IFOAM Annual Report 2003

1IFOAM Annual Report 2003

Uniting the Organic World

Annual Report 2003

2 IFOAM Annual Report 2003

For 32 years, IFOAM has coordinated and spurred the development of organic agriculture worldwide, helping to realizetangible and verifiable positive social, economic and environmental change. From the Organic Guarantee System andeffective projects to aid the development of organic agriculture in developing countries, to the establishment of key policiesand positions and organization of pioneering conferences and events that unite activists all over the world, IFOAM servesits membership and implements its holistic vision.

Every year seems to be a special year for the Federation, but 2003 was a very special one for several reasons: thereformulation of the IFOAM Mission, the relocation of the IFOAM Head Office, and an extraordinary increase in staff.

The establishment of the IFOAM Mission provides the essential guidance necessary to ensure the prosperity and successof the Organic Movement. The World Board carefully considered each word, and the result will serve and inspire IFOAMin all its work for the foreseeable future.

After a challenging period when most of the staff operated from interim facilities in the prestigious former German Parliamentin Bonn, Germany, the IFOAM Head Office left the Eco-Center Imsbach in Tholey-Theley, which had served as theIFOAM headquarters for eighteen years, attracted by high quality office space provided by the City of Bonn. Equippedwith our new facilities, we have already hosted numerous meetings and events of IFOAM Bodies and Committees.

IFOAM’s staff grew significantly in 2003, adding four new positions:

· Manager, Policies & Procedures· Manager, Project Development & Fundraising· Manager, Africa Organic Service Centre· Coordinator, Organic Guarantee System

With the staff expansion and establishment of the Africa Organic Service Centre in Uganda, IFOAM services to its membersand the organic movement at large have been enhanced, signifying important progress in developing the capacity toachieve IFOAM’s mission.

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS

Thomas CierpkaDirector, Member Relations & Operations

Bernward GeierDirector, International Relations


During 2003, organic agriculture continued its positivedevelopment. In some parts of the world, a certain slowdown ofthe market was visible, and in others the growth is still going fullsteam ahead. The same can be seen with the actual conversionof farms to organic agriculture. It is quite natural that the growthrates of the 1990s cannot be sustained. If they did, all agricultureand all food would be organic by 2030-2040! Nobody would behappier than me if that was the case, but realistically the conversionof agriculture will be slower.

Parallel to the promising growth of organic, the sector also facessevere threats such as GMOs and climate changes, threats thaton the one hand may compromise organic agriculture, but onthe other hand are also making people aware of the need for aradical change in our relation to nature.

GMO crops have spread quite dramatically over the last decade,but they are still commercially confined to a small number ofcrops in a small number of countries. Together with a multitude ofcivil society organisations and national governments, IFOAMremains firmly opposed to the commercial use of GMOs inagriculture and food industies. As I was writing this article, Iheard the news that one of the GMO giants decided to pull backtheir GM wheat due to farmer and consumer opposition, which isquite a victory. But there are more battles to be fought against thisexperimental technology. The problem of GMO contamination isincreasingly and negatively affecting the organic sector, and thecontamination of seeds and the centers of biodiversity, the sourceof all life, is a looming threat.

The change of climate is a threat to all of us and to farming ingeneral. It is clear that the major reason for climate change is theabusive use of fossil fuels. Therefore, actions against the greenhouse effect must target reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Othermeasures are likely excuses to not deal with the fundamentalproblem. Agriculture also plays a role in the cycle of green housegases. The energy efficiency in modern agriculture is deplorable.We put in much more energy in agriculture than we get out fromit, most of this energy as oil. In this regard, so-called traditionalfarming systems are superior to modern industrial agriculture.Moreover, soil organic matter, which basically is carbon, is agiant pool of carbon, bigger than the visible biomass. Badmanagement has led to a massive degradation of the organicmatter, releasing a huge amount of carbon dioxide into theatmosphere. Good management can again bind carbon dioxideas carbon to the soil, not only mitigating the increase of carbondioxide in the atmosphere, but also increasing water retentioncapacity and yield potential. In the last year, IFOAM has embarkedon a project to show how organic production methods are highlyrelevant in the context of climate change.

Another challenge IFOAM took on last year is the revision of thePrinciples of Organic Agriculture. It is time to go deep into the

roots of organic and to restate what is meant with organic, whythere are organic farmers, and how we see our role in agriculturedevelopment. There will be wide stakeholder consultations aboutthe Principles, and ultimately, they will be put to our GeneralAssembly in Adelaide 2005 for a vote.

