CORE Organic and further. Transnational research to release the potential of organic farming to integrate food security and environmental preservation

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1 CORE Organic and further Transnational research to release the potential of organic farming to integrate food security and environmental preservation CSD16 side event on Organic Farming, May 6, 2008 Henry Damsgaard Lanng, Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries DARCOF UK FR NO SE DK NL DE CH AT IT FI CORE Organic: Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming (no ) Cooperation of 13 national funding bodies and agencies in 11 European countries Start: Duration: 36 months Budget:

2 Coordination of national Programmes Nature shows us the way: Birds coordinating their efforts 71 % gain of efficiency However do not forget that coordination is very time consuming: Birds used many thousand of years to gain 71 % How much did CORE Organic manage in 3 years? a lot! Strategic objective To enhance the quality, relevance and utilisation of resources in research in organic agriculture and food systems and its contribution to the development and integrity of the organic sector 2

3 Core Organic next phase: Call text proposed to the Commission for 2009: Core Organic II A new ERA-net on organic farming and food systems aims at building on the results of the ERA net Core Organic. The objective is to achieve a broader network of funding bodies, in particular towards new member states and associated countries, to deepen the collaboration of the national funding bodies and launch transnational calls in new areas. CORE Organic II: Deepening and broadening of transnational research in organic food systems Involvement of more countries (Belgium, Turkey, Lithuania, Slovenia, Poland, Spain, Ireland, Estonia, ) Joint use of research infrastructure Researcher mobility Involvement of SME and industrial partners Trans-national calls Dissemination with high impact 3

4 Organization of DARCOF The Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming 15 national research projects scientists from 18 institutions 8 transnational research projects (Core Organic) Stronger international profile in the future New international board with representation from Africa, Europe, America and Asia New name: International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems - ICROFS Titel 7 The Core organic model applied in a global perspective? Research funding and collaboration between countries in the North and the South Knowledge exchange and methodological development Use of experience with Stakeholder involvement in different environments for improved design and utilization of research Joint use of research infrastructure Researcher mobility and training Mutual benefits in a better understanding of agroecological and socio-economic processes 4

5 The global food crisis Bioenergy Meat Oil Restrictions on international trade? Recoupling of CAP? Increased production World yields of cereals and roots and tubers from (hkg/ha) Cereal yields [hkg/ha] Industrialised countries China Developing countries Afrika, developing Roots and tubers yields [hkg/ha] Industrialised countries China Developing countries Africa, developing Yields have not grown significantly in Africa south of Sahara for 45 years (FAOSTAT, 2004) 5

6 Increase in local food production The present production of food worldwide is sufficient to meet everybody s nutritional needs Food insecurity: A question of access to food in those parts of the world where production is low The green revolution led to great increases in yields in Asia, but. Millions of small scale farmers don t have access to artificial fertilizers and pesticides, Poor infrastructure and market systems Low economic growth in Africa South of Sahara The number of urban poor is rising The number of food insecure families will increase if the current development continues Developmental strategies based on a high consumption of input sources can t be the only solution! 6

7 The global food crisis A new green revolution Co-existence of different strategies and instruments GMOs, compound fertilizers, pesticides Organic food systems Organic yields on average are comparable to conventional yields. Yields do decline initially when converting from highinput systems, and almost double when converting from low-input systems. In both cases, input costs fall and labour input may rise. International Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security, FAO, Rome, May,

8 Effect of large scale conversion to organic agriculture on food security Two recent reports confirm that large scale conversion to organic agriculture may improve sustainable food security especially in the south Halberg et al Badgley et al Modelling food security with IFPRI s IMPACT model Modeling food projections to 2020 relative to baseline scenario Conclusions in brief: 1. Possible to convert 50% of Europe and North America to OA without significant effects on food security in Sub- Saharan Africa 2. Converting 50% of Sub- Saharan Africa to OA may reduce needs for food import and improve local food access 8

9 Michigan study on global organic food production Compared present global food production with 100% organic scenarios Relative organic crop yields, average of experiments in developed world: 96% of conventional in developing world: 213% Results Kcal/capita Present global food availability 2785 Estimated global food availability after conversion I. All yields as in developed world: Kcal/capita: 2634 II. Higher yields in developing world 4878 Badgley et al., 2006 Organic soil structure results in better water drainage and percolation, and soil organic matter improves water-retention (20-40 percent more), thus decreasing irrigation requirements and enhancing crop yields in drought periods. Better ecological balance is achieved through mandatory crop rotations, use of adapted seeds/breeds and rehabilitation of functional biodiversity. Diversification as a risk aversion strategy is common in organic systems International Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security, FAO, Rome, May,

10 What is organic farming in developing countries? Certified organic farming: Oriented towards products Focused on few high-value crops and quality Agro-organic methods used in varying degrees Gives access to the market at better prices Increasing market, globally Not certified organic farming: Agro-ecological farming systems Conscious use of organic methods Follows the principles or ideas of IFOAM, - but are not necessarily certified Increasing the soil fertility Decreasing the use of limited resources Using primarily local resources Promote natural regulation and recycling 10

11 Impact on the Millennium Development Goal MDG 1 for reducing hunger and poverty, MDG 7 for environmental sustainability and MGD 8 for global partnerships, with specific emphasis on chronic, acute and hidden hunger, employment opportunities in rural areas, long-term environmental viability and food provisioning. There is a need for more research in organic food systems with a global perspective The realisation of the potential of OA for combined food security and environmental improvement depends on sufficient support to research and extension as part of an integrated rural development approach European research in organic agriculture and food systems shows the potential of an integrated approach combining research along the whole food chain including environmental and rural development aspects 11