2010) Organic No-Till Farming. Rodale Institute Books. http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/201015_jeff-moyer-growing-organic-no-till2 Tengo M and Belfrage K (2004). Local manage-ment practices for dealing with change and uncertainty: a cross-scale comparison of cases in Sweden and Tanzania. Ecology and Society, 9(3): 22 pages. Available at: www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss3/art4.

33ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-201132 2-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

The atmosphere in the halls, the presentations at the

parallel conference and the exciting fashion show, all

demonstrated, in different ways, what the industry is aiming

for: organic consumption becoming mainstreamed in society,

with an increasing focus on taking it to the younger gene-

ration. The slogans and the way the stands were presented

showed a mature professionalism. The event in Nuremberg

was a clear demonstration that the industry is ready and able

to gain more market share and to continue increasing its

turnover.

One testimony to the importance of this platform for the

industry was the visible presence of the world of politics:

more than 100 representatives of the international political

scene visited BioFach this year. Also for the first time a regio-

nal meeting of politicians responsible for agriculture was held

at the fair. “Here the industry is helping to shape nutrition

styles and the ecological future of our planet,” commented

Claus Rättich, a member of the fair’s management.

Jószef Angyàn, Secretary of State at the Hungarian Ministry

for Rural development, made ambitious statements about

supporting organic agriculture. in his speech, he explained

that expanding organic cultivation would be one of the most

important aspects of agricultural policy pursued by Hungary

during its presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Among other things, he said: “Europe bears the responsi-

bility for developing a sustainable, environmentally friendly

agriculture in tune with ecological conditions, for maintaining

authentic rural environment and for conserving its values

and its diversity.” He also went into the problem of GMOs

and stressed that the Hungarian presidency aimed to tighten

the current licensing system and put in place a system that

allows individual member states to choose for themselves

whether or not to restrict or reject GM plants.

Ilse Aigner, the German Minister for Food, Agriculture and

Consumer Protection, said that she expected the organic

boom to continue: “We can assume that turnover in this indu-

stry will continue to rise in the years ahead.” She called on

the federal states to provide ongoing financial assistance and

promised the industry further support

in 2012, BioFach will take place between the 15th and 18th

of February. After a gap of two years, there will once again

be a Country of the Year – the contract with india was signed

during this year’s BioFach.

32 1-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING 33ECOLOGY & FARMING | 1-2011

By Karin Heinze & Kai Kreuzer

BioFach/Vivaness assert their position as leading world trade fairs

This year’s international rendezvous of the organic industry, BioFach/Vivaness, was characterized by a combination of joie de vivre, innovative drive and professionalism. The show, held at the Nuremberg Messezentrum, attracted 44,000 visitors, almost 20,000 of whom came from abroad, and over 2,500 exhibitors from 86 countries. The organizers reported that the vast majority of visitors (97 %) were very pleased by what they saw and experienced in the nine exhibition halls. The good economic prospects for the organic sector were reflected in the buoyant mood of the people taking part and made this organic fair an experience to remember.

T

34 352-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

in 2009, organic product sales grew by

5.3 percent overall to reach $26.6 bil-

lion. Of that figure, $24.8 billion was spent

on organic food and the remaining $1.8

billion on sales of organic non-foods.

Although the final figures for 2010 are not

yet available, preliminary findings from

the Organic Trade Association’s 2011

Organic Industry Survey indicate that the

U.S. organic market grew more strongly in

2010, at 9 to 10 percent overall, to reach

an estimated $29 billion in sales, with

growth in all major product categories.

The lion’s share of U.S. organic food sales

- 54% - are through mainstream grocers,

club stores and retailers. Natural retailers

capture 40 percent of total organic food

sales, with direct and export sales cove-

ring the remaining 6 percent. Although

still a small percentage of sales, farmers’

markets, co-ops and community-suppor-

ted agricultural operations are attracting

increasing interest as consumers look for

locally and regionally produced organic

foods. Meanwhile, the U.S. organic mar-

ket has seen a surge in organic private

label products. These represent 25 to 35

percent of total organic dairy and produce

sales and between 35 and 45 percent in

the organic meat, poultry and fish cate-

gories.

The graph on the previous page shows

the statistical correlation between U.S.

Gross domestic Product (GdP) and the

organic industry annual growth rate.

While the two are correlated, organic

growth consistently outperforms GdP

and, while it fluctuates more, has shown

no sign of dipping into negative growth.

Recent robust financial reports from major

publicly traded organic companies, such

US.Market Perspective

North American Update:

With national organic standards in force since October 2002, the U.S. organic market has, for the first time, eclipsed the European Union organic market in size. After weathering tough economic times, the U.S. industry is now leading global growth in organic sales. Much of this growth can be credited to the integrity of the U.S. National Organic Program, which helps drive consumer trust in organic products sold in the U.S. marketplace.

Consumer trends

According to findings from the U.S. Fami-

lies’ Organic Attitudes & Beliefs 2010 trac-

king study, jointly sponsored by OTA and

KIWI Magazine, in 2010 U.S. families con-

tinued to buy more organic products than

ever before and from a wider of catego-

ries. Forty one percent of parents reported

they were buying more organic foods in

2010, up significantly from 31% reporting

organic purchases in 2009. in addition,

their trust in organic labelling increased

significantly during this period, with 34%

of all parents (compared to 28% in 2009)

and 44% of organic buyers (compared to

34% in 2009) saying their trust in organic

labelling had increased.