Governments are getting more and more involved in organic. Aswe have been calling for more attention to organic from the publicsector and organic friendly agriculture policies, this involvementmust be seen as a victory. However, the interests of governmentalso raise the question: “who owns organic”. IFOAM wants toretain the definition of organic within the organic movement andsector at large. In this, governments are one of many stakeholders.

“Leading, uniting and assisting the organic movement in its fulldiversity. Our goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, sociallyand economically sounds systems that are based on the principlesof Organic Agriculture.”

That is the mission statement of IFOAM adopted by the WorldBoard in March 2003. That statement gives the Federation theconfidence to continue its bold quest for a radical change ofagriculture. The Federation has taken major steps to scale up itswork, to reach out more and to be more efficient. The World Officehas moved to Bonn; we opened up the first IFOAM RegionalOffice in Africa and we initiated the recruitment of an ExecutiveDirector. 2003 and 2004 will be years of expansion - an expansionmuch needed. Expansion has no value in itself - the paradigm ofcontinued “growth” is partly to blame for many of the man-madeproblems in the world, but expansion will give IFOAM the possibilityto reach our goals. The Federation will continue to be a democraticmovement equipped with (more) professional staff, better supportfunctions and more relevance for our members.

Gunnar RundgrenIFOAM President

A LETTER FROMTHE PRESIDENT


IFOAM Mission StatementIFOAM’s mission: leading, uniting and assisting the organic movement in itsfull diversity.

Our goal: the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and economicallysound systems that are based on the Principles of Organic Agriculture.

Leading the organic movements worldwide, IFOAMimplements the will of its broad based constituency -from farmers’ organizations to multinational certifica-tion agencies, ensuring the credibility and longevity oforganic agriculture as a means to ecological, economicand social sustainability.

Uniting the organic world, IFOAM provides platformsto stakeholders for a wide range of purposes. Throughinternational conferences, committee meetings, andother forums, IFOAM facilitates the ongoing and con-structive dialogue about the future and status of organicagriculture.

Assisting its membership, IFOAM implements spe-cific projects that facilitate the adoption of organic agri-culture, particularly in developing countries. IFOAM alsorepresents the organic agriculture movements at UnitedNations and other intergovernmental agencies. IFOAMhas observer status or is otherwise accredited by thefollowing international institutions:

• The Food and Agriculture Organization ofthe United Nations (FAO)

• United Nations Conference on Trade andDevelopment (UNCTAD)

• Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO &WHO)

• United Nations Environment Program(UNEP)

• The Organization for Economic Cooperationand Development (OECD)

GovernanceIFOAM is a democratic federation. Member organiza-tions constitute the IFOAM General Assembly and makethe fundamental decisions that govern the organiza-tion, including the approval of organic standards. As ofJune 2004, IFOAM has 733 members from 103 coun-tries.

IFOAM World Board 2002 - 2005PresidentGunnar RundgrenSweden

Vice President Vice PresidentAlberto Lernoud Gerald HerrmannArgentina Germany

Liz Clay Antonio CompagnoniAustralia Italy

El Hadji Hamath Hane Prabha MahaleSenegal India

Kenji Matsumoto Sheldon WeinbergJapan U.S.A.

The IFOAM World Board is elected by the General As-sembly for a three-year term.


THE WORLD BOARD

Inauguration of the new office location by IFOAM President Gunnar Rundgren


SASA – Social Accountability inSustainable Agriculture

United by common goals and visions, IFOAM, Fair Trade LabellingOrganization (FLO), the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN),and Social Accountability International (SAI) have been cooperatingon the SASA project since 2002. The initiative’s success serves tojustify our claims to be the four main worldwide social andenvironmental verification systems for agriculture.

