Ecology and Farming No 3/2013

Brazil and the World Football Cup, how does this affect organics?

ecology No 3 // November 2013

AND

SUSTAINING SOIL FERTILITY

EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDERS

Organic growth in Belgium

Who Made your clothes?

Certification body

FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Inspection and certification of products, systems and services Drafting of standards Training

A WORLDWIDE NETWORK OF EXPERTS Name and seal recognized by authorities and consumers

Expert in organic farming and inputs, food quality and safety, fair trade, organic cosmetics, organic textiles, carbon balance, social responsibility

Ecocert SA - BP 47 - 32600 L’Isle-Jourdain - France - T +33 (0) 5 62 07 34 24 - www.ecocert.com

Table of Con tents

NOVEMBER 2013 // NR 3

COTTON 8 Who made your clothes?

Where do our clothes come from?

AGRiculture 12 Empowering smallholders

A key for the future of agriculture

WORLD 16 Brazil and the World Football Cup, how does this affect organics?

BioBrazil Fair-Biofach 2013 took place during the month of protest

SOIL 22 APPROACHES AND THEIR WIDER APPLICABILITY

Sustaining Soil Fertility

AGRICULTURE 26 Productivity and profitability of organic agriculture in East Africa

Comparing organic farming systems

9x5cm_Final.pdf

COUNTRY REPORT 30 Organic growth in Belgium

5/28/13

2:22 PM

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After a period of stagnation the Belgian organic sector

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Editorial News Calendar Contact

1

5 6 34 34

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introduction

Denise Godinho

Peter Brul

All organics is local?

I don’t want to bother you with the troubles of running

it is with consumer goods, focussed on consumers,

a magazine nowadays. Times are not only difficult for

not B2B. Another reason why they might not adver-

magazines, but for many companies. But in this case,

tise is, because many of the organic producers, pro-

it is also linked to the question how well the organic

cessors and traders are in a bad shape. The market

movement is.

and the production is growing, but increase of turn-

The market for media and especially printed media

over comes from newcomers, with heavy pressure

is extremely difficult and changes drastically. People

on prices and profit. Everybody tries to reduce costs

do not want to pay anymore for subscriptions and for

where possible.

advertisements. Partly that is caused by recession,

Organic has become a real industry with a serious

another (more structural) impact comes from internet.

and a growing turn-over, where millions of people are

You can get everything for free on internet. People,

working. But organic is also a movement to renew

including organic decision makers, read less and less

agriculture, focussed on improvement of the agricul-

background articles and favour short, fast and posi-

tural methods itselves, on socio-economic results,

tive stories about ‘the latest news’.

impact on nature and environment including (agro)

The assumption that there is a global organic move-

biodiversity, food security and food quality. More and

ment and market (which is the basis for a global

more consumers in a growing number of countries

magazine) is wrong. There are only local organic

are convinced of these qualities of organic produc-

movements, which act local and think local. They are

tion. But I have the impression that the link between

not interested in news and background articles from

the industry and the movement (the ideals) is getting

elsewhere. The global movement, interested in global

weaker. Certifiers guarantee for the consumers that

issues, is just a very small group. What Tip O’Neill,

the products meet the standards, governments make

the former Speaker of the U.S. House said about poli-

the rules. The link between the governments, the

tics, counts also for organic: “All organics is local.”

industry and the consumers is becoming more a pro-

The organic sector is since around 20 years used

fessional semi-bureaucratic organisation, less a kind

to be a donor and government darling. Apart from

of movement with ideals. It is getting more and more

the commercial things and part of the certification ,

professional, but the soul is getting thinner. Maybe I

everything was always subsidized, there is no culture

am wrong, or I exaggerate. But it is definitely true that

of paying for information. Companies in the organic

the times for an international magazine on organic

industry believe they have a good story that genera-

movements and markets are changing. It is not easy,

tes so-called free publicity. In their opinion, adverti-

but exiting.

sing is for products without a good story, like Coca

Your reactions are, as always, appreciated.

Cola, Mercedes and Rolex. And when they advertise,

Peter Brul, editor in chief

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

5

How economic growth has become anti-life

By Vandana Shiva

Registration Now Open for the Organic World Congress Registration is now open for the 18th Organic World Congress taking place October 13-15, 2014 in Istanbul.

IFOAM Affiliates benefit from a 20% discount on 3-day tickets. To ensure

An obsession with growth has eclipsed our concern for sustainability, justice and human dignity. But people are not disposable – the value of life lies outside economic development

you receive this, please send a mail to ifoamreg@owc2014.org. You will then be sent a link with which you can complete your registration. More information on registering can be found here. We look forward to greeting you in Istanbul!

Limitless growth is the fantasy of economists, businesses and politicians. It is seen as a measure of progress. As a result, gross domestic product (GDP), which is supposed to measure the wealth of nations, has emerged as both the most powerful number and dominant concept in our times. However, economic growth hides the poverty it creates through

the destruction of nature, which in turn leads to communities lacking the capacity to provide for themselves.

The concept of growth was put forward as a measure to mobilise resources during the second world war. GDP is based on creating an artificial and fictitious boundary, assuming that if you produce what you consume, you do not produce.

In effect , “growth” measures the conversion of nature into cash, and commons into commodities.

Thus nature’s amazing cycles of renewal of water and nutrients are defined into nonproduction. The peasants of the world,who provide 72% of the food, do not produce; women who farm or do most of the housework do not fit this paradigm of growth either. A living forest does not

IFOAM PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS - COP19, POLAND At the COP19 in Warsaw, IFOAM informed international and national decision makers of the multiple benefits of high-sequestration organic agriculture for climate change resilience, food security and sustainable development.

IFOAM was proud to have a chance to host a side-event during the negotiations on transforming farming systems for food & climate security & sustainable rural development together with the

6

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

Environmental Defense Fund on Friday 15th November. More information can be found on www.ifoam.org.

In addition IFOAM was one of the organizers of the Global Landscapes Forum, which was held on the sidelines of the negotiations to develop the potential of the landscape approach to inform future UNFCCC agreements and the achievement of the proposed Sustainable Development Goals.

IFOAM partnered with the Research

Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Biovision Foundation and the Millennium Institute to co-host an event that explored the international, national and local policies and initiatives required to enable equitable and resilient sustainable rural development and realize the right to food at the landscape and community levels – especially for vulnerable people.

The IFOAM lead event featured a range of key stakeholders including IUCN, UNCCD and FAO.

News contribute to growth, but when trees are cut down and sold as timber, we have growth. Healthy societies and communities do not contribute to growth, but disease creates growth through, for example, the sale of patented medicine.

Water available as a commons shared freely and protected by all provides for all. However, it does not create growth.

But when Coca-Cola sets up a plant, mines the water and fills plastic bottles with it, the economy grows. But this growth is based on creating poverty – both for nature and local communities. Water extracted beyond nature’s capacity to renew and recharge creates a water famine. Women are forced to walk longer distances looking for drinking water. In the village of Plachimada in Kerala, when the walk for water became 10 kms, local tribal woman Mayilamma said enough is enough.

We cannot walk further; the Coca-Cola plant must shut down. The movement that the women started eventually led to the closure of the plant.

In the same vein, evolution has gifted us the seed. Farmers have selected, bred, and diversified it – it is the basis of food production. A seed that renews itself and multiplies produces seeds for the next season, as well as food. However, farmer-bred and farmer-saved seeds are not seen as contributing to growth.

It creates and renews life, but it doesn’t lead to profits. Growth begins when seeds are modified, patented and genetically locked, leading to farmers being forced to buy more every season.

Nature is impoverished, biodiversity is eroded and a free, open resource is transformed into a patented commodity.