Parents reported they see organic pro-

ducts as generally healthier, allaying their

concerns about the effects of pesticides,

hormones and antibiotics on children, or

providing a means to avoid highly proces-

sed foods and/or artificial ingredients. The

study found that three-quarters of U.S.

families purchase some organic products.

Newly organic families, who have begun

purchasing organic products in the past

two years, now represent more than three

in ten U.S. households (36% in 2010,

versus 32% in 2009). demographically,

as Whole Foods Market, United Natural

Foods inc. and the Hain Celestial Group,

confirm the organic sector’s recovery.

Organic production

The 2008 Organic Production Survey,

conducted as a follow-on to the 2007

Census of Agriculture, counted 14,540

organic farms and ranches in the United

States. These covered a total of 4.1 mil-

lion acres, of which 1.6 million acres were

harvested cropland and 1.8 million acres

were pasture or rangeland. The remaining

acres were not in active production

Of those farms, 10,903 were certified to

the National Organic Program, and 3,637

were exempt from certification (because

their annual sales totalled less than

$5,000). The survey collected 2008 data

from operators of farms that were either

USdA-certified organic, were making

the transition to organic production, or

were exempt from certification. The sur-

vey found organic farms in all 50 states.

Seventy eight percent of these farms plan

to maintain or increase organic production

levels over the next five years. The survey

also found that on average organic farms

have higher sales, higher production

expenses, and higher operating profits

than U.S. non-organic farms.

MARKET & ECONOMY

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

28 624 420 425 522 625 628 524 418 3

4 -212 4

-7,5

0

7,5

15

22,5

30

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Diagram 1

Organic industry Growth rate GDP Annual Growth rate

Gross SalesProduction ExpensesOperating Profit

Organic Farms All Other Farms$217,675 $134,807$171,978 $109,359$45,697 $25,448

Figure

The market recovered after the recession in 2008Source: OTA

By laura BatcHa

‘Many consumers are confused about the difference between the claims for ‘natural’ and organic foods’

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

28 624 420 425 522 625 628 524 418 3

4 -212 4

-7,5

0

7,5

15

22,5

30

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Diagram 1

Organic industry Growth rate GDP Annual Growth rate

Gross SalesProduction ExpensesOperating Profit

Organic Farms All Other Farms$217,675 $134,807$171,978 $109,359$45,697 $25,448

20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

28 624 420 425 522 625 628 524 418 3

4 -212 4

-7,5

0

7,5

15

22,5

30

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Diagram 1

Organic industry Growth rate GDP Annual Growth rate

Gross SalesProduction ExpensesOperating Profit

Organic Farms All Other Farms$217,675 $134,807$171,978 $109,359$45,697 $25,448

36 372-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

consumers’ education level appears to be

more significant than income level in pre-

dicting organic purchase behaviour.

The influence of research findings

during 2010, several reports increased

consumer concerns over conventional

food production. For instance, the U.S.

President’s Cancer Panel Report released

in May 2010 exhorted consumers to

choose food grown without pesticides or

chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, or growth

hormones to help decrease their expo-

sure to environmental chemicals that can

increase their risk of contracting cancer.

Organic agriculture and food meet all of

these recommendations.“The American

people—even before they are born—are

bombarded continually with myriad

combinations of these dangerous expo-

sures,” said the Panel’s letter to President

Obama. it added: “the Panel urges you

most strongly to use the power of your

office to remove the carcinogens and

other toxins from our food, water, and air

that needlessly increase health care costs,

cripple our nation’s productivity, and

devastate American lives.”

This was followed by a major study in

the journal Pediatrics warning consumers

about the potential hazards of pesticides

in food. This study concluded that expo-

sure to organophosphate pesticides at

levels common among U.S. children may

contribute to the prevalence of attention

deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AdHd) in

these children. The use of organophosp-

hates is prohibited in organic production.

Meanwhile, in July 2010, the U.S

Food and drug Administration (FdA)

announced draft guidance recommending

the judicious use of antibiotics in food-

and organic products, competitive pres-

sure from non-organic agriculture, a chan-

ging political climate resulting in federal

budget cuts and non-tariff barriers to

trade.

Many consumers are confused about the

difference between the claims for ‘natu-

ral’ and organic foods. On average, eight

in ten parents believe foods labelled as

‘natural’ follow the standards and require-

ments of organic foods. At the same time,

a majority of parents have indicated a

willingness to pay for food grown without

synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, antibi-

otics or synthetic hormones, and other

practices that are only offered through

organic agriculture.

Meanwhile, groups such as the Alliance for

Food and Farming are actively sending out

confusing messages by claiming the prac-

tices used in intensive conventional agri-

culture are safe and should not be of con-

cern to consumers. in addition, a changing

political landscape and efforts to cut back

on agricultural programmes threaten the

gains that the organic sector has made on

the national level in recent years.

Solutions and trade news

Recognizing the need to further educate

consumers about competing unregulated

eco-labels and the benefits of organic

agriculture, the Organic Trade Association

(OTA) launched an online ad campaign

producing animals. The FdA said the evi-

dence now indicates the non-therapeutic

use of antibiotics to promote animal

growth or promote public health has not

protected human health. Up to 70 per-

cent of all antibiotics used in the United

States are used for ‘non-therapeutic’

purposes in industrial food animal pro-

duction, according to the Union of Con-

cerned Scientists, which defines ‘non-

therapeutic’ as the use of antibiotics in

the absence of diagnosed disease. Food-

producing animals on industrial farms

often are routinely fed antibiotics in food

and water to promote weight gain and

feed efficiency and to compensate for

overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.

