Celebrating Women's Significant Role in Advancing Sustainable Food Systems at BIOFACH2024

Description

The international project team focussed on the role of women in driving positive changes within the organic industry in the CEE region through success stories and provided an overview of the positive transformation in the organic sector in Albania, Serbia and Ukraine, sharing achievements, challenges, and opportunities.

Speakers 

• Kateryna Shor - Project Manager, OrganicInfo.ua
• Iris Kazazi - Executive Director, Albanian Association of Marketing
• Predrag Stošić - Radanaska ruža ltd

Description

The global organic market develops dynamically and in different ways around the world. We took a closer look at market information from the IFOAM – Organics International/FiBL statistics book and reflected about trends and strategic market positioning from several parts of the world. We shared first-hand market information from country experts from different regions of the world.

Speakers 

• Helga Willer - Department of Extension, Training and Communication, FIBL
• Julia Lernoud - Vice President, IFOAM - Organics International
• Jennifer Chang - Executive Director, IFOAM - Organics Asia
• Josefine Pettersson - Technical and Research Manager, Australian Organic Limited
• Tia Loftsgard - Executive Director, Canada Organic Trade Association
• Tom Chapman - CEO, Tom Chapman
• Eric Gall - Deputy Director, IFOAM - Organics Europe
• David Amudavi - Executive Director, Biovision Africa Trust

Description

This session, hosted by IFOAM - Organics International, underscored the importance of incorporating social criteria into organic private standards and regulations. We engaged with a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from NGOs, national competent authorities, and private standards organisations, in a meaningful dialogue on the issue of social justice in organics.

Speakers 

• Antonio Compagnoni  - CSQA
• Vladyslav Zhmailo - Senior Policy and Guarantee Coordinator, IFOAM - Organics International
• Kesang Tshomo - Programme Manager, National Organic Flagship Programme, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Bhutan
• Gerhard Bantel - Vice President, GOEL
• Carolle Nordmann - Social Responsibility Lead, Bio Suisse
• Ruslan Alyamkin - Responsible for Standard, GOTS

Description

National policies and strategies supporting organic agriculture, agroecology and farmers-managed seed systems hold the promise of a long-term solution that brings economic and climate resilience to famrs the world over. The session showcased examples of such policies from 3 continents. Speakers included representatives from Africa, Europe and Asia.

Speakers 

• Hussein Mohamed -
• Kesang Tshomo - Programme Manager for the Organic Sector Development, National Organic Flagship Programme, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Bhutan
• Paul Holmbeck - Policy Advisor and World Board Member, Holmbeck Eco - Consult, IFOAM - Organics International

Description

The Bio-Districts are hubs of sustainable community development, where diverse stakeholders collaborate to promote organic farming and agroecological practices. We discussed how women in Bio-Districts are essential for food security, cultural heritage, and farm-tourism synergy, as they hold traditional knowledge in gastronomy and culture, and prioritise multifunctional approaches to territorial activities. Bio-districts in Germany (“Öko-Modellregionen, Bio-Musterregionen”) are an integral part of organic action plans to achieve the political goals for organic farming on the EU, national and federal state levels.

Speakers 

• Cordula Rutz - Bio Coordinator, Ministerium für Ernährung, Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg
• Jennifer Chang - Executive Director, IFOAM - Organics Asia
• Hilde Straub - Manager, Bio-Musterregion Biberach
• Salvatore Basile - Director, International Network of Eco Regions / Global Alliance for Organic Districts
• Aina Calafat - International Project Manager, Sociedad Española de Agricultura Ecológica

Description

Based on organic production and agroecology, African women are leading transformative changes at different operational levels of the food system: from farm to policy making. We shared the diverse examples from Africa bring inspiration for action accross the globe. The session focussed on knowledge exchange and cross-fertilisation of ideas at farm level, marketing and farm-business models, advocacy and policy influence, and co-creation of knowledge.