Buying seeds every year is a recipe for debt for India’s poor peasants. And ever since seed monopolies have been

established, farmers debt has increased.

More than 270,000 farmers caught in a debt trap in India have committed suicide since 1995.

Poverty is also further spread when public systems are privatised. The privatisation of water, electricity, health, and education does generate growth through profits . But it also generates poverty by forcing people to spend large amounts of money on what was available at affordable costs as a common good. When every aspect of life is commercialised and commoditised, living becomes more costly, and people become poorer.

Both ecology and economics have emerged from the same roots – “oikos”, the Greek word for household. As long as economics was focused on the household, it recognised and respected its basis in natural resources and the limits of ecological renewal. It was focused on providing for basic human needs within these limits. Economics as based on the household was also womencentered. Today, economics is separated from and opposed to both ecological processes and basic needs. While the destruction of nature has been justified on grounds of creating growth, poverty and dispossession has increased. While being non-sustainable, it is also economically unjust.

to resource wars oil wars, water wars, food wars. There are three levels of violence involved in non-sustainable development. The first is the violence against the earth, which is expressed as the ecological crisis. The second is the violence against people, which is expressed as poverty, destitution and displacement. The third is the violence of war and conflict, as the powerful reach for the resources that lie in other communities and countries for their limitless appetites.

Increase of moneyflow through GDP has become disassociated from real value, but those who accumulate financial resources can then stake claim on the real resources of people – their land and water, their forests and seeds.

This thirst leads to them predating on the last drop of water and last inch of land on the planet. This is not an end to poverty. It is an end to human rights and justice.

The dominant model of economic development has in fact become anti-life.

When economies are measured only in terms of money flow, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And the rich might be rich in monetary terms – but they too are poor in the wider context of what being human means.

Nobel-prize winning economists Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen have admitted that GDP does not capture the human condition and urged the creation of different tools to gauge the wellbeing of nations. This is why countries like Bhutan have adopted the gross national happiness in place of gross domestic product to calculate progress. We need to create measures beyond GDP, and economies beyond the global supermarket, to rejuvenate real wealth. We need to remember that the real currency of life is life itself.

Meanwhile, the demands of the current model of the economy are leading

This article has originally been posted on theguardian.com at November 1, 2013

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

7

Where do our clothes come from?

Who Made Your Clothes?

Lilipiache Organic Cotton lingerie www.lilipiache.com

BY Liesl Truscott

Where do our clothes come from? And do we really want to know? Liesl Truscott, Farm Engagement & European Director at Textile Exchange, says that if the public response to the recent Bangladesh disaster is anything to go by, many more of us do care and expect our clothing retailers to care too!

T

he textile industry has a long history of changing only when

expose the direct links between global clothing brands, their sup-

forced to by a crisis or disaster. The latest being the tragic

pliers and toxic water pollution around the world. The campaign

Bangladesh Rana Plaza factory collapse in April where over 1,000

exposed the toxic discharges resulting from textile dying and

workers lost their lives. However, unlike previous displays of

other manufacturing processes and challenged global sportswear

procrastination and attention diverting tactics, a substantial num-

brands to champion a “toxic-free future”. Since then, some of the

ber of retailers and brands reacted quickly to ensure action was

world’s largest fashion retailers have committed to build a road-

indeed taken. A coalition of 70 leading clothing brands, retailers

map to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC).

and trade unions backed by the International Labor Organization

Twenty years ago we were forced to acknowledge the damage

and the IndustriALL and UNI global trade unions has announced

and lives lost through pesticide use and abuse in cotton cultivati-

the next steps for their precedent-setting, five-year Accord on

on. The Environmental Justice Foundation exposed the ecological

Fire and Building in Bangladesh.

and human rights disaster of Uzbekistan’s cotton industry, inclu-

We saw a similar response by the industry to the recent exposé

ding child and forced labour and the devastation of the Aral Sea.

by Greenpeace. The Detox campaign was launched in 2011 to

Also in the late 80s legendary ethical fashion heroine Katharine

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3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

COTTON

Hamnett (awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2011) told us we

benefits of organic cotton. Textile Exchange’s Farm Hub is the

had “blood on our hands” due to the amount of deaths and des-

epicentre of the work in organic cotton. The philosophy of organic

truction caused by chemical use in the cotton industry.

offers us a holistic and integrated approach to value chains where

Despite this awareness raising and industry exposure the domi-

people and the environment are respected. This philosophy and

nation of our capitalist system and consumer appetites for con-

the four guiding principles (health, ecology, fairness, care) develo-

sumption means that industry and consumer behaviour is very

ped by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Move-

slow to change.

ments (IFOAM) provide the basis of an organic practitioner’s work ethic and relationships with suppliers, customers, and the Earth.

But is change starting to speed up?

But of course we need more than a definition to prove the worth

Fast forward to 2014, April 24th to be exact and we will see our

of organic as the beacon of sustainability. We need quantitative

first Fashion Revolution Day. The aim of the event is to encourage

data, particularly from the farms – where the water use, land use,

transparency, and connect wearers to the origins of their clothes

and impacts of climate change are felt most keenly - to support

– in particular the people behind the production.

the move by businesses to invest in organic.

Among the many challenges facing a more sustainable textile

There are a growing number of indices and rating systems in

industry, knowing where to start is often the biggest! The textile

development these days; creating a demand for sustainability

value chain can be long and fragmented. Many retailers and their

data. Impact assessment and Lifecycle Inventory data are increa-

customers are often so far removed from the origins and impacts

singly being used to drive the textile industry towards investing in

of production that it’s extremely difficult for companies to market

more sustainable raw materials, more resource efficiency and less

and build a thriving business that incorporates sustainable prac-

hazardous processes, and pushing organizations and companies

tices.

to better quantify performance improvement.

But of course we cannot knowingly accept any more Bangladesh or Uzbek disasters... or for that matter the multitude of human

C&A’s Water Footprint The C&A Foundation, the fashion company

suffering and ecological degradation that remains invisible to the

C&A, and the Water Footprint Network (WFN) have just published

fashion shoppers.

two new, trailblazing studies on the sustainable use of water, and on C&A’s own water footprint along the international value chain

Organic – A Beacon For The Industry

for the manufacture of cotton products.

For the past eleven years, we at Textile Exchange (TE) have been

The studies showed that with conventional cultivation, the grey

contributing to the knowledge and awareness-raising of the

water footprint of cotton is about five times larger than if an

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

9

Some companies are leading the way on transparency. The Pi foundation (the charity arm of UK brand Pants To Poverty) is leading a project where Pants to Poverty is opening itself up for external scrutiny with complete transparency (financial, environmental and social) throughout the value chain from seed to post consumer disposal or upcycling. Pi foundation has assembled an inspirational international network of leading experts to develop a framework and methodology to measure, communicate and allocate a value to the 3 dimensions of profit generated by its underwear brand. All of the research, assumptions tools and methodologies will be made available, open source, for others critique it and build consensus around true corporate profitability.

Revolutions ... and Collaboration... We need Both Alongside the number of campaigns driving industry manifesto’s and accords, and the great progress made by our “trail blazers and pioneers”, there are a growing number of multi-stakeholder organic method of cultivation is used. A primary contributor to

platforms and consortiums developing within the textile industry.

the bigger water footprint was the use of chemical pesticides on

These networks, based on pre-competitive collaboration, provide

conventional farms. For C&A, these studies have confirmed the

enormous opportunities for driving widespread industry-led chan-

benefits of a move to organic cotton and shows that the water

ge and growth towards a more sustainable industry.

footprint of conventional farming can be reduced through impro-

For example:

ved farming practices.