Organic practices in the United States do

in late 2010 targeting consumers by

providing timely information on topical

food-related issues. These ads appear on

Google and Facebook in proximity to rele-

vant online news stories and drive traffic

to OTA’s consumer website (www.Orga-

nicitsWorthit.com). This contains specific

pages that address key issues, encourage

people to sign-up to newsletters and

help consumers find organic products via

OTA’s member directory. in the first 60

not allow any use of anti-

biotics in food-producing

animals.

in other news, scientists at

the Louisiana Universities’

Marine Consortium repor-

ted that the dead zone—

the oxygen-depleted area

where little marine life can

survive—in the Gulf of

Mexico this past summer

was the biggest ever, equalling an area

the size of the state of Massachusetts. in

2010 the dead zone stretched from the

mouth of the Mississippi River, west to

Galveston, Texas. The source of this phe-

nomenon is the runoff of excess nitrogen

and phosphorus from synthetic fertilizers

used in fields in the Midwest corn-belt

region.

Market challenges

despite such findings, there is an ongoing

need to get messages about the benefits

of organic not only to consumers but

also to policy-setting bodies. The current

challenges facing the U.S. organic sector

include the lack of distinction between

competing and unregulated eco-labels

days alone, this campaign,

which differentiates organic

as the solution, garnered

over 22 million viewings.

On the international trade

front, meanwhile, the Uni-

ted States has adopted

Harmonized System codes

to trace both imports and

exports of organic pro-

ducts. The new U.S. trade

codes include 20 import

and 23 export codes. Such codes will

also be useful tools to trace U.S. imports

and exports of organic products and will

provide concrete data for use in future

trade discussions.

Laura Batch is Chief of Policy and External Relations for the Organic Trade Association.

Additional resources are available at www.ota.com, www.TheOrganicPages.com, www.USOrganicProducts.com, and www.organicItsWorthIt.org.

Figure

Organic buyers and non-buyersSource: OTA

Organic Farms All Other Farms

Gross Sales $217,675 $134,807

Production Expenses $171,978 $109,359

Operating Profit $45,697 $25,448

2009 2010 2009 2010

Base = Total parents (n=862) (n=862) (n=862) (n=862)

Under 25 years old 14% 17% 5% 6%

Education

High School 21% 20% 43% 37%

College 61% 60% 46% 52%

Graduate school 23% 20% 9% 11%

Annual Income

<$35,000 26% 22% 41% 28%

$35,000 - $100,000 51% 51% 48% 60%

$100,000+ 15% 22% 5% 8%

Ethnicity

White 78% 81% 88% 85%

Asian / Pacific Islander 9% 7% 2% 2%

African American / Black 7% 7% 6% 10%

Organic buyers Non­buyersFigure

Changes in Trust of Organic LabelingSource: OTA

Figure

Changes in Trust of Organic LabelingSource: OTA

MARKET & ECONOMY

39ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

IFOAM launches new logos

The Global Organic Mark is backed-up by the iFOAM Orga-

nic Guarantee System under which iFOAM approves credible

organic standards (in its iFOAM Family of Standards) and

verifies that certifiers are properly accredited.

The Global Organic Mark bears the name of iFOAM,

thereby giving the products a seal of credibility from iFOAM.

This simple message will mean that the mark will be easily

understood and recognized across the globe. The Global

Organic Mark is particularly appropriate to organic products

that are traded globally, but it can also be a great marketing

asset for products that are sold nationally.

To use the Global Organic Mark, producers, processors

or handlers need to meet the criteria and sign a contract with

iFOAM. There is a yearly fee, based on the annual sales of

the products involved. iFOAM offers this service directly to

operators, as well as through certification bodies and sector

associations.

iFOAM has also developed two other similar logos that

are not intended to be placed on products. These are logos

for organic standard setters, which can be placed on their

standards documents, publicity and other communications.

The iFOAM Family of Standards logo is granted to

owners of standards accepted in the iFOAM Family of

Standards, based on an assessment done by iFOAM.

The Standard Leader logo is like a ‘gold seal’ which will,

in the near future, be granted to owners of standards that

are not only accepted in the iFOAM Family of Standards,

but have been assessed as exceeding these standards and

reached a designated benchmark.

Any stakeholders interested in applying for these Organic

Marks should contact iFOAM (Joelle Katto-Andrighetto at

ogs@ifoam.org) for further information.

Organic labelling has become a jungle of various labels

and seals, all trying to communicate technical informa-

tion to the organic consumer. National or regional organic

logos are sometimes compulsory and let consumers know

that a product has been produced in accordance with

the national or regional regulations (although for imported

products the situation may be more complicated). Private

standards’ logos usually come in addition to the national

logo and are intended to convey information to the con-

sumer that the product has been produced and certified

according to additional specific requirements, although

very few consumers actually know what these really are.

Products also often display the seals of the certifying body,

even when the product is only certified according to the

national regulation.