The project is geared toward the primary objective of developingguidelines and tools for the implementation of social audits across awide range of agricultural production systems and product chains.The SASA agenda has included a number of very challengingactivities:- Nine pilots audits — four of which took place in 2003 —with senior auditors of the cooperating organizations wereundertaken in different production systems and social contexts,from quasi-wild harvesting systems (i.e. mango crops in BurkinaFaso) to large-scale production systems, such as bananaplantations in Costa Rica, from small-scale family rice farms inThailand to medium-scale strawberry farm in California, US. Inaddition, SASA partners gained experience in auditing smallholdergroups with Internal Control Systems (ICS) and supply chains andconducted initial testing of integrated audits.- Relevant stakeholders (i.e. all IFOAM members) in thegiven country or region were invited to take part in e-mail discussionand meetings before and/or after the audits.- Workshops were held with appropriate staff members onstandards harmonization, exchange of fee/cost systems and supplychain procedures toward the end of increasing mutualunderstanding of SASA members’ respective basic systemstructures.- Scientists, auditors, and interested stakeholders tookpart in the web-based Global Consultative Discussion GroupWorldwide on-line consultation groups.- Workshops were organized with retailers, auditors andcertifiers on specific items relevant for them.A concrete result for IFOAM was the incorporation of SASA projectresults into the process initiated by the IFOAM Accredited CertificationBodies to develop harmonized social standards that comply withthe IFOAM Basic Standards on social justice (chapter 8). Notably,all organic certification bodies should implement these standards.Although the project officially ended with a final conference in Romein April 2004, cooperation between participants is not winding down.IFOAM is committed to initiating and supporting further commonactivities that will benefit socially- and environmentally-responsibleproducers, certifiers and consumers all over the world.

Organic – Fair Trade – social responsibilityThey belong together and together they will grow

2003 HIGHLIGHTS

The Establishment of the IFOAMAfrica Service Centre

In 2003, IFOAM took a strategic step to make apermanent presence on the continent of Africa, andto assist with growth of the movement on the con-tinent through strategic advocacy.

The Africa Service Centre will strengthen networksof organic farmers, facilitate the adoption of OrganicAgriculture, and advocate Organic Agriculture asa viable agricultural development option for Africa.

The fact that most African agriculture is by defaultlow external input agriculture – but not necessarilyorganic – provides a potential basis for OrganicAgriculture as a development option for Africa.Organic farming practices deliberately integratetraditional farming practices and make use of lo-cally available resources.

Smallholder Group Certificationthrough Internal Control Systems

In 2002, more than 350 smallholder groups werecertified using Internal Control Systems (ICS),however in different ways and under differentsystems and regulations. The process ofharmonizing the detailed parameters andprocedures of these ICS for smallholder groupcertification was finalized in February 2003.Recognizing the positive results of the work, theEuropean Commission adopted the results andrecommendations in a guideline as part for theEU Organic Regulation.The compilation of IFOAM training manuals forsetting up and for external verification of ICS beganin 2003. These manuals provide essential supportto the existing and new smallholder groups inaccessing affordable group certification, whichopens the door to international organic markets.


Basic Principles of the Code of Conductfor Organic Trade

Commitment to Social Justice in Organic AgricultureSocial Justice is an integral part of organic agriculture andtrade. Organisations commit to incorporate social justiceprinciples into their every day activities.

Transparency and Accountability of Negotiations Trade negotiations in the organic supply chain are conductedin an open and transparent manner allowing for sharedaccountability between trading partners.

Trading Relationships Direct and long-term trading relationships, based on trust andmutual respect, are encouraged between trading partners.

Equitable Distribution of Returns All supply chain partners are able to cover costs and receivefair remuneration for their efforts through prices that reflect thetrue value of the product. Risk sharing mechanisms are activelyencouraged.

Communication and Information flowSupply chain partners communicate openly with each othershowing a willingness to share information. Trading partnerswork together to ensure that producer demands for marketinformation are met and that consumers can access informationabout how organic products are produced and verified.

Skills development and Capacity BuildingTrade-related skills development and social justice orientedcapacity building are facilitated through learning exchangesbetween trading partners.

Internal ethicsThe principles of social justice within organic agriculture areintegrated within each organisation and are expressed throughresponsible relationships with employees and/or members,the local community and the environment.

Supporting the Organic CommunitySupply chain organisations support their local organiccommunities and contribute to the growth of the globalorganic movement.

The Revision of the Principles ofOrganic Agriculture

In 2003, the IFOAM World Board established aTask Force representing the diverse interests ofthe organic movement to undertake the revisionand reformulation of the Principle Aims of OrganicAgriculture for Production and Processing,inpreparation for the subsequent General Assem-bly in September 2005. This document has servedas a a preface to the IFOAM Basic Standards, butthe World Board made the determination that itshould serve a more important and self-standingfunction.

The revised Principles of Organic Agriculturewill guide the future development of standards,programs and policies, and will facilitate greaterunderstanding about the purpose of organic agri-culture.