The UK Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) Companies representing more than a third of UK clothing sales have signed

PUMA Lifecycle Inventory for Organic Cotton Cultivation

up for the SCAP 2020 Commitment to measure and report on the

in India Earlier this year, PUMA, PE International, and Textile

environmental “footprint” of clothing throughout its life, and to

Exchange collaborated to produce a life cycle inventory (LCI) for

take action to reduce the impact.

organic cotton cultivation in India. This project was based mainly

Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is an industry-wide group

on the PUMA value chain and sourcing regions. The results

of over 100 apparel and footwear brands, retailers, suppliers,

showed that water consumption in organic cotton was 18 times

nonprofits, and NGOs working to reduce the environmental and

lower than for conventional cotton, energy demand was 72 per-

social impacts of apparel and footwear products globally. The

cent lower and Global Warming Potential was 40 percent lower

focus of the SAC is to create and implement an index (Higg) to

for organic cotton than for conventional cotton.

measure the environmental and social performance of apparel

Much of these results were underpinned by the pioneering

and footwear products.

work by Trucost and PUMA on Environmental Profit & Loss,

Rana Plaza showed that companies can come together to colla-

which not only revealed that the most significant impact of textile

borate and raise standards in the supply chain, to recognize their

production occurs at “farm level” i.e. textile raw material produc-

responsibilities to the people who make their products, and come

tion, but also put “natural capital” and “ecosystem services” on

out from behind the veil of anonymity that too many have hidden

the radar for the industry. The study showed that if monetized,

behind for too long. The integrated approach of organic – taking

over half (57 percent or € 83 million) of all PUMA’s environmen-

into account environmental, social and economic factors – offers

tal impacts are associated with the production of raw materials

the best hope that we can to build a better textile industry and

(including leather, cotton and rubber).

avoid further tragedies.

Figure 1: PUMA Environmental Profit & Loss reveals hot spots at “Tier 4”

Textile Sustainability Conference Join us in Istanbul, an amazing international city, for our global annual conference with a theme of “Sustainability: The Future is Now - Unifying Our Industry through Integration and Collaboration”. 2013 promises to be the most interactive and solutionfocused conference to date.

The 2013 Textile Sustainability Conference will bring together industry stakeholders with the intent to share, listen, learn and develop scalable solutions over three exciting days. These industry leaders are working alongside TE staff to develop interactive sessions and topics that involve and meet the needs of the entire value chain from raw fiber and chemical inputs to dynamic business models that change the role of the consumer.

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3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

In addition to the main conference sessions, TE will host the

retailers about why organic and sustainable fibers are cleaning

pre-conference 2nd Annual Organic Cotton Roundtable on

up our planet. TE creates partnerships between companies of all

November 11. At last year’s Round Table meeting in Hong Kong

sizes to encourage solution-based interactions and is committed

two task forces were established: (1) reinvigorating the business

to accelerating sustainable practices in the textile value chain

investment model and (2) investing in and securing seed availabi-

in order to create material change, restore the environment and

lity. A third area of opportunity was identified (3) consumer aware-

enhance lives around the world.

ness – a vital part of the success story for the entire value chain.

We look forward to sharing with you the progress we have made

TE is led by a Board of Directors, consisting of fifteen members

during 2013, and discussing next steps for 2014.

from eight countries representing the supply chain, and is supported by an Advisory Council. The organizations home office is in the US and the work towards TE’s mission is accomplished by twenty staff from nine countries. In 2011, Textile Exchange

About Textile Exchange

Europe was incorporated as a registered public charity in the Uni-

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit organization that conve-

ted Kingdom.

nes networks and acts as a catalyst to accelerate sustainability across the textile value chain. Textile Exchange (TE) is the go-to

Highlights from the Farm Hub

resource for organizations and brands from all over the world who

Farm & Fiber Report (latest edition now out!)

are working towards textile sustainability.

Collaborate Learning Series Organic Cotton Round Table

TE develops and manages textile content standards to safeguard

Future Shapers

industry integrity and transparency. TE works diligently with orga-

Organic In Action

nic farmers, providing improved access to stable markets, sustai-

Find A Producer

nability education and business opportunities.

Learning Journey

TE educates people from the farms, mills, factories, brands and

World Environment Day

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

11

Smallholders play an essential role in food production and food security, in sustaining rural economies and as stewards of biodiversity. The FAO estimates that about 1.5 billion men and women farmers are working on more than 400 million small-scale farms of less than two hectares.

BY Gerald A. Herrmann and Mildred Steidle

A key for the future of agriculture

Empowering smallholders 12

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

AGRICULTURE

T

hese small farmers mostly supply

Fair Trade, UTZ Certified, GLOBAL G.A.P.

‘Accreditation Requirements for Bodies

local and regional markets. By orga-

etc.).

Certifying Organic Production and Proces-

nising themselves in groups they can

sing’ which forms part of IFOAM’s norms.

improve their access to local as well as

The group certification concept

national and international organic markets.

Various groups and certifiers voluntarily

In 2003, IFOAM submitted a ‘Position on

Today, grower groups are major suppliers

developed group certification systems

Smallholder Group Certification for Orga-

of products such as coffee, cocoa, tea

in order to reduce the costs and time

nic Production and Processing to the EU’.

and more. Markets and consumers in

involved in certification, some even before

This document showed the consensus

the North depend on these smallholder

governmental organic regulations were in

reached by the global organic sector on

groups, who benefit from participating in

place. These systems ensure compliance

ICS requirements and resulted in the EU

global organic markets. Although there is

with organic standards and require groups

recognising group certification, largely

a lack of market statistics to substantiate,

to implement an internal control system

accepting all the criteria established by

for example, how much organic coffee

(ICS) operated by a central body of the

IFOAM. In 2004, IFOAM published a

is produced by self-organised grower

group. This central body is responsible for

training kit on ICS for smallholder group

groups or contract farming, it is known

ensuring that the applicable standards are

certification (another output of the consul-

that a large proportion of organic coffee is

complied with, for implementing the ICS

tation process). These materials are still

produced and marketed in this way. If the

and for co-ordinating the marketing of the

key resources for anybody involved with

market access of such grower groups was

group’s produce.

group certification.

be a substantial decline in the availability

When an ICS is in place, a group is con-

In 2008, IFOAM organised a debate

of organic coffee in the main consumer

sidered as a single production unit. Provi-

around the topic ‘Group certification, who

markets.

ded that the ICS functions well, the third

should be eligible?’ This debate gathered

party certification body is able to inspect

input from the European pilot project ‘ICS

Restrictive norms and regulations are a

and certify the group as a whole, issuing

in the North’ and from ongoing discussi-

burden for small scale farmers

one single certification for all individual

ons in the US about the acceptability and

It is imperative that small-scale farmers

producers as well as for the collective pro-

scope of group certification. At this time

are not marginalised and unduly excluded

cessing and handling activities operated

IFOAM took a proactive position towards

from the organic sector by factors bey-

by the group. Individual group members

the US national Organic Standards Board

ond their control. Third party certification

cannot use the certification independently;

which was challenging the acceptance

systems can be a burden on small-scale

so centralised marketing of the group’s

of group certification in the US organic

producers and innovation with a focus on

produce is essential.

system. The result was the continuation

to be restricted it is likely that there would

of group certification in the US organic

cost efficiency can help to improve their situation.

Milestones in the development of ICS

scheme, albeit with some adjustments to

The group certification system started in

the original practice.

Organic regulations require all certified

the 1990s. Smallholders in developing

operators to undergo at least one inspec-

countries began to co-operate with cer-

The current situation

tion a year, carried out by a third party

tification bodies to develop systems to

Today, group certification is a powerful

inspection body. This applies equally to

assure compliance with organic standards

tool that helps smallholders to become

any operation, whether large or small, and

for producers as a group. The international

organically certified and provides them

whether in the North or South. In develo-

farmers’ organisation Naturland and IMO

with access to global organic markets and

ping countries there is often no local orga-

(the Institute for Marketecology) are the

the benefits these bring.

nic inspection body and even where there

pioneers of this approach.