Some conventional supermarkets have their own orga-

nic logo or label, which they display on their own range of

organic products, to enable consumers to quickly distin-

guish them from conventional products. Then, there are also

numerous organic brands that display their own brand logo

that also conveys the organic message. Another growing

trend is for countries to develop their own organic logo that

is placed on all exported products to simultaneously convey

the image of organic and to promote the country.

There are more than 100 organic standards and regu-

lations and close to 500 organic certifiers in the world. it is

impossible for the average organic consumer to know the

meaning of all these certification schemes and to identify all

the seals and logos. Only a very small proportion of organic

consumers are interested in the details of the standards or

the certification procedure. What the average organic con-

sumer wants to know is that the product has been certified

by an approved certifier and that it has been produced

according to organic standards.

iFOAM is now offering the first global organic product

logo that conveys this one, universal, message to the con-

sumer: that the product has been produced organically,

according to a credible organic standard and was certified

by an approved certifier. in other words, the Global Organic

Mark is all the consumers need to trust organic products,

no matter where they are purchased.

iFOAM iSSUES

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 1-2011 39

IFOAM recently launched some new services under its Organic Guarantee System (OGS) (see the last issue of Ecology & Farming), just before the German BioFach, These include the Global Organic Mark and two logos for owners of standards.

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Our activities: • Organization of national and international  seminars and conferences. In 2010 the focus has

been public health and quality of living in relation to food security and food origin;

• High quality level networking in universities, industry, government, medical and consumer  associations, sustainability orientation;

• Support of small communities, who strive to protect the social, health, gender, economic  sound and environment aspects of common living. Municipality impacts of global warming and food security;

• Support of industries who seek quality and safety in their products;

• Networking in the NGO world;

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Josiana ArippolE-mail: josiana@eticadaterra.orgTel: +55 11 3443-6423Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 3729-4o/5o andaresCEP: 04538-905 São Paulo/SP/Brasil

Josiana ArippolE-mail: josiana@institutoitawegmandobrasil.orgTel: +55 11 3443-6397Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 3729-4o/5o andaresCEP: 04538-905 São Paulo/SP/Brasil

Contact

40 412-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

STANdARdS & CERTiFiCATiON

It started with rumours

By Bo van elzaKKer, Beate HuBer, jocHen neuendorff

during Biofach 2007, at a time when

the organic market was booming,

the level of rumours about fraud was such

that three individuals, all with a history in

organic conformity assessment1, started

what became known as the Anti Fraud

initiative (AFi). A first tripartite meeting (with

certifiers, traders, authorities) in Germany,

confirmed the seriousness of the topic and

the need for joint action. An exchange of

information began and several meetings

were organized. details of the presentati-

ons at these meetings and reports can be

found at www.organic-integrity.org.

in the first instance, people did not like to

hear the word fraud, or were frightened by

the initiative. Some initially said that there

is no fraud in organics, despite the cases

that come to light. Many preferred to

ignore it or leave it to others to deal with.

Very few were interested in trying to take

it on and had little idea how to do so.

The current annual inspection system may

be a deterrent but it is not really able to

detect or avoid fraud with organic pro-

ducts. We know this because fraud cases

usually come to light by denunciations

or by unforeseen circumstances, not

during annual inspections. Even when,

as now, inspection is becoming more risk

based, and more inspections are unan-

nounced, the standard annual inspection

is not designed to address fraudulent

practices. Most discoveries of fraud are

based on complaints and rumours, from

neighbours, from companies talking about

each other, or ex-employees. Govern-

ment agencies, certification bodies and

businesses find rumours and allegations

difficult to deal with. Buyers may suspect,

detect and reject goods, but will usually

leave it at that. Going to the certification

body or the authorities with your suspi-

cions can cause you trouble, or the case

may not be taken up - as it is much easier

to ignore suspicions. You need to have

some solid proof; otherwise it is likely to

be pushed aside as an unsubstantiated

claim. The main approach of AFi has been

to improve the exchange of information

among and between businesses, certifiers

and authorities, so as to have better com-

munication and understanding.

The activities of AFi are purposely

organized in an informal way. As much

as possible, AFi works through sector

organizations2 to avoid some individuals,

companies or certifiers dominating the

process. The meetings are made possible

through participation fees and donations

from the sector organizations and Mini-

stries of Agriculture. The last meeting was

combined with the CertCost EU research

project. it is a low cost approach, desig-

ned to create awareness, to learn from

each other and to highlight best practices

for avoiding fraud. it is not about inves-

tigating possible frauds or suspects. it is

about increasing the threat of detection,

allowing everybody time to improve their

practices and their quality systems. So far

AFi has mainly had a European focus, but

with the launch of the initiative in the US it

is internationalizing.

Besides the general annual meeting

and in-country workshops, AFi is about

objective information gathering, analysing

past fraud cases to discover patterns,

draw lessons and suggest recommenda-

tions, as well as making this information

available, for example on its website. it

has a database of organizations/contact

persons who are interested and involved

in the detection of fraud, both within and

outside the EU; it is a pool of expertise

in quality/integrity assurance. The work-

shops highlight best practices, such as

in-house quality assurance systems and

tools for detection for companies and

more effective inspection techniques for

certifiers. Above all, it promotes com-

munication and cooperation between the

chain actors. Talking about fraud, realizing

what each party can do and motivating

each other to act are very important

aspects of its work.

