From 18-21 July 2022, the 8th ALGOA & 3rd GAOD Summit (Global Alliance of Organic Districts) and the 2nd International Conference on Organic Agriculture Policy was held in South Korea, organized by IFOAM – Organics International and Goesan County.
What is IFOAM?
The IFOAM – Organics International – is a membership-based organization working to bring sustainability to agriculture across the globe. Initiated in 1972 they gathered members from more than 100 countries, Organized in regional bodies, IFOAM –Organics international established IFOAM Asia in 2012. Based in South Korea, IFOAM Asia gathers more than 270 members from 22 Asian countries. IFOAM Asia missions are: (i) improving the conditions of farmers, laborers, women, indigenous and other marginalized groups, (ii) restoring nature’s balance and capability and (iii) contributing towards building sustainable societies
ALGOA or the “Asian Local Governments for Organic Agriculture” is an ambitious program initiated by IFOAM Asia and Goesan County engaging local governments to promote the development of organic agriculture and its related industries in Asia. ALGOA intends to stimulate the dialogue between the private and the public sectors and to establish a good working relationship to enhance policy-making and to disseminate information on best practices and success stories on organic agriculture.
Those events gathered researchers, farmers’ organizations, the private sector, and policymakers, to discuss the best policies to promote the transformation of food systems. FAO participated in the International Conference, presenting the Scaling up Agroecology Initiative and its interfaces with organic agriculture, focusing on priorities for the next biennium and highlighting its achievements over the last three years [https://www.fao.org/agroecology/database/detail/en/c/1603103/].
ALiSEA Regional Coordinator, Ms Lucie Reynaud (GRET) attended those events to contribute to the section related to the Facilitating an Agroecological Transition in the Mekong Region. It was a major opportunity to learn from the organic movement in Asia, to share the experience of the ALiSEA Network and to explore synergies and partnerships for promoting agroecology.
Below are some of the key messages and topics discussed at the events:
A worldwide issue: how to attract young farmers?
- Ensure land access and affordable price
- Ensure market access
- Set up networking, knowledge exchanges groups between youth,
- Involve them in governance entities of the territory
Organic Agriculture goes beyond plot and farm levels: Organic Agriculture aims to transform food systems and relies on holistic approaches at territorial scale.
How to scale up Organic Farming and Agroecology?
- Integrate more science/researchers within the Agroecological movement, and develop more field data evidence-based, robust and solid documentation
- Further investment and financial resources to support Agroecological movement
- Public policies mechanisms to support Agroecology, integrated public policies across sectors
For more information: https://www.ecoregion.info/2022/07/23/20-and-21-july-2022-goesan-south-korea-2nd-international-conference-on-organic-agriculture-policy-best-policies-towards-transformation-into-organic-agriculture/