The concept is accepted by relevant

is such a body available, the costs for certification can still be too high for small-

Later on, IFOAM came to play a key role

regulations; but has never formally been

holders to afford. This rigorous certifica-

in harmonising the concept of group

integrated within any of the regulations.

tion system is costly and time-consuming

certification and ICS, through extensive

Instead, the concept has been recognised

and excludes individual small producers,

consultation with the global organic move-

through inclusion in the guidance notes

especially those in developing countries,

ment in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

of, for example, the EU Organic Regulati-

from participating in organic markets (and

Group certification is regulated by a speci-

on and the U.S. National Organic Program

others with sustainability criteria, such as

fic set of requirements, set out in IFOAM’s

(NOP).

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

13

Continuous efforts are needed in order to

implementing an ICS. Often, a group can-

gap. Organic Services, an international

maintain the group certification option in

not supply a complete internal farmer’s

consultancy, in combination with the

the future. While it is important to lobby

list and there is a lack of consistent infor-

certification body CERES, has developed

regulatory bodies on this issue, the real

mation about things such as an individual

‘Group Certification (GC) Management’ a

challenge for stakeholders is the effective

farmer’s certification status, the respective

tool for professionalising small farmers’

and harmonised implementation of ICS

crop area, the estimated harvest and even

organisations. Other certification bodies

systems in line with the group certification

the date of the last internal inspections.

(including the Instituto Biodinamico, the

requirements.

This has led the two main regulators (the

IMO and the Naturland Association) have

NOP/ EU) to increase the percentage of

also participated in its development. GC

Challenges

external re-inspections, which has resul-

Management supports self-organised

The implementation of a group’s ICS is a

ted in an additional financial burden. It

groups and businesses working with small

demanding task and involves several key

has even led to discussions (in the lead

producers on a contract farming basis to

challenges, including:

up to the revision of the EU regulation)

better manage their ICS.

• reliable implementation of the group’s

about whether to eliminate the option of

internal functions and procedures,

the grower group ICS system entirely.

GC Management builds on Ecert® – a

which must conform to the requi-

These are alarming signs as raising costs,

generic and modular workflow based

rements of the relevant regulations,

or even the complete loss of the grower

audit, certification, customer relationship

standards and the third party certifi-

group certification concept, would make

management and management tool for

cation body involved

it far harder (or in the latter case virtually

certification bodies, which is widely used

impossible) for small-scale farmers to

around the globe. The software has been

access organic markets

simplified to create a lighter version that

• comprehensive and transparent administration, including the ability to retrieve documentation from individual members of the group

is suitable for use by groups and more Closing the gap

affordable. Its development has been (and

Various organisations, including IFAD,

is being) supported by a public-private

workflow of internal control, certifica-

FAO, UNEP and development and export

partnership co-financed by DEG (Deut-

tion and corrective actions and other

agencies, are taking very welcome and

sche Investitions und Entwicklungsge-

internal procedures.

concrete steps towards supporting small-

sellschaft mbH), a German development

scale farmers. However, more activities,

finance institution. CG Management was

It has been observed that there are great

and especially instruments, are needed

launched at BioFach 2013 and has since

differences in groups’ performances in

to create sound and stable groups that

been applied in different places around

these respects, as well as in the practices

can provide support in developing reliable

the world.

of the certifiers of groups. Critics of ICS

access to relevant markets.

• the comprehensive application of the

rightfully complain about this. There is

Functionalities and benefits

lack of consistency in the control measu-

This is where a new initiative comes

GC Management facilitates groups to

res applied by, and to, organised groups

into play, one which aims to close this

meet the complex administrative and documentary requirements of various standards by focusing on the workflow of the internal control process.

All the internal procedures and data are managed by an efficient database, which includes reports, e.g. lists of farmers and crops and corrective actions, as well as data about exports that make it easier to provide the external certifier with the information required. This system helps avoid problems with loss of data or retrieval of paper documentation and ensures that the data are kept up to date and available at any time. This helps avoid the group management system being compromised when, for example, administrative personnel or officers change, thereby increasing the group’s stability and reliability, helping to contain or even lower costs.

GC Management is multi-lingual, and can

are the best vehicle for guaranteeing fast

work together and thus strengthen their

be globally accessed through the internet.

service and support in the local language

market position in local, regional and

No installation is required. The system

and also have more detailed knowledge of

international markets. It should also help

is updated regularly and offers multi-

local conditions.

to improve food security, sustain rural

standard inspection checklists showing

economies and biodiversity and keep

the control points/ indicators for the main

The United Nations General Assembly has

traditional systems and knowledge alive

organic standards (e.g. those of the EU,

declared 2014 to be the ‘Year of Family

for future generations of small family far-

the US and Japan, Naturland, Biosuisse

Farming’. We hope that the launch of GC

mers.

and Demeter) and sustainability criteria

Management will contribute to the impro-

(e.g. the Sustainable Agriculture Network

vement of the livelihoods of small farmers

(SAN), Fair Trade, UTZ Certified, GLOBAL

around the world and help them to better

G.A.P). Additional standards and langua-

Authors’ details

ges can easily be added in the future.

Gerald A. Herrmann (g.herrmann@ organic-services.com) and Mildred Steidle

Global implementation needs local partners

(m.steidle@organic-services.com) are the

Implementation of GC Management is

Directors of Organic Services - Interna-

through local or regional implementation

tional Management and Strategy Con-

partners (IPs), or, where no IP exists,

sulting, Germany. For more information

directly by Organic Services. The IPs sup-

about the functionalities and capabilities

port the grower groups, and provide them

of GC Management please visit www.

with training (they themselves are trained

group-certification.com or www.organic-

and assisted by Organic Services). IPs

services.com

Brazil and the World Football Cup, how does this affect organics?

Springbockvley Farm,

The efficiency of low input livestock farming

Ekkehard K端lbs, Judith Isele & Wiebke Volkmann

Namibia

| ECOLOGY & FARMING 16 3-2013

BY ALEXANDRE HARKALY

Photo: Alexander Joe

BioBrazil Fair-Biofach 2013 took place during the month of protest.

This summer the whole world heard about the street protests in Brazil. On just one day (11th July) there were more than 30 protests in different parts of the country!

What is the background to these protests? Brazil has enjoyed 16 years of new social awareness and the Labour government is now in its third term, with Labour Party President Dilma Roussef having inherited all of the positive results of the Lula and Fernando Henrique years.

At the same time, however, the country is widely reported as having invested more than R$ 30 billion (circa 9.25 billion Euro) in building infrastructure (stadiums, airports, streets etc.) for the 2014 World Cup. It is this fact that has outraged so much of the population in a country where there are still 12 million people living at hunger level, where hospitals are full and health care is poor, where the highways are badly maintained, where the education system is struggling and teachers are very badly paid and where the judicial system is amazingly inefficient. The protests were triggered when the bus fares in many cities were raised in line with last year’s inflation. People asked why they had to pay this increase when such massive investments were being made for the World Cup, an event which did not seem to be providing any direct benefits to the people. A free and peaceful movement called the ‘free pass movement’ triggered the protests.