The result is that stakeholders understand

and trust each other more, and also see

each other’s limitations. There is a com-

mitment in the organic sector to address

fraud and to do so through joint action

but it needs peer pressure. A start was

made on establishing a Code of Conduct

for certifiers, although this got stranded

on the legal implications of holding each

other responsible/liable if one of the sig-

natories failed to perform according to

the requirements of the Code. in Europe,

some trade organizations have been wor-

king on a Code of Good Trading Practi-

ces, a more positive approach. We would

still like to see a chapter in it on how to

deal with cases of (suspected) fraud.

Even though it is difficult to formulate

rules about how to address the issue, it

is becoming clear what can be done to

avoid and detect fraud, what companies

and certifiers can do by themselves and

what they should do together. Following

an initial reluctance to discuss the topic of

fraud, all companies, certifiers and autho-

rities who take themselves seriously are

now doing something about it.

Bo van Elzakker, Louis Bolk Institute LBI (NL), Beate Huber, Forschungsinstitut für Biologischen Landbau FIBL (CH), Dr. Jochen Neuendorff, Gesellschaft für Resourcenschutz GfRS (D).

1EOCC, ACB and ACA for the certification bodies. 2BNN, Warenverein, AOeL, BioForum, VBP, OTB, Synabio and Federbio for the trade associations.

As long as organic markets exist fraud will be an issue. It is a sensitive issue because most organic products are food products and people can be very touchy about their food. Organic claims to be different and is more expensive; there are regulations which are supposed to provide a guarantee and; organic products are bought by consumers who also buy them for altruistic or idealistic reasons. Fraud is one of the biggest threats to the organic market; a scandal or two can seriously undermine the public’s confidence in organic certification and regulation and set back the market. It is difficult to estimate the extent to which fraud happens, but it is clear that it does happen: on the farm, during manufacturing, in local trade, in trade between EU Member States, in imports from further afield and in shops.

From Anti Fraud Initiative to Organic Integrity

42 432-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

increasingly consumers want to under-

stand how the food on their plates got

there: how it was produced, transported,

etc. This is also true of other products,

as diverse as cotton or energy. These

concerns have resulted in stronger legis-

lation in food safety and the emergence of

a wide array of voluntary standards that

include measures that seek to ensure gre-

ater sustainability and transparency.

This has created a rather confusing

phase with many actors making different

claims on sustainability. Historians in the

future may describe this period as “the

Battle of Certification” or “the Labelling

War.” They may trace back its roots to

1992 when supply chain decision-makers

began to engage with sustainability in the

wake of the Rio Earth Summit.

Geographical information Systems

(GiS) are widely used in precision agri-

culture to optimize inputs, reduce waste

and maximize yields. While largely used in

intensive farming, organic farmers in the

Netherlands also use this technology, to

improve their efficiency in sowing, wee-

ding and pest control.

But can GiS applications be further

extended, specifically to a development

context? Some good examples of how

GiS contributes to community develop-

ment can be viewed on You Tube1 where

there is a short film that shows how GiS

can contribute to participatory asset map-

ping.

Many publications and studies from

renowned development institutes show

the immense importance of GiS appli-

cations in the social domain. Maps are

often very effective media and negoti-

ation tools. A free publication from the

German development Organisation GiZ

(formerly GTZ)2, gives a good overview of

the wide range of applications of GiS in

documenting development cooperation

projects and the CTA has developed a

participatory GiS training kit to support

the application of modern technology in

development3. it contains 15 modules

which cover the entire spectrum of good

development practices and culminates in

a module on networking, communication

and advocacy.

Claims on sustainability

When trading tropical commodities it is

often difficult to be sure of the identity

and origin of a product, especially with

blended or processed products. The ever-

increasing complexity of our global food

systems requires a tracing and tracking

system with a trustworthy data proces-

sing capability. This is needed for both

certification and for ensuring that food

safety regulations are met.

Fair Trade and organic trade are value

chains with similar approaches to incre-

asing traceability. Yet, as in conventional

trade, it is still often very difficult to relate

the origin of products back to an indivi-

dual unit of production. There is a need

to improve some aspects of traceability

in both sectors, especially as market

demand is increasing.

Research on the impact of Fair Trade

shows that it does have a positive effect

for participants in the system but has lit-

tle impact on the functioning of the global

economic system and is unlikely to reform

it. The Sustainable development indica-

tors for Fair Trade show a wide variety of

claims that are (at least) partially being

met. Research indicates that the effect of

higher (and more stable) prices and the

social premium vary considerably between

organizations. They may include invest-

ments in organizational capacity, educa-

tional and environmental improvements.

But consumers of Fair Trade products

often do not have a clear idea about how

the price premium and the social premium

is being used by producers’ organizations

(POs) or plantation workers.

“Mainstream” and “alternative” trade

clearly have divergent understandings of,

and approaches to, sustainability. This

has led to an increasing specialization or

fragmentation of sustainability criteria,

such as those embodied in Utz and the

Rainforest Alliance. Several organic cer-

tification bodies, such as iMO , Ecocert

and, most recently, Naturland are using

standards that combine “organic and

fair”, which position “organic” more cen-

trally in Fair Trade and vice versa.

Geo fair trade

in 2009 the EU Research commission,

under the Environmental directorate,

financed a consortium of GiS researchers,

civil society organizations and traders to

By joS van Hal

EvENts

Is there a good way for producers’ organizations in the South to communicate directly with consumers in the North about their concerns and issues, without relying on intermediaries and the agendas they impose? The University of Applied Sciences at van Hall Larenstein (NL) is organizing a symposium to discuss the potential for such organizations to communicate directly with consumers about their products, production methods, the challenges that they face and their aspirations.

