In addition to the African Pavilion a day-long symposium was held on 23 February
to highlight the status of organics in Africa. Participants got updates and information about the opportunities for (and challenges to) trade and development, including the impact of organic agriculture on small-holder farmers and what is being done to promote organic by governments, the private sector, and development partners. A high-level panel with policy makers and opinion makers discussed the potential of organic agriculture to help achieve the millennium development goals.

Program

10:00-13:00
Reaching the full potential of organic in Africa
Moderator: Gerald Herrmann, President, IFOAM, Germany

• 10:00-10:15 Griot performance, Gilbert Diop Abdourahmane
  10:15-10:20 Welcome, Gerald Herrmann, President, IFOAM, Germany
  10:20-10:40 Introduction, Gunnar Rundgren, Grolink AB, Sweden [Presentation 28kb]
  10:40-12:50 Panel: Reaching the full potential of organic in Africa
  
• Okasai Opolot speaking on behalf of Janat Mukwaya, Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry, Uganda [Presentation 42kb]
  
• Patricia Francis, Executive Director, International Trade Centre, Switzerland [Presentation 53kb] - [Patricia Francis Biography 466kb]
  
• Pascal Liu, Economist, Trade and Markets Division, FAO, Italy [Presentation 575kb]
  
• Moses Muwanga, Coordinator, NOGAMU, Uganda [Presentation 138kb]
• Maria Selin, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sweden

13:00-14:00 parallel sessions

The status of organic farming in Africa

How organic markets help African small holders

Room Shanghai Moderator: Njaka Rajaonarison NOAMM, Madagascar Overview of the current status of organic in Africa, Hervé Bouagnimbeck, IFOAM, Germany [Presentation 494kb] Case studies of selected countries: -Ghana, Samuel Adimado, GOAN [Presentation 842kb] -South Africa, Raymond Auerbach, Organic South Africa - [Presentation 939kb] - Zambia, Munshimbwe Chitalu, OPPAZ - [Presentation 315kb] - Ethiopia, Ferede Addisu Alemayehu, EAOA [Presentation 182kb]

Room Oslo Moderator: Sophia Twarog UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF Switzerland Case studies of successful organic projects; trade, impacts, challenges and opportunities: -Organic and Fair Trade Coffee: John Kanjagaile, Kagera Cooperative Union, Tanzania [Presentation 36kb] -Organic Mangoes, Charles Yvon Tougouma, CDS, Burkina Faso [Presentation 291kb] Developing the local market, Souleymane Bassoum, Agrecol Afrique, Senegal [Presentation 192kb] Supporting small-holder oriented projects, Hivos, Edit Tuboly, the Netherlands [Presentation 494kb]

14:00-15:00
Doing business from and with Africa
Moderator: Franziska Staubli, Osec – Sippo, Switzerland

Experience of an exporter, Jean Pierre Imélé. Biotropical, Cameroon [Presentation 995kb]
Experience of an importer, Siemefo Kuemkwong, Biotropic, Germany [Presentation 460kb]
What works and what doesn’t –experiences from a consultant, Kari Örjavik,
Grolink AB, Sweden [Presentation 303kb]
Jambo - Branding Organic Products from Africa, Mansoor Nadir, Uganda Crop
Industries Ltd - [Presentation 21kb]

15:00-16:00
Organic Agriculture and the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals
Moderator: Gama Jordan, TOAM, Tanzania

Overview: Louise Luttikholt, IFOAM, Germany [Presentation 589kb]
Impact of the EPOPA Programme, Alastair Taylor, Agro Eco Uganda [Presentation 621kb]
Rural income from organic wild collection in Ghana, Georgina Komsoon, IDEAL
Providence Farm, Ghana [Presentation 455kb]

16:00-17:00
Initiatives to support organic farming in Africa
Moderator: Bernward Geier, Colabora, Germany

IFOAM, Anne Boor, Germany [Presentation 282kb]
ITC, Alexander Kasterine, Switzerland [Presentation 130kb]
UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF, Asad Naqvi, Switzerland [Presentation 212kb]
Ministry of Agriculture, Emelia Monney, Ghana [Presentation 192kb]

17:00-18:00
The way ahead for organic in Africa
Moderator: Gunnar Rundgren, Grolink AB, Sweden

Salimata Somé Traoré, Ministry of Trade Burkina Faso [Presentation 111kb]
Bo v Elzakker, Agro Eco Bv, the Netherlands [Presentation 256kb]
Eustace Kiarii, KOAN, Kenya [Presentation 51kb]

The Symposium is linked to a major effort to present organic exporters from Africa at the BioFach fair in an African Pavilion (Hall 4 : 340-440).

Visit the BioFach web site: www.biofach.de