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

17

I

t seems that the country has woken up to the ruling classes’

established by 5 NGOs from São Paulo city, with which has

inability to solve the major problems and challenges facing

engaged in talks with the House of Representatives, and pro-

the country. The ruling classes are worried and do not know

moted lectures and other events, leading several deputies to

what to do. They have suddenly realised that political protests

announce their support for the organic movement. To create a

are being organized by civil society without any participation

whole set of laws for organic products in Brazil, it is necessary

by political leaders! They have ‘missed the train’ because they

to engage with deputies and senators.

were blind to the feeling of protest growing on the streets.

Yet at the same time, organic products in the supermarkets Throughout June, there were protests on the streets every day,

are generally expensive and sales are concentrated among the

some with 50 participants, some with several thousands. On

elite. The latest consumer profile studies show that 92% of

June 20 more than 1.4 million people demonstrated across the

organic consumers have an income of U$ 7800/year or more

country.

(this in a country where the average income is U$ 4140/year).

There is still much work to be done in order to consolidate

What does all this have to do with the organic movement?

organics as a popular movement.

On one hand we can say that the organic movement has gained a place on the streets of Brazil: there are an amazing

The government has announced an ambitious Plan (Plano

number of organised street markets (more than 186 in 50

Nacional de Agroecologia e Agricultura Orgânica – National

cities!), special health food shops, supermarkets, and crèches

Plan for Agroecology and Organic Agriculture) with funding in

and schools where organic food is provided. The Ministry of

running to several hundred million Reals . President Dilma was

Agriculture has registered more than 11,000 organic operators

at the launch ceremony and seemed to take a real interest.

in the country (probably the tip of the iceberg). All these deve-

This plan is intended to stimulate the organic sector with trai-

lopments involve popular mobilisation, organising a movement

ning, credit, research, public purchasing of organic produce

that can talk with the authorities and negotiate more space

and other actions. It remains to be seen how this plan will fit

for manoeuvre. Recently a parliamentary platform has been

within the new political order being drawn by the streets and

BioBrazil Fair-Biofach 2013. Photo: Francal Feiras.

18

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

Country profile

Brazil’s immense potential in ‘biodiversity products’ – such as acai, guaraná, nuts and oils from the Amazon.

Photo: Alexandre Harkaly if it will be implemented effectively. Its main focus will be on

At present the Ministry of Agriculture records show that there

production, the use and conservation of natural resources,

are 10,000 farmers registered as organic. The plan is to reach

knowledge, trade and consumption. The main features of the

50,000 in the next 3 years. The government will accept not

programme are shown below.

only certified farmers but also those who are validated through participatory systems and engaged in direct sales. In the

• R$ 6.5 billion in credit to organic and agroecological producers.

• R$ 758 million for a state advisory programme for farmers.

• R$ 600 million for access to water.

• R$ 165 million for the purchase of organic and agroecological food by government agencies.

• R$ 150 million for seed acquisitions.

• R$ 100 million for support of wild harvesting, agroecology and organic agriculture.

• R$ 65 million for research and extension.

• R$ 24 million to promote organic and agroecological products.

• R$ 17.5 million for seed bank structure.

• R$ 15 million to support actions by young people.

• R$ 8.4 million to support actions by women.1 1

coming a further 17 or so participatory control groups will join the 4 that are already approved, bringing more than more than 1,000 farmers into the organic fold.

What is the state of the organic movement in Brazil today?

• In 2012 sales were worth U$ 500 M (circa 375 M Euro); • 50-60% of organic produce goes for export; • Two thirds of organic sales go through supermarkets and the rest through specialised shops, deliveries and street markets; • Imports (from the USA & EU) are valued at US$25 M (circa 18 million Euro).

• Reports show a very strong increase in organic trade in 2013.

At the end of June, Bio Brazil Fair | BioFach Latin America and NaturalTech became the nationwide trade show for the

At the time of writing I Brazilian Real = 0.32 Euro ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

19

Young professionals are being trained by IBD veteran inspector in Belém, an acai producing region.

Photo: Alexandre Harkaly organic sector. According to Abdala Jamil Abdala, President of

growth of the organic sector, BioFach Latin America returned to

FRANCAL, (the owner of the trade show) “The large number of

Brazil in partnership with Bio Brazil Fair. The goal is to combine

people in the aisles and booths, professional buyers as well as

our efforts to generate business, providing knowledge exchange

the consuming public, prove the success

through inviting international speakers and

of this edition.” Between 27 and 30 June,

to increase product visibility on the world’s

21,485 visitors (including industry professionals) attended the fair, tasting and purchasing products from over 200 exhibitors. The number of professional buyers was 20% higher than in 2012.

One of the main new factors that added power to Bio Brazil Fair this year was the partnership with Nurnberg Messe, promoter of German BioFach – the world’s most

“Brazil’s organic fair is now definitely a major event in the world calendar of the organic sectors”

markets. Brazil’s organic fair is now definitely a major event in the world calendar of the organic sector. Despite the short lead time, we managed to attract visitors and exhibitors from various countries including Poland, Argentina, the Netherlands and Peru. We can say that this partnership promises good market results.“ The ninth edition of the event’s International Forum was attended by stakeholders from

important organic trade fair, which also

the organic world from different countries to

promotes events in India, China, Japan and

discuss international market trends and oppor-

the United States – and IPD, Institute for the Promotion of Deve-

tunities for Brazilian products in the global market. Speakers

lopment, Partner at Apex-Brazil in Brazil Organics which seeks

included representatives of the Organic Trade Association (OTA)

to stimulate Brazil’s exports sector. According to Ligia Amorim,

of the USA and Canada, the former OTA President and IFOAM

Director General of Nurnberg Messe Brazil: “Noting the potential

Board Chair Katherine DiMatteo.

20

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

Exports from Brazil to the rest of the world are also increasing.

Brazil’s immense potential in ‘biodiversity products’ – such

Organics Brazil (the national export promotion agency for orga-

as acai, guaraná, nuts and oils from the Amazon – and the

nic products), supported by APEX (the federal export promo-

development of national and international markets don’t just

tion agency) record that a total of U$ 195.2 Million of organic

depend on research and product development.

products have been exported in the last two years, mainly to

It is also necessary to educate people about local social and

Europe and the USA. Ming Liu, Director of Organics Brazil has

environmental realities and consumer demands for quality and

helped Brazilian organic companies attend more than 25 interna-

traceability.

tional trade shows over the past 5 years.

If Brazil manages to overcome its social problems and those to Recently certified Brazilian organic producers have seen sig-

do with logistics, infrastructure and bureaucracy, it may take off

nificant increases in demand. Will this affect the international

into the 21st Century, like the flying saucer envisaged by Nie-

market? Will Brazil become an important importer and exporter

meyer. The organic sector is trying to play its part in making this

of organic products?

happen!

World famous architect Oscar Niemeyer recently designed the cultural Museum of Niteroi, on the opposite side of Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro. This is a projection of the country’s future, but in reality the trajectory of the Brazilian economy remains a challenge. Rio de Janeiro in the background stands as a symbol for Brazilian leadership in international events.

Photo: Alexandre Harkaly

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

21

By Rob Barnhoorn

Sustaining soil fertility

APPROACHES AND THEIR WIDER APPLICABILITY Agricultural researchers and international experts frequently point out that organic agriculture yields less than conventional agriculture. In the article “The crop yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture� published last year in Agricultural Systems1, the authors compared conventional and organic agriculture, analysing 362 sets of yield data and found an average difference of 20% in favour of conventional agriculture. Another important finding was that the yield gap between conventional and organic farming tends to get bigger when optimal growing conditions are met. In my view, this raises the question of what will happen under far less ideal circumstances. This is obviously of key interest to farmers, particularly in tropical regions.

22

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

SOIL

Soil fertility management

ter to your field to get the soil’s mineral

woody perennials and agricultural crops.