What you yee is what you get

Geo Fair Trade Symposium; 13th of may 2011

44 452-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

support research on traceability and the

claims made for sustainable development

within Fair Trade. GiS experts from sever-

al EU projects that have focused on wine

and olive production have been looking

at the global application of GiS for Fair

Trade. The GEO Fair Trade consortium

aims to find a practice based evidence

that will lead to a self-evaluation tool for

chain development.

With the use of handheld Geographi-

cal Positioning Systems (GPS) producer

organizations (POs) will be able plot their

members’ acreage and other assets,

such as infrastructure, water wells and

other natural resources (e.g. woods). This

will give the POs better information to

estimate yields, distances to collection

points, etc. But, most of all, it contributes

to strengthening internal Control Systems

(iCS) - which are essential in the process

of certification - and monitoring. This

knowledge contributes to improving

the management of the POs, especially

among smallholder farmer groups.

The GEO Fair Trade Project has

selected six case studies, run by a variety

of POs in different countries, from india

to Latin America. They produce a wide

range of tropical commodities, such as

shea butter, coffee, tea and vanilla and

include one atypical case study, Panama

hats from Ecuador. Most of the case stu-

dies have a spatial dimension in order to

measure the environmental impact, along-

side the social and economic ones.

Each of the Producers’ Organizations

in the six case study projects have deve-

loped to their own sustainability agenda,

which the GEO Fair Trade Project has

translated into maps. At the end of the

project the Consortium expects to have

developed a web-based tool that can be

used by all the actors in Fair Trade chains.

Helping producers’ organisations profile

themselves

So how does a Fair Trade PO or associa-

tion work on developing its sustainability

agenda? First there is no one single

agenda. POs and their members some-

times need to address issues of poverty,

poor working conditions, exploitation by

strong middlemen or other unfavourable

trading conditions, the lack of quality

control systems or environmental degra-

dation. Very often better market access

is one of the core reasons why POs are

committed to Fair Trade.

The Geo Fair Trade tool enables POs

to map the sustainable development

indicators that they have chosen to meet

their development priorities, rather than

relying on a quality management system

provided (or imposed) by a retail organi-

zation. A solid GiS system which contri-

butes to the internal control system will

strengthen POs’ certification position and

is useful for marketing purposes. Farmers

always work for consumers; they want to

reach consumers and communicate about

the impact that their farming system has

on their social and natural environment.

So apart from the internal organizational

boost it can bring, the GEO Fair Trade

tool will also strengthen their marketing

profile. There is something to communi-

cate.

Retail needs

The concept of “food integrity” not only

covers food safety but has also become a

way to redefine values within food supply

chains. Retail organizations are increa-

singly using farmer’s profiles to commu-

nicate ‘green stories’. Yet is it possible to

build a solid system that can safeguard

and restore the perspective of the farmer

and take this communication beyond a

nice marketing tool? do we even really

know what consumers want to know?

And how does it change with time? At

present consumers are faced with, and

confused by a bombardment of logos that

make different sustainability claims that

promise much, but often mean little. This

is certainly not a way to build trust in the

long run.

The GEO Fair Trade symposium

it is hard to discern what consumers want

to know. But can POs tell them something

of value instead of relying on those who

market branded products, overloaded

with logos? The GEO Fair Trade consor-

tium has developed a prototype web-

based tool based on research from other

existing systems and the six case studies.

This tool allows actors in all the studied

commodity chains to communicate with

others about traceability and the sustaina-

ble profile of each producer organization.

The GEO Fair Trade tool will be

unveiled at a symposium that will take

place at Wageningen University (hos-

ted by Van Hall Larenstein, University

of Applied Sciences) to an audience of

procurement officers, certification bodies,

researchers and students. Following this

there will be workshops on a number of

themes.

There are possibilities to develop the

GEO Fair Trade tool in such a way that

it can be used by Certification bodies as

part of the iCS management system. it

may also be adopted by corporate busi-

ness to demonstrate a link between the

products they sell and their suppliers.

But first and foremost its potential seems

to be as an innovation that helps POs to

manage themselves and profile and publi-

cise their own sustainability agenda.

Jos van HalCourse co-ordinator ASM/Fair Trade ManagementUniversity of Applied Sciences, van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen.

It is possible to register for the symposium throu-gh the link: www.geofairtrade.eu. Participation is free of charge but there are a limited number of places. The symposium will provide an opportu-nity to discuss possible applications of the GEO Fair Trade tool and how it might best meet the requirements and expectations of POs, busines-ses and certification bodies.

1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_GEcifLzEM

2 Geographical Information Systems; The spatial dimension to development cooperation

3 ACP organizations can order this (for free) through CTA’s website: www.cta.int

Eco-farming can double food productionSmall-scale farmers can double food production within 10 years in at-risk regions by using ecological methods, a new UN report shows. Based on an extensive review of the recent scientific literature, the study calls for a fundamental shift towards agroecology as a way to boost food production and improve the situation of the poorest.