IFOAM Trade Forum:The Establishment of the Code of

Conduct for Organic Trade

The IFOAM Trade Forum Initiative finalized thedevelopment of a Code of Conduct for OrganicTrade in April 2003. 28 organizations, IFOAMmembers and non-members, signed the codeduring the first year.

The code of conduct for organic trade is a learn-ing tool for integrating social justice issues intoorganic trading practices.

The Code is a list of eight principles defining corevalues shared by the organic trading communityincluding transparency and accountability innegotiations, equitable distribution of returns skillsdevelopment and capacity building. Tocomplement the Code, a Guidance Documentprovides suggestions and examples about howto implement the code in everyday tradingactivities.


STRENGTHENING ORGANIC AGRICULTIFOAM - GROWING ORGANIC (I-GO)

Funded by the Humanist Institute for Cooperationwith Developing Countries (HIVOS) and the DutchGovernment’s Biodiversity Fund, jointly managedby HIVOS and Novib, I-GO is IFOAM’s mostsignificant program. The current phase began inOctober 2000 and will continue until the end of2004. Its objective is to strengthen organicagriculture in developing countries and thus theorganic agriculture movement worldwide.

Much work in 2003 emphasized smallholders,providing the fundamental support necessary totake tangible and quantifiable steps towardssustainable development.

IFOAM’s Training Manual for OrganicAgriculture, compiled by FiBL, is now availablein three major languages: English, French andSpanish. The comprehensive Training Manual isbased on a training approach combining lectures,illustrations and demonstrations, and activeparticipation of the trainees. A balanced mix ofthese elements allows understanding of organicagriculture through listening, observation, thesharing of experiences and implementation. 130colorful and descriptive transparencies are a keypart of the Training Manual. Two new trainingmanuals, that focus on the main food and cashcrops in rainforest and dry savannah areas, arebeing finalized and will be published in the middleof 2004. They will follow the same didacticapproach as the main training manual, andtranslations are planned as well.

The process of harmonizing smallholdercertification through Internal Control Systems(ICS) was finalized in February 2003. Recognizingthe positive results of the workshop, the EuropeanCommission signaled a shift in attitude by adoptingthe results and recommendations. The I-GOmanagement team, in turn, initiated thedevelopment of two additional training manuals.The first manual will provide detailed informationon how to set up an ICS, targeting farmerorganizations and NGOs that work with farmergroups. The second manual will cover ICS

inspection and will target certification bodies andinspectors. Both manuals will be based upon theaforementioned didactic approach.Because sustainable rural development is partof IFOAM’s objectives, a project to develop localand regional marketing of organic productswas undertaken in 2003. I-GO supported aninternational workshop about local marketing inBangkok, where twelve case studies from acrossAsia were presented and discussed. As a resultof the workshop, a guidance document to helpfacilitate the development of local markets wasproduced, synthesizing the knowledge andexperiences that have proven successful.As an extension of this project, IFOAM has begunto assess participatory guarantee systems fororganic agriculture that exist in the world, andanalyze their similarities and differences,advantages and constraints, the results of whichwill be compiled and and disseminated.Organic Guarantee SystemI-GO supported the establishment of a plan forthe development of biodiversity standards,which will become part of IFOAM’s BasicStandards. A sub-committee of the standardcommittee was selected to implement this plan.The new standards will be presented to themembership in 2005 via ballot initiative.IFOAM has recently enacted new policies tosupport regional variations in standards, basedon regional organic practices that are consistentwith the Principal Aims of Organic Production andProcessing, which includes a policy for IFOAMApproval of Other Standards.At the end of 2003, I-GO commissioned a studywith the objective of stimulating the harmonizationof Asian organic standards and practices with theinternationally recognized IFOAM BasicStandards. The results will be presented duringthe 8th IFOAM Asia Conference, in South Korea,in September 2004.


TURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Social JusticeThe IFOAM Trade Forum Initiative finalized thedevelopment of a Code of Conduct for OrganicTrade in April 2003. 28 organizations, IFOAMmembers and non-members signed the codeduring the first year.

Lobbying and outreachI-GO supported lobbying at the internationallevel and at international events of relevance fordeveloping countries and the operations of theIFOAM liaison office to the Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome.

At the regional level, I-GO supported anti-GMOadvocacy initiatives in Latin America and EastAfrica. Brochures and flyers that had beendeveloped in Bolivia were used in Kenya andadapted to the local and regional East Africanconditions.