Agricultural researchers Kees van Veluw

binding capacity in shape. Only then

Examples include: traditional homegar-

and Merijn Bos have extensive experience

would an additional input of chemical

dens with several tree layers, including

in soil fertility management in tropical

fertiliser provide some extra nutrients that

fruit trees; rice/teakwood cultivation

agriculture. From 1995 until 2001 van

could be well used.”

systems; the ‘alley cropping’ concept,

Veluw worked for UNICEF as an agricul-

which uses nitrogen-binding Leucena

tural advisor in northern Ghana. A board

Fellow researcher and agroecologist

hedgerows with crop rows in between;

member of Organic Agricultural Projects

Merijn Bos has analysed how the Sekem

and last bwut not least, cacao and/or

in Ghana (ELPG), he continues to visit the

farming system in Egypt has greatly

coffee growing under shade trees. In

country every year. “Northern Ghana is

improved desert soils by applying com-

2010, Merijn Bos and others2 evaluated

an area with red-coloured, poor tropical

post and green manure. He examined the

one hundred agroforestry-systems in

soils which have a low capacity to retain

contribution that compost made to incre-

eastern Congo, where cacao growing is

moisture and bind minerals and, as such,

asing organic matter levels in poor soils,

combined with shade trees. Bos affirms:

they exhibit extremely low fertility levels.

improving their robustness and reducing

“This approach provides a strong boost to

As a result, applying chemical fertilisers

vulnerability to the effects of climate

organic matter levels, while mitigating cli-

does not have much of a positive effect.

change. This led to a large increase of

mate change-related effects and guaran-

The only way to change this situation

the carbon concentration in the upper soil

teeing biodiversity in a region where mas-

is by providing the soil with sufficient

sive deforestation is taking place.” Kees

organic matter. This can be done through

van Veluw has seen agroforestry in action

mulching, manuring or adding compost.”

Van Veluw saw how this worked in northern Ghana: “Local farmers adopted the compost approach with some scepticism.

But after two years, farmers reported that the use of compost had led to softer soils with higher moisture levels. The increased soil water storage capacity proved to be very important. Due to climate change the rainy seasons are less reliable and are usually interspersed with dry spells that might persist for weeks in a row.

Compost-enriched soils can then make a difference, providing seedlings with just enough moisture to get through a dry spell.”

“Local farmers adopted the compost approach with some scepticism.

But after two years, farmers reported that the use of compost had led to softer soils with higher moisture levels.”

in northern Ghana: “One farmer alternated forest strips with corn fields. He collected leaves from the forest and deposited them on the cultivated lots, creating a mulch layer. The mulch strongly reduced the impact of raindrops (‘splash erosion’) but also increased soil moisture retention and the amount of humus released to the soil.

A welcome side effect of this particular agroforestry system was that traditional but largely forgotten vegetables, such as Amaranth, spontaneously emerged again and were recognised and promoted by elderly village women.”

Long-term effects Yield studies usually compare the current position of conventional and organic

These farmers’ maize yields went up

farming systems but do not take into

from 1,000 kg/ha to 3,000-4,000 kg/ha.

Meanwhile, a reduction of slash and burn

layer (upper 50 cm) within just four years.

practices, in uncultivated fields and forest

Carbon levels rose from 3.9 tonne/ha (the

patches, led to much more organic matter

normal level in desert soil) to 18.1 tonne/

being available for compost production.

ha, more than four times as high and indi-

Urban waste proved to be another reliable

cating a comparable increase in organic

source of organic matter for compost.

matter levels.

Kees van Veluw likes to point out that he does not favour any dogmatic approach:

Agroforestry

“I would not say that chemical fertilisers

Another succesful farming approach

are poison, but they won’t do any good

in tropical regions is agroforestry, a

unless you provide sufficient organic mat-

smart and sustainable combination of ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

23

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account any long term effects. Jan Oude

before serious fertility losses became

deficiencies disappeared and slope ero-

Voshaar, a pioneer organic winegrower

obvious. In the 1970s and ’80s when I

sion was significantly reduced. Seeing its

in the Netherlands, points out that, in the

travelled through German winegrowing

effectiveness, neighbouring non-organic

long run, European conventional systems

areas situated on sandy soils, I could spot

winegrowers enthusiastically emulated

on sandy soils run the same risk of a

mineral deficiency symptoms for nitro-

this approach of using undergrowth, thus

soil fertility collapse as the African red

gen, potassium and magnesium (yellow

restoring their fields’ soil fertility levels.

soils, discussed above. He draws on an

and red leaves) by mid summer. Due to

Unfortunately, outside these countries it is

example from European viticulture: “In the

organic matter depletion, low-lutum soils

still mainly only organic winegrowers who

1950s and ’60s, European winegrowers

(soils with a low clay particle content,

apply this form of soil fertility manage-

massively adopted new cultivation tech-

predominantly sandy) lost their capacity

ment.

niques, getting rid of undergrowth and

to effectively bind minerals. A few heavy

abundantly applying chemical fertilisers in

rainshowers would suffice to leach out an

We can conclude from this that organic

combination with herbicides, insecticides

entire chemical fertiliser dressing!” Most

soil fertility management is not based

and fungicides. This greatly reduced the

winegrowers reacted by increasing fertili-

on idealistic but unpractical foundations.

required field labour and yields steeply

zer amounts and/or application frequency,

Rather, it is a matter of using sound prin-

increased, so winegrowers saw a double

without producing the desired results. In

ciples for securing long-term soil fertility,

bonus! A far less noticeable effect was,

the 1980s and ’90s organic winegrowers

taking into account local circumstances

however, that the organic matter contents

in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

and combining local knowledge with long-

gradually fell. Because these soils origi-

started to make use of undergrowth

term experiences from elsewhere.

nally had a high organic matter content,

again, including sowing green manure

it took as long as fifteen to twenty years

crops. Within a few years, the mineral Tomek de Ponti, Bert Rijk, Martin K. van Ittersum; Agricultural Systems 108 (2012) 1-9 : The crop yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture Koopmans, C.J., Bos, M.M. & Luske, B.; Resilience to a changing climate: carbon stocks in two organic farming systems in Africa. Louis Bolk Institute, Driebergen, The Netherlands Authors’ details Rob Barnhoorn, M.Sc. is an agronomist and journalist/translator in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment.

E-mail address: info@taalmuziek.nl An earlier version of this article appeared in the April 2012 edition of ‘Ekoland’, the Dutch organic magazine.

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

25

Comparing organic farming systems

Productivity and profitability of organic agriculture in East Africa

By Peter Ton

Organic agriculture is generally applauded for its sustainable production of food, feed, fibre and fuel, without the use of any contaminants such as synthetic pesticides and fertilizers or genetically-modified organisms. The organic crop management practices contribute to enhancing the resilience of farms and rural livelihoods against erosion and climate extremes (drought spells, heavy rains). So far so good, but what about the productivity and the profitability of organic farming systems?

We here discuss the case of East Africa based on a recent literature review.

26

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

I

n their 2008 study for UNCTAD/UNEP Organic agriculture and Food security, Rachel Hine, Jules Pretty and Sophia Twarog stated that: Organic agriculture can increase agricultural productivity and can raise incomes with low-cost, locally

available and appropriate technologies, without causing environmental damage. (1) All case studies which focused on food production (2) have shown increases in per hectare productivity of food crops, which challenges the popular myth that organic agriculture cannot increase agricultural productivity.� In fact, Pretty et al. (2005) had found that average crop yields covering a variety of systems and crops increased by 79% when sustaina-

Š Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

ble agricultural practices were adopted. Re-analyzing the same

do not match with those of Hine et al. How come? What can we

database, Hine et al. (2008) found an even higher average crop

learn from this for positioning organic agriculture in the global

yield increase for all African projects (116%) and for the projects

debate on the intensification of smallholder agriculture?

in East Africa (128%).