“To feed 9 billion people in 2050, we urgently need to

adopt the most efficient farming techniques available,”

says Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the

Right to Food and author of the report. “Today’s scienti-

fic evidence demonstrates that agroecological methods

outperform the use of chemical fertilizers in boosting

food production where the hungry live - especially in

unfavorable environments.”

Agroecology applies ecological science to the design

of agricultural systems can help put an end to the food

crisis and address the challenges of climate change and

poverty. it enhances the productivity of soils and pro-

tects the crops against pests by relying on the natural

environment such as beneficial trees, plants, animals and

insects.

“To date, agroecological projects have shown an aver-

age crop yield increase of 80% in 57 developing coun-

tries, with an average increase of 116% for all African

projects,” de Schutter says. “Recent projects conduc-

ted in 20 African countries demonstrated a doubling of

crop yields over a period of 3-10 years.”

“Conventional farming relies on expensive inputs, fuels

climate change and is not resilient to climatic shocks.

it simply is not the best choice anymore today,” de

Schutter stressed that “A large segment of the scientific

community now acknowledges the positive impacts of

agroecology on food production, poverty alleviation and

climate change mitigation - and this is what is needed

in a world of limited resources.

The report points out that projects in indonesia, Viet-

nam and Bangladesh recorded up to 92% reductions

in insecticide use for rice, leading to important savings

for poor farmers. “Knowledge came to replace pestici-

des and fertilizers. This was a winning bet and compa-

rable results abound in other tropical countries.”

“The approach is also gaining ground in developed

countries. However, despite its impressive potential in

realizing the Right to Food for all, agroecology is still

insufficiently backed by ambitious public policies.”

“We won’t solve hunger and stop climate change with

industrial farming on large plantations. The solution

lies in supporting small-scale farmers’ knowledge and

experimentation, and in raising the incomes of smallhol-

ders so as to contribute to rural development.” We can

see a doubling of food production within 5 to 10 years

in some regions where the hungry live,” de Schutter

says. “Whether or not we will succeed this transition will

depend on our ability to learn faster from innovations.

We need to go fast if we want to avoid repeated food

and climate disasters in the 21st century.”

The report ‘Agro-ecology and the right to food’ is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Russian at www.srfood.org

New UN report

By Peter Brul

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011 45

POLiTiCS

46 472-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING ECOLOGY & FARMING | 2-2011

go elsewhere. Others completely lack

trade finance so the buyer has to put the

money up front. These and other factors

mean that quite a number of producers

end up selling their organic cocoa on the

conventional market, because they are

not able to find buyers or follow through

deals in the organic market.

Organic cocoa is mostly available in

Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, and ivory

Coast. There is also some available in

Ghana, Sierra Leone and Madagascar.

in Uganda there are about 22,000 small

holder farmers organized under 3 export

companies (Greenorganicwatch, Olam

Uganda Ltd and Ugacof), with each com-

pany having an average of 7500 farmers.

The cooperatives exported a total of

2,754 tonnes last year, about 70% of the

actual production. in Tanzania, thousands

of small holder farmers are organized

into cooperatives by large exporting

firms such as Biolands and Hai Tanzania.

MOCOA Tanzania (Mbingu Organic Cocoa

Growers Association) is a farmers’ coope-

rative with about 652 farmers and current-

ly has a production capacity of 300 metric

tonnes. They do their own exporting.

The Cocoa Special at BioFach 2011 was

jointly organized by Agro Eco and Grolink

and provided a major step in exposing

African organic cocoa to the export mar-

ket: providing a platform where the main

actors in the value chain could meet and

understand what they want from each

other. it was noticeable that one on one

conversations between different parties

facilitated a better understanding and

enabled producers and exporters to make

valuable business contacts with potential

buyers. The event will be repeated again

next year and an effort will be made to

get more suppliers to the fair.

To further expose the supply side, an inventory of African organic cocoa producers, with all their details, will be published on the African pavilion website. www.organicafricapavilion.org

it has been discovered that there is a

wide range of certification preferences

among processors and chocolate manu-

facturers. While some prefer organic,

others prefer organic and Fair Trade,

others organic plus Rainforest Alliance

and a number Fair Trade only. Of these

preferences, organic remained a con-

stant preference, in combination with any

other certification. Fair Trade only is also

popular. The demand for organic and fair

trade is based on consumer preference,

but preferences for other combinations

are more based on brand differentiation

strategies.it was striking that most buyers

wanted to develop close relationships

with their suppliers, to make their busi-

ness more secure, and also to work on

development issues, like child labour,

education and health in the producer vil-

lages. Others are keen to support work on

shade tree management, biodiversity and

soil fertility. This underscores the deve-

lopment potential of organic smallholder

projects where there is a direct contact

between producers and manufacturers.

The disconnection between producers

and their potential buyers was identi-

fied as a major problem. Organic cocoa

producers are not easy to find or easily

accessible, as most farmer cooperatives

and exporters do not have websites

where potential buyers can find what they

offer and their details. Sometimes when

there is a web site, the contact details

are out of date or inquiries remain unans-

wered. Some producers put all their faith

in one particular buyer who sometimes

does not perform but they still cannot

in the last few years, West African coun-

tries like Ghana, ivory Coast and Sierra

Leone have entered the organic market

through various projects, mainly with small

holder farmers, to organize and convert

them to certified organic cocoa produc-

tion. There are about 20 organic cocoa

production sites in Africa, but this is not

well known and Africa is struggling to take

a better share of the global organic cocoa

market.

