For farmers in Central Asia, growing and marketing organic produce could be a rational – even promising – strategy. In some cases, they may even have an advantage over their peers in other countries.

FAO agricultural officer Hafiz Muminjanov is editor of the new book, Developing organic agriculture in the world and in Kazakhstan. While the book is available only in Russian for now, Muminjanov shared some of the main points in this interview with FAO senior communication officer Sharon Lee Cowan.

Many countries in the region are getting into organic production. Why?
The demand for organic foods and non-food agricultural products is growing all the time – both domestically and abroad. Farmers and governments see a viable economic opportunity, not to mention the benefits to the environment.

What does it take to be successful at organic?
Before we can even talk about production, a country needs to set up its legal and institutional framework, and have a system for certifying that produce can be marketed as organic. Some countries rely on external inspection, others set up their own systems – this is a decision that needs to be taken. When a country opts to have its own system, it needs to decide which national authorities will be responsible for certification and supervision of the whole system.

What qualifies a product as organic?
Organic means a production system where management is based on environmental and ethical considerations and that starts with the soil. What is the history of the field? It needs to be free of contaminating chemicals, so a transition period of several years is compulsory. There need to be buffer zones left between the wouldbe organic farm and nearby farms that practice conventional agriculture, to prevent any cross contamination. Is there a factory or industry nearby? All these things need to be considered.

No agricultural inputs whatsoever?
Some inputs are allowed – certain livestock vaccines, for example. On the other hand, there are restrictions for inputs of organic origin as in the case of animal manure. National law needs to specify clearly what is allowed and what is not. And then, national laws need to be harmonized from country to country, so that consumers in one country can trust the organic labelling of products imported from another.

Why is FAO working on this?
FAO is assisting member countries on organic production for a number of reasons. First, because caring for the environment is part of our mission. Second, because organic production can be a viable strategy for improving the incomes of rural households. Finally, because this is a means of encouraging trade and cooperation among countries in the region.

How can FAO help?
We work with countries on setting up their certification systems, their legislative and institutional frameworks. We organize training for national authorities, inspectors, and in some cases farmers themselves. We also work with partner organizations to set up demonstration plots.

Is the situation different for Central Asian countries?
Use of chemical pesticides and herbicides in these countries is already extremely low. With a legal framework and certification system in place, some products, especially wild harvest, may already qualify as non-certified organic.
On the other hand, irrigation is mainly by gravity. This means that if an upstream farm is practicing conventional agriculture, it will be difficult for a downstream farm to develop organic production.

Is there a downside to opting to produce organic foods?
In the beginning, maybe. The market and marketing channels for organic produce still need to be developed. It has to be understood that in organic systems yields will typically be lower than with intensive production. But while farmers may produce less, they can sell for higher prices.

Not all modern crop varieties can be used under organic agriculture. Those bred after the 1950s are very susceptible to seed-borne diseases, which is why the seeds are treated with chemical pesticide. This is one of the reasons we are studying and conserving the ancient landraces of wheat and other crops.

Your enthusiasm is obvious. What drives you?
Our reference is the “Save and Grow” paradigm: sustainable intensification of crop production. In Central Asia, we are working on three priority areas – Conservation Agriculture, organic production, and Integrated Pest Management – and these are all interlinked. With these approaches, I believe we can do a lot of good – in our
lifetime, and for future generations.

3 August 2016, Ankara, Turkey