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Actualités
Next AGRECOL family-friendly meeting from 17-20 May 2007 "Promoting small-scale agriculture - the example of <Forum Pro Schwarzwaldbauern>" Our next meeting will be in the Black Forest in the Wanderheim Schlossmühle near Königsfeld. We will be hosted by the Forum Pro Schwarzwaldbauern (forum pro black forest farmers) (www.forumproschwarzwaldbauern.de) and we will learn about their efforts to maintain a “threatened species”: small-scale family farmers. Gens qui s'interéssent, s'addressent aux organisateurs. - Suleymane Bassoum von AGRECOL-Afrique ist Mitglied der Expert Panel Group des EcoFair Trade Dialogue. Mehr zum EcoFair Trade Dialogue hier. - New article (in German): "Überregulierung im Ökolandbau - Eine Herausforderung für die Biobewegung" by Johannes Kotschi - published in Ökologie
und Landbau 2005/1 - OARD-Group: New project "Organic Agriculture for regional markets and based on local guarantee systems" Organic Agriculture in Rural Development (OARD)
At present, OARD focuses on the development of regional and local markets for organic products. Why is this an issue? There are more and more rural development partners in the South, who focus their work on Organic Agriculture. Within their work it is increasingly evidenced that domestic markets are in urgent need for support. Only with their existence will it be possible to make Organic Agriculture a strategy, which contributes, significantly to rural development and food security. The increasing demand for advisory support from partners in the South indicates a potential for development and a need for action. The group has, therefore started a project on “Organic Agriculture for regional markets and based on local guarantee systems”. Specific objectives of the project are: - To develop tools and strategies
to build up local and regional markets for Organic Agriculture Important topics are for example: a) market research focused on consumer interests, b) public awareness campaigns for consumers, c) development of local guarantee systems, d) organisation and management of producer groups, e) contracting between producers and traders, f) development of marketing concepts (organic food stores, supermarkets, weekly markets etc.). Professionals of this working area are welcome to join the group. This includes in particular traders and trade companies that supply local, regional and national markets in developing countries. Interested? - Please contact:
Johannes
Kotschi - NEW: IUCN
Website explores biodiversity in organic agriculture The benefits of organic farming to biodiversity
are obvious to an organic farmer. The use of natural fertilizers
and pesticides, ‘soft’ mechanization, crop rotation and care for
local animals and plants all contribute to a better environment
in and around a farm. But these benefits should also be communicated
to the ‘non-converted’, especially decision-makers and the public.
As a result of the implementation of Resolution 2.32 Organic agriculture
and conservation of biodiversity of the 2nd IUCN World Conservation
Congress, IUCN and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture
Movements (IFOAM) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding,
which will lead to the establishment of a joint Working Group
to study the contribution of organic agriculture to the conservation
of biodiversity. To further facilitate access to information on
organic farming and biodiversity issues, the IUCN Office for Central
Europe has developed a new section on its website, now available
online. - New: PAN Germany’s Online information service for non-chemical pest management in the tropics, OISAT Info (www.oisat.org) OISAT Info is a new and easy-to-read web-based information service on non-chemical pest management in the tropics directed towards the needs of smallholder farmers, both male and female as well as illiterate farmers. The information service presents preventive and curative methods of managing pests with the overarching goal of increasing the self-regulatory mechanism within agricultural systems, and reducing the use of synthetic pesticides. The structure of the information service builds on the logic of the users. The information service is directed primarily towards agricultural trainers and extension workers in developing countries who work directly with farmers, it can, however, also be used by the farmers themselves. The users can choose, download and edit those parts of the OISAT Info which they find relevant, and thus, create their own tailor-made printed brochure. This can be translated into local languages. Parallel to its OISAT Info, PAN Germany is attempting to systematically build up collaboration with agricultural training and extension networks (OISAT PartnerNetwork) as a strategy to transport the information from the OISAT Info directly to the field and, at the same time, feed experiences from the field systematically back into the OISAT Info.
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