A Position Document on Organic Agriculture from International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) for the FAO Committee on Agriculture Meeting

I. Introduction

Since its foundation 26 years ago IFOAM has been very active in promoting organic agriculture systems at the international level. Lately IFOAM has intensified its campaigning and lobbying efforts to bring the diverse solutions of organic agriculture to the attention of the international community. Since the Den Bosch Conference in 1991 and the UNCED Conference 1992 in Brazil we have a record of cooperation with the FAO. This cooperation has taken rather concrete forms, since the joint workshop between IFOAM and the FAO in spring 1998 in Rome.

II. General overview

We want to reiterate the following points, which are from our viewpoint the most important demands of IFOAM and the worldwide organic movement derived from Agenda 21 and the FAO action plan for food security:

1. "Governments should formulate, introduce and monitor policies, laws and regulations and incentives leading to sustainable agriculture and rural development and to the development and transfer of appropriate farm technologies including where appropriate low input sustainable agriculture systems." (14.9e)

   In this context IFOAM believes that there is a need to clearly define sustainable agriculture including references to the concepts of organic agriculture.

   Referring to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) report on the third session (April 1995) we want to point that chapter 1, para 48, states "more work is needed to specify ways and means by which the credibility of environmental claims relying to products and technologies can be substantiated".

   IFOAM has been a pioneer in establishing ecological, process related standards and is continuously improving the "IFOAM Basic Standards for Organic Production and Processing" which are accepted worldwide. It can be said that organic production with its ecological standards and quality guarantee through certification and accreditation is the most precisely defined form of agriculture. It is also notable that there is a very rapidly increasing demand for certified organic products all over the world. There are a lot of reasons for the claim of IFOAM and the organic movement that: "organic agriculture is sustainable agriculture put into practise".

2. The FAO and other international organisations are called upon "to strengthen and establish national, regional and international systems and networks to increase the understanding of the interaction between agriculture and the state of ecology, identify ecologically sound technologies and facilitate the exchange of information on data, policies and techniques". (14.11c) This should be done by "reinforcing their work with non-governmental organisations". (14.20a) Agenda 21 also states clearly "to promote an international agriculture network to accelerate the development and implementation of ecological agriculture practises". (14.20b)

   There is no other comparable and democratically structured international organisation with "ecological agriculture practises" as IFOAM. It is our belief that "promotion" should include support to the already established IFOAM network and its partners rather than simply building-up another new network.

   The CSD report of the third session also reinforces in chapter 1, § 2.1.4 "the need to promote in all countries sustainable agriculture and ecological farming practises and support the strategic, problem solving agriculture research including the acquisition. of technological information". A similar wording and demand has also been agreed upon in the action plan of the FAO World Food Summit in 1996.

   While some countries like USA, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden as well as India, Egypt and Argentina have made remarkable progress towards meeting this demand, it has to be stated that the majority of countries do not yet pay sufficient attention to the solution potential of organic farming.

3. FAO and other international and national institutions should "provide services and training" on the "optimal use of on-farm inputs and the minimal use of external inputs, optimal use of local natural resources and management of renewable energy sources". (14.18f)

   Cooperation with the organic movement and with IFOAM will give FAO an opportunity to fulfil these agreements. The various proposals for cooperation coming out of the above mentioned meeting between FAO and IFOAM in 1998 address this issue and should receive support of FAO (see also COAG Document). We appeal especially to the member states of FAO to explicitly express their support for organic agriculture and contribute with political and financial means to the cooperation with FAO and the organic movement.

III. Progress achieved and IFOAM's contribution implementing the relevant parts of Agenda 21

• Organic agriculture is experiencing rapid worldwide growth through the creative and constructive energy of thousands of grassroots organisations, farmers and traders by our members on both national and regional level. We can account in some countries on astonishing support from the public sector and governments. IFOAM assists in the exchange of information and expertise and provides international platforms for further development of organic agriculture including our biennial international scientific and trade conferences.

• IFOAM participates in the United Nations organisations and develops further the relationships whereas the dynamics and benefits of the IFOAM global network can be realised and valued.

• IFOAM with its expertise in organic standard setting for over 20 years has substantially contributed to the development of organic food labelling guidelines in the context of the FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS. We also contributed to the UNCTAD report "Reducing the environmental stress of consumption without affecting consumers satisfaction" (TD/B/CN.1/25) and with subsequent involvement in the UNCTAD Standing Committee on Commodities.

Demand for certified organic food is growing throughout the world and cannot be met in most instances by current production. By promoting organic agriculture, governments can help satisfy consumer preferences while making positive contributions to society, such as maintaining the natural environment, keeping farmers on the land, and contributing to rural development.

A lot can be learned from countries like Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria where organic agriculture has already an 7 to 10 percent share in total farming and farmland. Many examples also exist in "Third World" countries. For example in Uganda thousands of farmers practise organic agriculture especially in cotton production. Ten thousands of campesinos in Mexico have sound incomes today and good perspectives for the future because they grow organic produce such as coffee and sell in the fair trade market. In Egypt the number one selling organic herb teas are certified organic and sold in 9.000 shops, pharmacies and supermarkets throughout the country.

All over the world does one find "organic" growth rates in the range of 20-30 %. Assuming that this development continues will we have in six or seven years the first countries with a majority of the land and market in organic!

IV. Conclusions and proposals for action

On farm research in the different eco-zones should be reinforced on factors, contributing to the stability of soils, specifically their buffer capacities, the organic matter content and the micro-biological activity in the soil. A major effort must be made to regenerate and maintain optimum soil and crop production (which is not necessarily the "maximum"), and reverse further resource degradation.

Organic agriculture together with the fair trade movement provide significant indicators of real sustainability. Important in this context is also the role of small businesses and entrepreneurs who provide certified organic products to demanding and socially responsible markets.

Efforts to introduce environmental accounting (based on internationalisation of costs) and an appropriate incentive programme should continue, but these efforts have to be based on serious production and trade standards. It is important to stress that ultimate responsibility for setting these ecological and social standards must remain in the control of the private sector. The governments role should concentrate on enforcement mechanisms of these standards. The IFOAM basic standards offer a global consensus on organic standards. Expanded free trade without organic standards will only accelerate "environmental and social dumping", the mining of soils and the further destruction of whole eco-systems and rural communities.

It has to be noted that genetic engineering has no place in ecological farming systems and is absolutely prohibited in all existing organic Standards (The IFOAM Mar del Plata Declaration from November 1998 calls for a complete ban in all agriculture and food production). This fact needs to be taken into consideration in the debate and conclusions of item 7 (Biotechnology) on the COAG agenda. We hope that FAO comes to more critical positions towards the "promises" of genetic engineering.

The organic movement and IFOAM have high expectations for the meeting of the Committee on Agriculture of the FAO. IFOAM confirms its commitment for utmost cooperation and support for initiatives that come out of this session, which contribute to achieving real sustainability in agriculture and in our societies. We support the proposals and recommendation to the COAG (See document to Agenda item 8) and appreciate their approval.

Tholey-Theley
Germany, January 1999