The Cocoa Special at Biofach 2011

provided an opportunity to hear buyers’

demands and wishes regarding African

organic cocoa. They confirmed their

interest in organic cocoa from Africa, but

indicated that the sector must be further

developed to meet their demands. Pro-

ducing certified beans is just not enough.

There are problems (identified by impor-

ters and chocolate manufacturers) with

inconsistent supply, very small volumes

and supply only being available at harvest

time (instead of on-demand). Many also

just do not know much about African

organic cocoa. A recent development is

that a start has been made with proces-

sing organic cocoa beans in Africa. One

can now order organic cocoa liquor from

Commodity Processing industries Ltd.

(CPi) Ghana, which produces around 200

tonnes per year. This volume will proba-

bly increase next year when two cocoa

farmer cooperatives in Ghana will begin

to roll out certified organic cocoa with a

capacity of 250 tonnes.in the near future,

CPi will also start to offer organic cocoa

butter and powder.

MARKET & ECONOMY

COCOAAFRICAN ORGANIC

By niyi olaBiran

Africa is the world’s largest producer of cocoa, with an estimated 70% coming from West Africa alone. Another 13% comes from Latin America and 17% from other cocoa producing countries, like Indonesia. In the organic cocoa sector, the situation is almost reversed, with Latin America having a 70% share of the market and the remaining 30% going to other countries, including Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda.

MAY - dECEMBER 2011 //

MAY 8-11th BtoBio 2011 Milan, italywww.btobio.it

MAY 12-15thEkoloji izmir 2011, 10th Organic Product Fairizmir, Turkeyekolojiizmir.izfas.com.tr

MAY 18-20thFirst international Conference on Organic Food Quality and Health ResearchPrague, Czech Republic MAY 26-27th6th international Meeting on Processing and Marketing Organic Products and Raw Materials. Warsaw, Poland. www.organic-marketing-forum.org.

MAY 26-28thBioFach China 2011Shanghai, Chinawww.biofach-china.com

MAY 31st–JUNE 1st5th European Organic Congress, Gödöllö, Hungary. www.ifoam-eu.org/

SEPTEMBER 22-24thBioFach America 2011Baltimore, USAwww.biofach-america.com

SEPTEMBER 26th - OCTOBER 5th17th Organic World Congress 2011Gyeonggi Paldang, South Koreawww.kowc2011.org

OCTOBER 3-5th, 2011iFOAM General Assembly 2011Gyeonggi Paldang, South Koreawww.ifoam.org/GA2011

OCTOBER 5-7th, 2011BioFach America Latina 2011Sao Paulo, Brazilwww.biofach-americalatina.com

OCTOBER 6-9th, 2011Nature-Health FairLjubljana, Sloveniaen.gr-sejem.si/fairs/calendar-of-fairs/nature-health

NOVEMBER 1-3rd, 2011BioFach Japan 2011Tokyo, Japanwww.biofach-japan.com

Calendar

Items

50 2-2011 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

Market & economy

Coffee is mainly produced by smallholders in developing

countries. The income of millions of farmer families

depends on coffee sales. Markets for organic and other

sustainable coffees are increasing.

GMO and hunger

Hunger has been steadily increasing since 1995 and

reached 925 million people in 2010. One of the main argu-

ments used for promoting genetic engineering is the bat-

tle against hunger and the need to feed a growing world

population. Andre Leu doubts if GMO is the solution.

Country reports

Argentina is one of the world’s largest organic producers,

with more than 4 million hectares.

Organic and health

At the conference on organics and health in Prague, May

2011 scientists discuss the latest results of research.

The outcome is published in E&F.

Coming up in the next issue of Ecology and Farming (June 2011)

JuNE 2011 // NR 3

Publisher

Jaap van Westering

Editorial staff

Peter Brul (editor in chief)Denise GodinhoNick Parrott

Contributors to this issue

Authors: Laura Batcha, Stefan Bergleiter, Marian Blom, Peter Brul, Bo van Elzakker, Jos van Hal, Karin Heinze, Beate Huber, Leen Janmaat, Kai Kreuzer Jochen Neuendorf, Niyi Olabrin, Urs Niggli, Gunnar Rundgren, Amarjit Sahota, Helga WillerPhoto’s: Stefan Bergleiter, Bürnberg Messe, ETO, FIBL, LBI, OTA, Nick Parrott, Mehmet Tozan,

CONtACt

Ecology and Farming is published by Van Westering Groep bv, Netherlands, under the auspices of IFOAM

Editorial office

P.O.Box 6963740 AP Baarn, The NetherlandsT +31 35 88 735 31F +31 35 54 241 19E p.brul@ecologyandfarming.comW www.ecologyandfarming.com

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In thenext

Issue!

Labour and incomes

There are around 2 million organic farms, where more

than 5 million people are working. The entire organic

industry provides work for more than 10 million people.

What is known about their income and labour situation,

compared to ‘conventional’?

Soil quality

Organic agricultural methods can help to improve soil

quality, but farmers need the right tools. Soil scientists

discuss the need for better soil management strategies in

organic agriculture.

interview

Nick Parrott interviewed Hans Herren, one of the world’s

leading authorities on biological pest control.

And more news

Opinions, facts and figures about organic farmers,

companies, innovations in agriculture and market

developments.

210x285_Ecology_a_Far#5E94.indd 1 28.04.11 14:47