Sustainability and Organic Best Practice Affiliates and Stakeholder Consultation 2013
Dear IFOAM Affiliates, dear stakeholders, Humankind faces greater challenges than ever to sustain our wellbeing on this planet. Problems of hunger, poverty, and human and ecological health are worsening under the dominant agricultural paradigm. The Principles of Organic Agriculture point to a different paradigm, one where health and vitality is restored and prosperity shared. At the Organic World Congress in 2011, the IFOAM General Assembly (GA) mandated through its Motion 57 (sustainability motion) that IFOAM should, on behalf of the Organic Movement, create an action network to re-position organic practices as the mainstream approach for sustainability in agriculture worldwide, and to provide guidance on how to improve its own practices. The General Assembly wanted IFOAM to take a lead. The newly elected World Board drafted a statement on the role of Organic Agriculture in the transition to a sustainable world in which it explains the proposed strategy of the Organic Movement. In early 2012, IFOAM and its allies launched the Sustainable Organic Agriculture Action Network (SOAAN) with the purpose of fulfilling the GA s motion. One of SOAAN s initial tasks was to draft a reference document that describes best practices that lead to sustainability. This development of the Best Practice Reference is a further step in completing IFOAM s new Organic Guarantee System, which was previously approved by the General Assembly and the first programs of which were launched in 2011. After one year of face-to-face and e-mail discussions in countless small and big groups, culminating in the well-attended three-day Bonn Sustainability Camp in November 2012, we are ready for a public consultation on the outcomes of the discussion. We look forward to receiving your feedback on the strategies presented by the World Board and the content of the Best Practice Reference. The consultation period is until March 31, 2013 and the e-questionnaire will be kept online until that date. Organically Yours, Andre Leu - IFOAM President Urs Niggli - SOAAN Chair Markus Arbenz IFOAM Executive Director
Background and objectives of this consultation With this consultation, IFOAM and SOAAN seek feedback from organic and non-organic stakeholders on the draft strategies of the Organic Movement and on best practices of farming and processing, before final versions are brought forward to the legitimate bodies (IFOAM World Board for the strategy and IFOAM General Assembly for the Best Practice Reference) for decision. Motion 57 of the IFOAM General Assembly in October 2011 IFOAM shall position Organic Agriculture better in its own and the public perception as a holistic, sustainable farming system that is committed to further develop its practices to meet traditional and new challenges. To implement this motion, IFOAM shall build an action network with allies, which works out a new positioning that highlight the multiple benefits of Organic Agriculture. IFOAM shall also develop strategic recommendations regarding sustainability development for the stakeholders of the organic world. SOAAN Members: IFOAM and SOAAN IFOAM, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, is the only international umbrella organization for the Organic Movement worldwide, with presently 766 Affiliates. Its highest body is the General Assembly. SOAAN, the Sustainable Organic Agriculture Action Network, is an informal alliance of institutions that develops activities that position Organic Agriculture and its related supply chain as a holistic sustainable approach. The development of the Best Practice Reference is supported by a generous grant from NAVDANYA Rainman Landcare Foundation INOFO Leading Organic Alliance
Summary of the IFOAM World Board s statement the role of Organic Agriculture in the transition to a sustainable world The IFOAM World Board is leading a discussion and process in the Organic Movement with the aim of positioning Organic Agriculture as a holistic, sustainable farming system that is committed to further developing its practices in order to better meet both traditional and new challenges. Based on a motion tabled by the IFOAM General Assembly in 2011, this statement serves as an explanation of the World Board s understanding of the issue and as a strategy for the IFOAM and the global Organic Movement. The attempt to make agriculture sustainable is hardly challenged. However, understanding of the term sustainability and resulting strategy proposals vary substantially across the world. The Organic Movement proposes an alternative to conventional green revolution type strategies. It sees Organic Agriculture as a farming system based on traditions and on the scientific discipline of agroecology that improves the sustainability of agroecosystems. It is based on the four Principles of Organic Agriculture and aims at functional integrity of systems. To achieve the vision of a worldwide adoption of sound systems, Organic Agriculture must a) expand and b) improve its own sustainability. Development priorities towards expansion as well as sustainability improvements need to be balanced. Organic farming has to remain feasible and affordable on the one hand and credible and trustworthy on the other hand. The higher price of organic products is a key element in balancing development priorities. Excessively high production requirements, driven by too fast standard developments, result in too high prices, that (additional) consumers may not be ready to pay. If the pace of sustainability development, driven by innovations and standards, is too slow, Organic Agriculture will come under public pressure and lose its position as a leader and credible alternative to conventional production. The optimal balance needs to be defined locally. The higher the uptake of Organic Agriculture and the less wealthy a society, the less prominent price premiums can be. IFOAM, together with its allies in SOAAN and Affiliates, leads and supports a process that aims to maximize the sustainability impact through the adoption of organic farming. SOAAN is developing the Best Practice Reference, a document that describes the vision for sustainable agriculture practices in great detail. The Best Practice Reference is subject to approval by the IFOAM General Assembly. Further support documents are planned. Full draft text of this statement click HERE. For the consultation questionnaire click HERE.