Speakers 

• Carole Fopa - Gender Focal Point KCOA Central Africa, Groupement d'appui pour le developpement durable
• Busisiwe Abegail Mgangxela - Director, Bafo and Busi Organic Farming
• Olusola Sowemimo - Agri entrepreneur, Ope Farms
• Esther Kagai - Director, Community Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Environmental Program CSHEP
• Naglaa Ahmed - Project Manager, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development
• Patricia Flores - Academy Manager, IFOAM - Organics International
• Dorith von Behaim - KCOA Project Manager, GIZ

Description

PGS as a resilient concept for women in organic food and communities. PGS with organic values and principles present a safe and enabling environment to women particulate to strive within and beyond their farming community. Running or representing a PGS, gives women a place to lead their community. We heard the Inter-Continental Network of Organic Farmer Organisations's (INOFO) global view and experiences of Women in PGS for food security and sovereignty

Speakers 

• Julie Matovu - INOFO member, Fresh Veggie/INOFO Africa
• Karina David - INOFO member, Pronobis/Ecovida
• Aina Calafat - INOFO Convener, INOFO EU/IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo/Sociedad Española de Agricultura Ecológica/Agroecología (SEAE)

Description

Women in organic farming face financial skill barriers, affecting their well-being and advocacy. Bridging financial literacy gaps aligns with women's caring nature, crucial for organic farming's success. Empowering women economically benefits entire communities. Heifer Nepal exemplified improved environmental outcomes and increased incomes for marginalised women farmers.

Speakers 

• Devona Bell - Director of Programs & Business Development - Asia, Heifer International
• Julie Matovu - INOFO member, Fresh Veggie/INOFO Africa
• Karina David - INOFO member, Pronobis/Ecovida
• Aina Calafat - INOFO Convener, INOFO EU/IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo/Sociedad Española de Agricultura Ecológica/Agroecología (SEAE)

Date: 13.02.2024

Time: 10:30 - 12:00

Location: Seoul

Description

This new session aimed to establish a creative form of an event for exchanging on relevant questions to the organic businesses leaders and this particular year to discuss best practices in crisis mitigation and addressing crucial challenges encountered by the industry. 

We were honoured to welcome top-level representatives from leading European organic businesses to join the discussion. The session followed a participatory format, beginning with an introductory presentation and continuing with open questions to our guest speakers. 

Date: 13.02.2024

Time: 11:00 - 11:45

Location: Oslo

Description

During this session we discussed the challenges & opportunities for organic operators brought by the packaging and packaging waste directive. Considerable changes were introduced, e.g. forbidding single use plastics. This may have an impact in terms of how organic products are sold in supermarkets and therefore in terms of availability of organic products to consumers.

Speakers 

Date: 13.02.2024

Time: 16:15 - 18:00

Location: Shanghai

Description

This dynamic talk show-style event delved into the future of the organic food and agriculture sector in the results of the 2024 European elections and provided participants with a deeper understanding of the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing the organic movement.

Speakers 

• Janusz Wojciechowski – Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural development, European Commission
• Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe
• Tom Chapman – CEO, Organic Trade Association,
• Jürn Sanders – Head of the Department of Food System Sciences, FiBL Switzerland

Date: 13.02.2024

Time: 18:00 - 19:00

Location: Shanghai

Description

National policies and strategies supporting organic agriculture, agroecology and farmers-managed seed systems hold the promise of a long-term solution that brings economic and climate resilience to farms the world over. The session showcased examples of such policies from 3 continents. Speakers included representatives from Africa, Europe and Asia.

Date: 14.02.2024

Time: 10:00 - 10:45

Location: Seoul

Description

The purpose of this session was to give an overview the EU promotion policy co-funding, a part of which is ring-fenced for organic. In addition, operators who have applied for the fund shared their experience.

Speakers 

Date: 15.02.2024

Time: 10:00 - 12:30

Location: Oslo

Description

The European Commission set the scene, introducing the next EU Research & Innovation (R&I) Framework Program (FP10) as a main funding instrument. In an interactive workshop, participants identified and prioritized knowledge gaps to be included in TP Organics’ new Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda, a key tool for advocating for the organic sector’s needs and priorities.