Comparing organic farming systems Confusing claims

Comparing farming systems is complex by nature. Comparative

In a 2012 literature review in Nature, however, authors Verena

organic research would ideally consider different types of farming

Seufert, Navin Ramankutty and Jonathan A. Foley find that orga-

with same crop and cropping system and which are geographi-

nic yields in developing countries are on average 42% lower than

cally close. The comparison would comprise plants or trees of

conventional. The meta-analysis by Seufert et al. does not make

the same variety and of similar age. Also, the farmers conside-

explicit mention of East Africa, yet it is evident that their findings

red should ideally be from the same socio-economic group and ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

27

position and have equal access to resources (land, water, labour, inputs, capital). Data would ideally distinguish farming by women and men. In comparative research actually there is no end to the number of parameters to study and keep ‘constant’ in order to draw relevant conclusions.

The literature review clearly revealed that such comparative organic research is very scarce: through Internet and library searches and contacts with key experts only one single in-depth comparative study was encountered for East Africa. In-depth research in organic farming systems was also found to be scarce, while most studies available consist in a qualitative description of the organic system without any quantification or information about the characteristics of projects’ participants. Organic research is likely

This conclusion holds important implications for promoting

limited due to its subordination in general funding for agricultural

smallholder agriculture in East Africa. In fact, smallholders can

research. There is clearly a need for new, reliable and relevant

quite easily improve their productivity and their production if they

comparative organic research.

gain access to adequate professional knowledge and expertise.

Organic conversion projects appear to be well-geared towards

Understanding productivity claims

providing such farmer education and training and therefore merit

To understand the contradicting productivity claims above, we

further promotion and support.

have to go back to the source documents and consider the contexts of production. Seufert et al. refer mainly to publications

Understanding the organic model in place

about high-input agriculture in developing countries. Hine et al.

Seufert et al.’s general conclusion is that, globally, organic yields

(2008) and Pretty et al (2005), however, refer explicitly to small-

are lower than conventional depending on crop, species and pro-

holder production. They look into organic agricultural practices

duction system (rain-fed/irrigated). A main technical explanation

in resource-conserving agriculture; i.e. to organic-compatible

for this yield gap is the lower availability of nitrogen (N) at peak

cultivation practices which cannot be equated with an organic

period (i.e. the fruiting stage).

system.

Yet, certified organic production in East Africa increased an averIn “The economics of certified organic farming in tropical Africa:

age 8.5 % per year in the period 2007-2011 according to IFOAM

a preliminary assessment”, the Danish researchers Peter Gibbon

data. Two-thirds of crop area is in Uganda and one-third in Tan-

and Simon Bolwig (2007) confirm that smallholders participating

zania.. How to understand that organic agriculture is sustained in

in three organic conversion projects studied in Uganda did incre-

East Africa and is gaining increasing market share? The answer

ase their productivity and their income as compared to other far-

lies in the specificity of the organic value chains. Comparing

mers. Gibbon & Bolwig stress that smallholders in East Africa do

organic and conventional farming systems is not sufficient to

not generally have access to farmer education and training. The

understand the “organic model” in East Africa.

organic conversion projects studied did provide smallholders with access to appropriate agro-ecological knowledge and expertise.

In 2011, over 330,000 farmers were involved in certified-organic

The yield gains achieved are likely to be linked to access to far-

production in East Africa, growing a wide range of crops for

mer education and training rather than to the production system

export (coffee, tea, cotton, tropical fruits, spices, etc.). These far-

being certified organic.

mers make a living out of organic. They do so under a production and trading model based on contract farming.

Contract farming is an institutional arrangement that provides participating farmers with access to markets. Access to markets may favor the time and the effort which farmers spent on the contracted crop. Future comparative research should therefore take such contractual arrangements into account.

Understanding profitability The profitability of farming is a function of: Produce x Quality x Price - Costs of production The monetary costs of organic production are usually lower than for conventional due to a reduced use of external inputs (e.g.

28

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) depending on crop and production system. Many organic farmers can thus afford to have a somewhat lower yield. In East Africa, however, this argument does hardly apply while most smallholders use few external inputs for reasons of cost and limited availability, and yield improvement is common in organic conversion projects.

The organic farmers in East Africa generally fetch a higher price for that part of their produce which meets export quality. The remaining produce is sold at conventional prices on local markets. The premium price for the quality product compensates in part for higher costs in processing (e.g. grading, cleaning etc.).

When the organic premium price is insufficient to compensate for higher costs, farmers will simply opt out as none of the farmers are tied up to the organic scheme beyond the seasonal contract.

More so, farmers have repeatedly opted out of organic schemes even when still under contract. This ‘side-marketing’ may occur in particular when conventional market price is higher than anticipated. Enforcement of contracts is difficult in the contexts of East Africa. Farmers’ continued voluntary participation in the organic schemes may therefore be considered a proxy for profitability.

What can we learn from the review?

Important yield and production increases are possible in East Africa with organic agriculture. Organic agricultural practices provide an opportunity for smallholders to improve the productivity and the profitability of their farming operations without recurring to expensive solutions or increasing their indebtedness.

Organic production in East Africa is largely an institutional arrangement in which exporters organize smallholders to produce and process certified organic produce for export to well-established organic markets in Europe, the USA and Japan. The smallholders are provided with training and extension services and they receive a premium for produce that meets the exporters’ specifications. The training provided as part of the institutional arrangement between exporters and smallholder producers is critical to achieving productivity and quality gains.

Finally, the review finds that in-depth academic research on organic agriculture in East Africa is very scarce and merits support.

Actors are encouraged to prioritize comparative research into the impacts of organic agriculture in terms of productivity and profitability as well as on resilience and food security.

1) The literature review was commissioned by IFOAM under the project OSEA II which works on regional cooperation for organic standards and certification capacity in East Africa.

2) Seufert et al. (2012), Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. In: Nature, No. 485 (10 May 2012), pp. 229-234.

Certified-organic production in Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi is still very small.

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

29

Organic growth in Belgium After a period of stagnation the Belgian organic sector has once again started to grow.

BY Paul Verbeke

The Belgian organic sector grew significantly from the late 1990s until 2001 but then experienced five years of decline and stabilisation.

The sector started to grow again in 2006 and since then, both organic production and consumption have continued to grow steadily.

30

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

Country Report

C

onsidering the low level of organic

Distribution channels

as Spar (half of the Belgian Spar shops

production in the Flemish region

Conventional supermarkets are the main

belong to the Colruyt Group) and Makro

(compared to neighbouring countries),

distribution channel with 44.4% of the

have also started stocking organic pro-

and being convinced of market opportu-

market, a relatively low market share

ducts. Lidl and Aldi only sporadically

nities in the organic sector, a programme

since they account for about 70% of con-

have organic products.

entitled “Bio zoekt Boer” (Farmers wan-

ventional food sales. Specialised organic

ted for Organic) was started in 2009.

grocery stores have grown strongly and

Apart from the supermarkets, there are

The main aim of the project is to provide

have a market share of 31.5%.

approximately 365 specialist organic

primary information about the technical,

shops, most of them independent. Howe-

social and economic feasibility of organic

ver, two chains of shops have joined

farming. The programme has been quite

forces for purposes of purchasing, pro-

successful, and has led to many farmers converting to organic production. The most important success factor is probably the support and collaboration of 2 traditional farmers’ organisations, the Algemeen Boerensyndicaat (ABS) and Boerenbond (BB), who have worked together with BioForum Flanders. A second project, ‘Bio zoekt Keten’ (Organics seek

The Delhaize and Colruyt supermarket chains both offer a wide range of products.

motion and quality control, sharing the same name and identity. In Flanders the Bioshop chain unites 20 such shops. Origin’O has 15 shops.

