18th IFOAM Organic Worlds Congress

13 - 15 October 2014. Istanbul, Turkey. The IFOAM Organic World Congress (OWC)
occurs every three years. It is the largest and most important meeting of the organic sector. The 2014 conference had 3 themed tracks, The Main Track, The Scientific Track, and The Practitioners' Track as well as a series of Workshops.

Each track explored the organic sector from numerous interesting perspectives and the workshops highlighted the contributions of various initiatives from around the organic world.

Extracts of the programme related to Africa:

Opening Plenary Session: 

Yemi Akinbamijo:

The world is challenged: 

It needs organic solutions. 

It needs the Organic Movement.

MAIN TRACK

The Main track examined issues, both current and future, impacting on the global organic world.

• Allan Savory, Savory Institute, Zimbabwe
• James Benjamin Cole, IFOAM WB & Eloc Farms, Uganda
• Elisabeth Atangana, CNOP-CAM & PROPAC, Cameroon
• Manjo Smith, IFOAM WB & Namibian Organic Association, Namibia
• Willy Douma, Hivos International, The Netherlands
• Bo van Elzakker, Louis Bolk Institute, The Netherlands



new IFOAM World Board!

President: Andre Leu (Australia)

Vice Presidents: Manjo Smith (Namibia), 

Frank Eyhorn (Switzerland)

Eva Torremocha (Spain),

Gabi Soto (Costa Rica), 

Mathew John (India),

Peggy Miars (USA),

Gerold Rahmann (Germany), 

Roberto Ugas (Peru),

Zeijang Zhou (China).

• Marco Schlüter, IFOAM EU Group, Belgium

SCIENTIFIC TRACK

• Organic/Inorganic Leaf Amaranth Production: The Case Of Poultry Manure, Fish Effluent And Npk Fertiliser - Professor Cosmas Osita Muoneke
• Evaluation Of Different Rates Of Jathropha (Jathropha Curcas) Seed Cake On The Growth And Yield Of Amaranthus Caudatus - Dr Adebayo Abayomi Olowoake
• Scientific technology development a necessary tool for promotion of organic agriculture in Africa: a case study of south western Nigeria organic movements scientists - Peter Olatunde Olanrewaju, Nkiru T Meludu

"This investigation revealed high interest of the scientists in having a healthy production of crops with environmental friendly technologies. However, inadequate exposure to the best organic practices and lack of research grant were constraints to the development of organic agriculture technologies and it’s promotion among farmers. In-depth interviews were conducted with some of the scientists, majority emphasised that, the few technologies that have been developed and transferred were achievd by funding form international donors. 

Aside from the low transfer of the developed technologies, most of the farmers’ production challenges in organic agriculture, such as disease, pest and weed managements have low level of technology development and transfer. The significant correlation between motivational factor and technology development emphasized the need to effectively motivate the scientists in a multidimensional ways for farmers oriented technology development."

• Coverage Of Organic Agricultural News In Nigerian Newspapers: Implications For The Promotion Of Ecological Organic Agriculture (Eoa) And Food Risk Reduction - Mojisola F. Oyewole
• Cocoa agroforestry a bridge for sustainable and organic cocoa production - Isaac Nunoo, Victor Owusu, Beatrice Darko Obiri



Elisabeth Atangana

Organic sustainability visions: Farmers first!

• Organic Agriculture Improves Ecosystem Services In Smallholder Coffee Farming: Evidence From Uganda Using Chemical Soil Indicators - Walther Pohl

PRACTITIONERS' TRACK

The practitioners' Track provided a forum for the exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences about the practical and strategic as well as socio-cultural aspects of organic food and agriculture.

• Bridging Drought – Resilience in Rangeland Management in Times of Climate Change -Judith Isele (Namibia)
• The Farmers Own Seed - Omer Agoligan (Benin)
• Diola Women, Seed Conservers - Mariama Sonko (Senegal)
• Organic exports from Africa to Europe. The experience of small scale farmers from Ghana - Patrick Deegbe (Ghana) 
• Training for Transformation - Jacques Nametougli (Togo)
• Presenting the Organisation APN-Sahell - Harouna Porgo (Burkina Faso)

Related:

 

Ecological organic agriculture 

and Africa's new Green Revolution from Nelson Ojijo

Related:
Published on 9 Oct 2014
Established in 2012, the IFOAM Academy launched its first Organic Leadership Course (OLC) in South Asia. Scientists, researchers, certifiers, auditors, producers and traders from around the world have since graduated from the IFOAM Academy.

The OLC provides the knowledge, skills and expertise needed for continued success in the organic sector. • Management theories and leadership skills • Advocacy and policy-making • Organic agriculture production • Processing, trade and consumption • Organic Guarantee Systems (OGS) Published on 9 Dec 2013 How three smallholder farmers in Tanzania and Kenya escaped poverty, hunger and diminishing yields through learning organic farming practices.

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