Surveys about existing regional networks inSustainable and Organic Agriculture were initiatedin Latin America and in Africa. The outcome willbe used to develop a new IFOAM strategy forthe establishment of links between regional,national and international lobbying and advocacyfor Organic Agriculture.

Strengthening IFOAM’s structureIFOAM employed a new strategy for Africa, andhas founded the IFOAM Africa Organic ServiceCentre, and has hired a coordinator for this officeto network and aid the development of OrganicAgriculture throughout Africa. To reinforce the workof the coordinator, I-GO also commissioned asurvey analyzing the current situation for OrganicAgriculture in Africa. I-GO has supported the initialphase of the office’s development, and additionalfunding will be sought to further support itsdevelopment.

I-GO resources were allocated to supportIFOAM’s democratic, grassroots-orientedstructure. About 20 IFOAM members fromDeveloping Countries were supported to activelyparticipate in 8 IFOAM committees.

I-GO financed translations of key documents likethe IFOAM Basic Standards and the internalnewsletter into major languages.


The IFOAM Organic Guarantee System (OGS) isnot only a means to ensure organic qualityworldwide but is organic itself as a system that isundergoing a continuous development in andadaptation to an ever-changing world.

The OGS crew has grown. As of October 2003Matthias Fecht has been assisting the OrganicGuarantee System Manager Diane Bowen in herwork.

As its managing organ, the Norms ManagementCommittee (NMC) has played a major role in thecontinuous development and adaptation of theOGS. A focus of its work is on further enhancingthe efficiency of the OGS through thedevelopment of new and revision of currentpolicies and procedures. An improved OGS willstrengthen IFOAM’s position as the key player inthe organic world and will allow to better promoteorganic agriculture worldwide. Apart from that theNMC was also involved in the following twoactivities.

In 2002 the current IFOAM Basic Standards forOrganic Production and Processing (IBS) enteredinto force. Soon after in 2003 IFOAM’s StandardCommittee launched a new phase of revision ofthe IBS that will be finalized in 2005. If approved,the changes will have a significant effect. Themajority of the current draft standards, namely thestandards for forestry, aquaculture and textiles areplanned to become full standards. As a result,the range of products that can be certified withinthe IFOAM accreditation program will widensignificantly and can thereby improve the impactof the IFOAM Norms. As IFOAM’s basicstandards are also a reference for standard settingbodies and certifiers outside of the OGS thismight also increase the extend and variety ofproducts that are organically produced and/orcertified worldwide.

Also in 2003 IFOAM’s Criteria Committee beganto work on revising the 2002 IFOAM Accreditation

Criteria for Bodies Certifying Organic Productionand Processing. As with the IBS this process isscheduled to finish with a decision of the GA in2005. The main target of this revision is tostreamline the IAC so that in the future it will beeasier to comprehend, thereby enhancing theacceptance of the IFOAM accreditation program.

In 2003 the Biodiversity Subcommittee of theStandards Committee (BDSC) was formed. Basedon an expert report that has been finalized early2004 the BDSC will support the StandardsCommittee in developing biodiversity-relatedstandards in the IBS. Biodiversity standards willimprove the ability of IFOAM’s OGS to counteractthe trend towards a decreasing genetic, species,ecosystem, and landscape diversity and theresulting ecological and social problems.

Through stakeholder and expert involvement, theBDSC will ensure that the new biodiversitystandards are both manageable on the farm leveland effective regarding biodiversity. The followingpersons have been appointed to thesubcommittee Garbiela Soto: (Costa Rica),Andreas Bosshard (Switzerland), Prabha Mahale(India), Rod May (Australia), Ranil Senanayake(Sri Lanka).

In the light of emerging regulations for organicagriculture in the Asian region, IFOAM’sGovernment Relations Committee andgovernment representatives from seven Asiancountries met in November 2003 in Bangkok. Asa result of this meeting, the governmentrepresentatives agreed to cooperate towards acommon regional norm for organic agriculture,similar to the EU regulation 2092/91. As thegeneral aim of the meeting was to explore waysfor regional and private-public cooperation instandards development, this meeting can beseen as a great success for the organicmovement.