Summary of the Best Practice Reference Organization and Scope The Best Practice Reference addresses the entire agriculture value chain from farm up until the final consumer, as well as the infrastructures and institutions that support these chains. The consumption habits of the final consumer are not included, except for ways in which marketing information is communicated to them. Best Practices and Sustainability The document begins with a brief introduction about the relationship of the organic sector to sustainability. It then goes into a detailed discussion of the best practices that lead to sustainability. The Best Practice Reference divides sustainability into 5 dimensions, which are complementary and interact (societal, ecological, economic, cultural and communication). The document presents each dimension separately, each with its own objectives. There is no hierarchy or preference among dimensions. Sustainable development requires that all dimensions be addressed, with each dimension receiving emphasis according to context. Each dimension of Best Practice is divided into a set of complementary aspects that comprises the full dimension. Each aspect is discussed in terms of the values and approach of the organic movement, and what the relevant Best Practices are. The 5 dimensions and their corresponding aspects are outlined in the table on the following page. Intended uses of the Best Practice Reference The text of the Best Practice Reference document is intended to be formative, not normative. It is not intended as a compliance document per se. Its possible uses include: Serving as guidelines for improving the ecological, societal, cultural, and economic sustainability of farms and businesses systematically; Setting research agendas for improving organic and sustainable farming and value chains;
To benchmark programs, operations, and sustainability assessment tools for agriculture and its value chains; For the development and use of sets of indicators and metrics, which can be used for an operation s self-evaluation or external evaluation; To enable assessment of how certain sustainability practices have aggregate regional or global impact; To inform and influence policy agendas of governmental and non-governmental entities; and As a resource for capacity building, education, and raising awareness about sustainability issues. Context The Best Practice Reference is intended to be the focal point for broader programs related to improvement of organic practices, knowledge sharing and innovation. Over time it will help develop and link to other detailed efforts such topics as metrics and indicators, science and research, case studies, benchmarking, and similar aspects as part of a Community of Best Practice. For the full draft text of the Best Practice Reference click here. For the consultation questionnaire click here. Dimension Societal Ecological Economic Cultural Communication People live in equality and equity. Common goods are used sustainably. Trading leads to prosperity. Inspiration, innovation, leadership and altruism are enabled. Communities are stable and thrive. People are transparent about their actions and accountable for them, and participation from stakeholders is encouraged. Aspects Included Equity and gender Right livelihood Labor and human rights Safety and hygiene Water Soil Biodiversity Animal production Atmosphere Energy Investment Local economy and economic resilience Selling products and services Materials/contaminants/waste Personal growth and community development Food security and food sovereignty Product quality Holistic management and governance Accountability and reporting Stakeholder participation The five dimensions of sustainability according to the Best Practice Reference.
Stakeholder Consultation: Next Steps Let us know what you think! The following questions are intended to guide your critical reflection on the material presented above and facilitate the consultation process: 1. Do you support the IFOAM World Board s strategy in its explanatory statement? Do you have any comments? 2. Do you agree with the proposed scope of the Best Practice Reference? Would you change anything? 3. Do you agree with the approach of using complementary dimensions to reflect sustainability? 4. Do you have any suggestions for specific revisions or comments on the text of the Best Practice Reference? Please use this easy-to-use online question form to provide your feedback by March 31, 2013. Following the IFOAM World Board meeting in mid-april, IFOAM Affiliates and the general public will be informed of the outcome of this consultation in order to prepare for a subsequent round of public input and motions from IFOAM members. An e-mail membership vote for approval of the new Best Practices Reference is planned for October 2013. Interested in Learning More? Should you wish to obtain more information or engage in faceto-face discussion, please join us at one of our BioFach Nürnberg Congress Sessions. On Friday, February 15, 2013 from 14:00 to 15:30 p.m. in Room Istanbul, the session 'The Organic Movement Maps the Road to Sustainability' will take place. The panelists from IFOAM and SOAAN will be: David Gould, IFOAM Value Chain Facilitator; Prof. Dr. Urs Niggli, FiBL; Dr Birgit Wilhelm, WWF; Anton Pinschof, INOFO; Volkert Engelsman, EOSTA and IFOAM World Board; and Edith Lammerts van Bueren of the Agro Eco Louis Bolk Institut. The event will explain the what, why and how of the organic approach, and provide an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the consultation. Alternatively, visit us at our booth, Hall #1, Booth #240 to talk to one of our SOAAN experts. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact d.gould@ifoam.org.