Speakers 

• Luca Colombo – Secretary General, FIRAB
• Lizzie Melby Jespersen – Consultant in Organic Farming Regulation, Research and Policy,  ICROFS and LMJ Eco-farming & Consult
• Raffaele Zanoli – Professor, University of Ancona
• Susanne von Munchhausen – Senior Researcher, HNEE/Food Policy Council Frankfurt

Date: 15.02.2024

Time: 10:15 - 11:00

Location: Kiew

Description

The audience got info on a state-of-the-art update on the EU policymaking process on the new legislative proposal on so-called “New Genomic Techniques” (NGTs), especially in terms of the implications on the organic sector – the session touched upon crucial issues like co-existence for Category 2 NGTs, patents on traits and the European breeding landscape, traceability, and consumer labelling.

Speakers 

• Erika Olsson – Chairperson, Organic Farmers’ Association Sweden
• Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe

Date: 15.02.2024

Time: 11:15 - 12:00

Location: Kiew

Description

With its current regulatory framework, the EU is still standing as one for strict consumer labelling, traceability, and biosafety standards. At the same time, the different global regulatory contexts are already now posing real technical challenges to trade relations. This session shone light on these complexities and explained the implications of these especially for organic trade markets.

Speakers 

• My-Lien Bosch – Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Canada Organic Trade Association
• Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Date: 15.02.2024

Time: 15:00 - 16:00

Location: St. Petersburg

Description

A presentation was done from policy-makers and experts on the main challenges and opportunities of the new EU Organic Regulation after the second year of implementation. An update was provided on implementation issues and on what is still expected from the regulatory side.

Speakers 

• Elena Panichi – Head of Unit Organics, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
• Michel Reynaud – Vice President, Ecocert

Date: 15.02.2024

Time: 16:30 - 17:30

Location: St. Petersburg

Description

Involving experts from all sectors and policy-makers with a discussion on the strictly regulated procedures on the management of pesticide residues in organic products, we archived a common understanding of the rules in light of the Position Paper of IFOAM Organics Europe published last summer.

Speakers 

• Henri Delanghe – Deputy Head of Unit Organics, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
• Michel Reynaud – Vice President, Ecocert
• Thomas Fertl – Head of Department Agricultural Policy – BIO AUSTRIA

Date: 16.02.2024

Time: 10:00 - 10:45

Location: Istanbul

Description

Organic farmers need access to seeds that have been specifically bred to perform well under organic conditions, and organic breeders contribute to maintaining and fostering agrobiodiversity, making sure that a wide choice of variety is available for farmers, who will in turn be able to offer a diverse range of products to consumers. The EU is completely revising the existing framework on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material. We discussed if that was a good thing for organic farming and if this ambition will survive the European elections in a polarized EU political context.

Speakers 

• Dr. Monika Messmer – Group Leader Plant, Department of Crop Sciences, ECO-PB, FiBL Switzerland
• Gebhard Rossmanith – Member of the Board, Umbrella organisation for Organic Plant Breeding in Germany (Dachverband für Ökologische Pflanzenzüchtung in Deutschland)
• Maria Zintl – Policy Officer on Inputs and Organic Textiles, IFOAM Organics Europe

Date: 16.02.2024

Time: 11:30 - 12:30

Location: St. Petersburg

Description

Climate neutrality is increasingly crucial in both politics and marketing. The lack of regulation and transparency around such claims may be misleading to consumers and risks to end up being simply greenwashing. This session explored the potential impact climate neutral claims may have on the organic sector, whose strength lies in a systemic approach to sustainability going beyond climate benefits.

Speakers 

• Cedric Guillod – Vice-President, BioSuisse
• Christoph Trütken – Farmer, Antonihof
• Julia Ambrosy – Sustainable Consumption Officer, Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.
• Hanna Winkler – Policy Officer on Climate Change and Biodiversity, IFOAM Organics Europe