THE ORGANIC GUARANTEE SYSTEM


The International Task Force onHarmonization and Equivalence

in Organic Agriculture

The International Task Force on Harmonizationand Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF) is ajoint task force of IFOAM, UNCTAD, and FAO.Based of the common understanding that aplethora of certification requirements andregulations are a major obstacle for a continuousand rapid development of the organic sector,especially in developing countries, the threeorganisations joined forces in 2001.The organisations concluded that harmonization,mutual recognition and equivalency in the organicsector offer the only viable solution to overcomethe problems indicated above. After reviewingthe current situation of harmonization andequivalence, the task force has now entered astage in which it is producing proposals that canfoster harmonization and equivalency in organictrade.


As approved by the General Assembly 2002 inVictoria, Canada, IFOAM started to invest itsaccumulated reserves. The main investment areahas been recruitment of new staff. In 2003 IFOAMaugmented and professionalized its staff with theestablishment of four new positions: the PolicyCoordinator (Louise Luttikholt); the ProgramDevelopment Manager (Susanne Gura); theOrganic Guarantee System Assistant (MatthiasFecht) and last but not least the Coordinator ofthe Africa Organic Service Center (FredKalibwani), which is located in Kampala, Uganda.

Positive growth in overall income could not berealized during 2003 due to stagnation inmembership fees and delayed hiring and staffchange in 2002 resulting in later implementationof strategically planned activities - negativelyaffecting among others conferences/events andproject income. Dissolution of reserves beingaccumulated in past years nevertheless allowedIFOAM to significantly invest in future activities.

Expenditures developed as budgeted. Thegood news here: third party funding coveredalmost all costs related to the relocation of theHead Office to Bonn, thus strengthening thefinancial position of IFOAM. The City of Bonnprovides IFOAM with very privileged rentconditions for the next 25 years. On average, allmajor operational costs remained at the samelevel, despite significant increases in staff,projects and involvement in activities.

In order to comply with the ever growingdemands from inside and outside the organicmovement, IFOAM is also preparing for futurefinancial growth with the decision to hire a ProjectDevelopment Manager, whose main task is toraise funds for the federation.

FINANCIAL STATUSIFOAM makes significant investment in human resources

Thomas CierpkaDirector, Member Relations

& Operations

IFOAM Income Statement

INCOME 2002 2003

audited realized*

MembershipFees 307,000 288,000

Services 224,000 202,000

Projects 682,000 640,000

TotalIncome 1,213,000 1,130,000

EXPENSES

Operational 521,000 596,000

Projects 684,000 640,000

TotalExpenses 1,205,000 1,236,000

OperationalResult 8,000 -106,000

Dissollutionof Reserves 0 90,000

Net Result 8,000 -16,000

*audit in process by an independentcertified auditor (PWC)

STESSA 2002 3002

knaBstnuocca 000,806 000,125

stessArehtO 000,37 000,79

eciffO&tnempiuqE

erawtfoS000,22 000,92

kcotsgnidarT 000,6 000,6

LATOTSTESSA 000,907 000,656

SEITILIBAIL 2002 3002

seitilibaiLrehtO 000,021 000,951

sdnuFtcejorP 000,112 000,502

tnemtsevnIsevreseR 000,932 000,461

ytiuqE 000,131 000,931

ssoL/tiforP 000,8 000,41-

seitilibaiLlatoT 000,907 000,356


CONFERENCES AND EVENTSOrganic Trade And Markets:Fair From Local To Global

7th International IFOAM Organic TradeConference In Bangkok, Thailand

From November 1st to 10th 2003, the 7th international IFOAMorganic trade conference and the seminar on production andexport of organic fruit and vegetables in Asia (jointly convenedby the Food and Agriculture Organization/FAO, IFOAM andGreen Net from Thailand) brought over 200 people from 31countries to Bangkok. Most participants came for the IFOAMtrade conference, which attracted stakeholders from all organicsectors and was opened by Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture.The plenary sessions, workshops and seminars addressed abroad spectrum of important themes necessary for the furtherdevelopment of organic markets. In addition to numerouspresentations and discussions surrounding the OrganicGuarantee System and the movement’s efforts to harmonisestandards and certification, the conference also emphasizedthe importance and benefits of interlinking fair trade and organicagriculture.

The conference and symposium inspired the organicmovement in Asia to further expand organic agriculture in anunited way with increasing activities to incorporate the socialjustice agenda – especially for the farmers. IFOAM’s WorldBoard member Prabha Mahale from India, speaking from theperspective of the worldwide organic movement and IFOAM,summarized the conference deliberations in the closing session:“the conference provided an international platform that dealtnot only with trade related specific issues but brought intofocus cultural, ethical, social and economic perspectives andreiterated the need for greater transparency throughout thechain of organic production, marketing and consumption.”