These shops usually offer a range of organic products that differs from that available in the supermarkets. These include whole grain products, products without any sugar and/or food additives,

[supply] chains) is intended to develop

all kinds of vegetarian products and so

market opportunities for the organic sec-

on. Apart from fresh products (such fruit

tor.

and vegetables) and general groceries The Delhaize and Colruyt supermarket

they usually sell a wide range of (often

Organic food consumption

chains both offer a wide range of pro-

imported) organic bread and a choice

According to a study commissioned by

ducts. Their shops are spread across the

of organic cheese. They also often sell

VLAM and carried out by GfK, the sale of

whole country and can be found in most

ecological cleaning and beauty products.

organic food products reached 417 million

neighbourhoods in every town. Most of

These shops mainly appeal to regular

Euro in 2012 (a 7% increase compared to

their organic products are packed under

buyers who are convinced of the quality

2011). Fresh organic food has a market

their own private organic brands. The

of organic products.

share of 1.9% and the largest sectors by

Colruyt Group also has an organic super-

market share are organic meat substitutes

market chain, named BioPlanet, which

Quite a large proportion of organic far-

(24.5%), eggs (8.9%), vegetables (5%)

has 9 stores.

mers (an estimated 30 to 50%) market

and bread (3%).

In recent years other supermarkets, such

their organic products themselves. They

ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

31

either sell their produce at the farm or at

ingredients and processed food products.

a market or offer a weekly box of fruit and

A lot of imported products come from the

vegetables that consumers can pick up at

Netherlands, France and Germany. No

a sales point of their choice. CSA (Com-

precise figures are available for the import

munity Supported Agriculture) farming

and export of organic produce.

and self-harvesting initiatives are quite new in Belgium, but seem to be very suc-

Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that

cessful.

for, fresh products, the Belgian sector prefers local produce. For example, if

Belgian food products in general and

the supply of organic eggs cannot meet

fruit and vegetables in particular have an

demand, the sector will first try to con-

excellent international reputation. Nevert-

vince local farmers to convert and invest

heless, the majority of organic farms

in organic production.

Belgian food products in general and fruit and vegetables in particular have an excellent international reputation.

and companies are relatively small and diversified. This makes it difficult for the

Beef and pig production

sector to compete with larger farms and

In Wallonia, organic beef production plays

Belgium has just 10 organic butcher’s

foreign companies. The Belgian market

a major role in the organic sector. In the

shops. Â Delhaize supermarkets have sold

cannot be seen in isolation from the sur-

wake of the BSE and food crises in 1999

organic meat for several years, while Col-

rounding European market. If demand

and 2000/2001 the demand for organic

ruyt supermarkets only offer a very limi-

on the French or German markets is very

meat grew explosively. However, after

ted number of meat products (although

high, this gives Belgian producers more

the crises passed, demand decreased

Bioplanet has a wider range). Unlike the

export opportunities. As Belgium is a very

again. Today, 8.6% of the national beef

conventional meat sector, organic meat

small country, with an extensive road

cattle herd is organic. There are far fewer

usually comes from Belgian farms and

system and small organic sector, imported

organic pigs: only 10,300 animals were

processors. According to a study by

products account for an important part

kept organically in 2012, less than 1% of

BioForum Wallonie, more than half of Bel-

of the market for primary products, food

the total.

gium’s organic meat is exported. At the

32

3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

same time, there is a great demand for

the Biogarantie label takes products bey-

fresh ham to be dried.

ond minimum organic standards.

There are quite a lot of foreign organic

Vegetables and fruit

products on the Belgian market, with one

Some cooperatives/auctions such as

or more labels. In Belgium, the most well-

Bel’Orta and BFV sell organic fresh fruit

known are ‘EKO’ from the Netherlands,

and vegetables produced by their farmer

‘AB’ from France, and the German labels.

members. They concentrate on Belgian

Foreign organic products can also obtain

products and make it easier for large

the Belgian Biogarantie label. This facilita-

buyers such as supermarket chains and

tes recognition by the Belgian consumer.

Paul Verbeke is supply chain manager with BioForum, the Flemish organic association: e mail -paul.verbeke@bioforumvl.be. For more details about the Belgian organic sector you can visit: www.bioforum.be www.biogarantie.be www.biowallonie.be

wholesalers, to find large quantities with a good quality and continous delivery. Des-

Some products comply with the

pite this more than 50% of organic fruit

standards of the biodynamic movement,

and vegetables sold in the supermarkets

but only a few Belgian farmers follow

are imported because of a lack of Belgian

Demeter standards. Demeter products are

products. In the off-season (January to

only sold in specialised organic shops.

April), vegetables tend to come from southern countries such as Spain, Morocco and Egypt, while a lot of fruit is imported from the Southern hemisphere in offseason (e.g. apples from Chile, Argentina, New-Zealand or South Africa).

Processed food products A significant proportion of organic processed food products is imported, including bread, pasta, other cereals, and dairy

Strengths and weaknesses of the Belgian organic sector The Belgian organic sector has the following strengths:

products. At the same time Belgian com-

• There is a growing tendency to consume healthy food and organic food

panies also export a lot of their organic

fits this description perfectly.

products. High quality products such as

• There is a growing interest in environmentally-friendly production; it is

‘Ganda’ ham, specialty cheeses, choco-

increasingly accepted and known that organic agriculture is more environ-

late, beer, fruit juices and other local spe-

mentally friendly than non-organic agriculture.

cialties are exported throughout Europe.

• The national market for organic products appears to be growing each year by 10% to 15%.

Biogarantie

• Organic products can be found in most supermarkets, and this stimu-

Most organic products sold in Belgium

lates sales and market penetration.

bear the Belgian ‘Biogarantie’ label, a pri-

On the other hand, it is clear that the sector also has several weak points:

vate label that has been in existence for

• Non-organic food products also try to sell themselves as being healthy.

more than 30 years. It is owned by Bioga-

With so many products making health claims, consumers often cannot see

rantie vzw, a non-profit organisation which

the wood for the trees.

represents the Belgian organic sector.

• Belgium is a very small country with a very extensive road system; it is

It can only be used on certified organic

therefore every easy to import products from the surrounding countries.

products after payment of royalties and

• Organic products are relatively expensive compared to non-organic pro-

membership.

ducts, and this reduces growth opportunities within the organic sector.

The Biogarantie standards are broader

• Few farmers dare to convert to organic agriculture because of financial,

than European legislation and take into

social and practical constraints.

account different aspects of sustainability during production and handling. Therefore ECOLOGY & FARMING | 3-2013

33

Calen dar Items

JANUARY 2014 - OCTOBER 2014 //

BIOVAK 2014 January 22 - 23, 2014 Zwolle, The Netherlands www.biovak.nl ORGANIC 3.0 CONFERENCE February 11, 2014 Nuremberg, Germany www.ifoam.org BIOFACH 2014 February 12 - 15, 2014 Nuremberg, Germany www.biofach.de INT. CONFERENCE ON ORGANIC & ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE IN MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS March 5 - 8, 2014 Thimphu, Bhutan www.ifoam.org

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Ecology & Farming is a magazine for all elements of the organic movement - from organic farmers’ associations to organisations from the organic food industry and Fair Trade; from research institutions to certifiers; from organic consumers to organic advocates. Ecology & Farming provides information on key issues in the organic sector and offers the space for discussions on the topics of the day. The articles published in Ecology & Farming reflect the opinions of their respective authors and should not be interpreted as an official IFOAM position.

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3-2013 | ECOLOGY & FARMING

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