Organic agriculture will achieve sustainable development

"Expanding Africa's shift towards organic farming will be good for the continental nutritional needs, it is good for the environment, good for farmer incomes and good for African markets and employment," UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Petko Draganov told the second African Organic Conference.

He said organic agriculture can offer food security, economic, environmental, and health benefits for developing countries, including Africa. UNCTAD strongly supports the growing use of organic farming practices in the continent.

Africa already has more certified organic farms than any other continent and he noted that this form of agriculture comprehensively illustrates the central topic of UNCTAD's quadrennial conference in Doha, Qatar.

The conference emphasised the importance of food security, sustainable agriculture, and a transition towards a green economy, Draganov said, "Clearly the subject of this meeting 'Organic agriculture' can have an important role in achieving sustainable and inclusive development".

The three-day Lusaka meeting was jointly organised by UNCTAD, the African Union, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ) and Grow Organic Africa.

The conference has among its objectives the development of an African Organic Action Plan intended to spur expansion of the organic farming sector, streamline certification and organic equivalency systems that allow more vigorous trade in organic goods, and add to the continent markets for organic produce.

Artificial fertiliser is used in organic farming. Chemical fertiliser is expensive for farmers, as 90 percent of these inputs are imported.

It preserves and enhances the soil in a region where land degradation and expanding deserts are of serious concern. It relies primarily on locally available renewable resources, which shields farmers from price shocks associated with external farming inputs.

It frequently increases farm yields by 100 per cent or more; and it brings higher prices to farmers, since organic produce sells at a premium. It helps create jobs in rural regions as organic inputs are usually produced locally and helps to stem the tide of migrants from rural areas to African cities.

Draganov told the meeting that UNCTAD's forthcoming Trade and Environment Review 2012 will highlight the need for policy-makers to be aware of the potential of organic agriculture, and identify the measures and policies needed to support its wider application. We should all work together to increase awareness about organic agriculture and develop supportive policies and programs to help it spread the importance of organic farming.

UNCTAD has worked with IFOAM, FAO and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for the past 10 years on reducing technical barriers to trade in organic produce by facilitating harmonisation and mutual recognition of organic standards, the Deputy Secretary-General noted.

Among the fruits of this collaboration is the East African Organic Products Standard launched in 2007.