BioFach 2003 &Organic Agriculture in EU Accession

Countries Symposium

BioFach, the world’s largest trade fair for the organic industry,attracted nearly 30,000 participants in 2003. IFOAM continuesto serve as the patron of this fair and three worldwide extensionof BioFach in Washington D.C., Brazil and Japan, working inclose cooperation with the Nürnberg Messe and NurembergGlobal Fairs.

At the 2003 BioFach, IFOAM organized the “East-West Sympo-sium” together with the German Federal Ministry of ConsumerProtection, Food and Agriculture. Several Ministers of Agricul-ture from Accession Countries participated on the panel. RenateKünast, the German Minister of Consumer Protection, Foodand Agriculture, gave the keynote speech.

This conference served to strengthen the ties between theEuropean Union and the Accession Countries and to facilitateorganic agriculture’s growth and development. The event wasvery successful, and strengthened IFOAM’s credibility with gov-ernments and farm


PUBLICATIONS 2003

New Brochures:

Mainstreaming Organic Trade:New Frontiers, Opportunities

and Responsibilities

The 7th IFOAM International Conference on Trade in Organic ProductsNovember 6th-8th 2003, Bangkok, Thailand

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Visit Our Web Site: www.ifoam.org

Uniting the Organic World

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Benefits of IFOAMMembership for the

Organic Trade

IFOAM's mission is leading, uniting and assisting theorganic movement in its full diversity.

Our goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically,socially and economically sound systems that are

based on the Principles of Organic Agriculture.

What is organic agriculture?

Organic agriculture includes all agricultural systems thatpromote environmentally, socially and economically soundproduction of food and fibers. Recycling nutrients andstrengthening natural processes helps to maintain soilfertility and ensure successful production. Pests anddiseases are controlled with naturally occurring means andsubstances according to both traditional as well as modernscientific knowledge. Organic agriculture excludes syntheticfertilizers and pesticides, and genetically modifiedorganisms are excluded.

Organic Agriculture and Food Security

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Organic agriculture is different from:• Production simply without synthetic inputs• Conservation Agriculture, that builds on

sustainable soil preparation but may includegenetically modified organisms (GMOs) andsynthetic pesticides

• Integrated Pest Management, an approach thatattempts to rely primarily on non-chemicalmeans to prevent and manage pest infestation,but does not exclude the use of syntheticchemicals.

Food security is a condition under which ‘all people,at all times, have physical and economic access tosufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietaryneeds and food preferences for an active and healthylife’.World Food Summit of the United Nations Food andAgriculture Organisation (FAO), Rome 1996.

Especially in Latin America, the term “agroecology” isoften used instead of organic agriculture. Some peopleperceive organic as meaning certified organic and preferthe term agroecology for non-certified or informal organicagriculture.

Lack of access to sufficient food

There is no lack of food on a global level, although morethan 830 million people remain malnourished. Sufficientfood supply and production does not ensure sufficientfood for all, neither globally nor at national level. Forexample, during the 2001 crisis in Argentina, large partsof the population went hungry while enough wheat washarvested in the country to meet the needs of thepopulation many times over. The major causes ofinsufficient access to food are social, political, andeconomic in nature.

Conventional agriculturelacks sustainability

Pesticides are a major health hazard for farmers and farmworkers, especially in developing countries: 3 millionpeople report suffering from severe acute poisoning, witha possibly greater number of unreported cases. Pesticidesare found in groundwater around the world, imposing highcosts for water purification and health care.

The so-called Green Revolution has harmed biodiversity,among other negative impacts. Much of the world’sregionally adapted and diverse varieties of agriculturalseed, their wild relatives and locally adapted livestockbreeds were replaced by a small number of often patentedvarieties. The use of vast quantities of pesticides hasbeen toxic to wildlife, thus decreasing chances of survivaland diversity on a massive scale. An estimated 70 percent of all threatened bird species and 49 per cent of allthreatened plant species can be attributed to conventionalagriculture.

Monoculture systems related to conventional agriculturehave not only resulted in the loss of habitats, but also ina loss of diversity of human food supply.

The IFOAM Organic GuaranteeSystem assures organic integrity

internationallyIn the rapidly growing environment of marketing and tradeof products claiming to be “organic,” IFOAM provides amarket guarantee of the integrity of organic claims. TheOrganic Guarantee System (OGS) unites the organic worldthrough a common system of standards, verification, andmarket identity. It fosters equivalence among participatingcertifiers, paving the way for more orderly and reliable trade.

The IFOAM Organic Guarantee System enables organiccertifiers to become “IFOAM Accredited” and for certifiedoperators to label their products with the IFOAM Seal nextto the logo of their IFOAM accredited certifier. More than30 certifiers worldwide participate in IFOAM accreditation.

The OGS offers conformanceassessment to accepted

international normsIFOAM Accreditation guarantees to buyers, governmentauthorities, other control agencies, and the public that aproduct has been produced within a system that conformsto accepted international standards for organic production,processing, and certification.

The two pillars of the Organic Guarantee System are theIFOAM Basic Standards for Organic Production andProcessing (IBS) and the IFOAM Accreditation Criteriafor Certification of Organic Production and Processing(IAC). These two international documents are norms towhich certifiers must comply when conducting organiccertification. The IFOAM Basic Standards address theprinciples, recommendations and minimum standards which

guide operators in producing their organic crops andmaintaining organic integrity in the further handling andprocessing of organic commodities.

The IFOAM Accreditation Criteria are based on theInternational ISO norm (Guide 65) for the operationof certifying bodies, and they are additionally developedto reflect the particular circumstances of certifyingorganic production and processing. IFOAM owns anddevelops these documents through further revisions thatinvolve stakeholder participation.

IFOAM’s Basic Standards and Accreditation Criteriaare generally respected as the international guideline fromwhich national standards and inspection systems maybe built; and they have been used as a reference bystandard-setters and legislators in national andinternational arenas. IFOAM Basic Standards havehad a strong influence on the development of CodexAlimentarius Guidelines for the Production, Labeling,and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods.

The OGS is a collaboration ofIFOAM and other organizations

IFOAM Accreditation is administered by anindependent organization, the International OrganicAccreditation Service (IOAS). The IOAS evaluatesthe compliance of certification programs with the IBSand the IAC through a system of document review andsite evaluation, and execution of accreditation decisionsby a committee with global representation and expertise.In 2004, 29 certification bodies worldwide are IFOAMAccredited within the Organic Guarantee System.Supported by this system, these accredited certification(ACBs) bodies are developing more and morefunctional equivalence with one another to streamlinetrade for their clients. This is done formally through amultilateral agreement (MLA).

IFOAM’s Organic Guarantee System. . . Supporting the worldwide adoption of environmentally, socially, and

economically sound systems based on the principles of organic agriculture.

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Frank Eyhorn, Marlene Heeb, Gilles Weidmann

IFOAM Training Manual

for Organic Agriculture in the Tropics

Theory, Transparencies, Didactic Approach Compiled by


CONTACT DETAILSWorld BoardGunnar Rundgren Gerald A. Herrmann Alberto LernoudPresident Vice President Vice [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Liz Clay Antonio Compagnoni El Hadji Hamath [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Prabha Mahale Kenji Matsumoto Sheldon [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

IFOAM Head Office

Gerald A. Herrmann Bernward Geier Thomas CierpkaExecutive Director Director, International Relations Director, Member Relations & [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Anne Boor Diane Bowen Susanne GuraManager, International Projects Manager, Organic Guarantee Systems Manager, Project Development & [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Louise Luttikholt Monique Fuhrmann Angela RottManager, Policies & Procedures Manager, Accounting & Audit Assistant, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Detlef Kalus Gaby Holtmann Matthias FechtCoordinator, International Projects Coordinator, Membership Relations Coordinator, Organic Guarantee [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Martin Eimer Neil SorensenAssistant, International Projects Manager, Publications & [email protected] [email protected]

Regional and Liaison Offices

Africa Organic Service Centre IFOAM FAO Liaison OfficeKampala, Uganda Rome, ItalyFred Kalibwani Cristina [email protected] [email protected]

IFOAM Head OfficeCharles-de-Gaulle-Str. 553113 Bonn, GermanyTel: +49 228-92650-10Fax: +49 [email protected]

www.ifoam.org

IFOAM interns in 2003Jon Magne Holten, NorwayChristian Schader, Germany

Dagmar Ziegler, Germany


IFOAM Annual Report 2003

Documents

IFOAM Annual Report 2003