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2/07/13 East African Organic Conference
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African Organisation for Standardisation Organisation Africaine de Normalisation
} ARSO was established in 1977 by OAU (currently AU) and UNECA with the mandate to: ◦ Harmonize national and regional standards and issue
necessary recommendations to Member States in this regard; ◦ Initiate and coordinate the development of African
Standards with references to products which are of particular interest to Africa; ◦ Promote and coordinate standardisation and
conformity assessment systems in Africa; ◦ Encourage and facilitate adoption of international
standards by Member States;
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◦ Encourage and facilitate the development by AU Member States of technical regulations based on African and International Standards; ◦ Support the establishment of effective
national standards bodies in Member States; ◦ Coordinate the views of its members at
international level; and ◦ Create appropriate bodies in addition to the
organs of ARSO for the purposes of fulfilling its objectives.
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1. Harmonization of REC/National standards into African Standards – ease trade – reduce waste in region of suplus – toward sustainable economy
2. Harmonization of conformity Assessment Procedures in Africa – 1-1-1 principle (1 standard, 1 test, 1 conformity assessment)
Standards share – harmonization - trade
East African Organic Conference
1 Test
1 CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
1 Standard
Accepted everywhere
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q Four Main Pillars: § Economic Sustainability § Social Sustainability § Environmental Sustainability § Governance and Institutions
q The International Summit for Information and Communication Technology held in Geneva in November 2003 proposed the addition of ICT as the fifth pillar.
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} Organic agriculture is the fastest growing sector in the grocery, food processing and retail business ◦ most food stores carry nowadays organic
products, } Organic agriculture has drawn criticism with
regards to inclusion of all aspect of sustainability since its beginnings
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} Maintaining biodiversity through integrated crop farming
} Reduced weeds } Increased moisture retention capacity of the
soil } Disease and pest resistance } Residual effect } Economic returns (reduction on inputs) } Natural flavour
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} Inspire act ion through ethical principles of health, ecology, fairness and care to enhance economic value
} E n s u r i n g t h e v i a b i l i t y a n d c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s o f p r o d u c e , producers and enterpr ises by minimize negative externalities while maximizing positive externalities
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} Institutional aspects ◦ Stakeholder contributions � Private sector � Public sector � Host Community
} Legal aspects } Information and Technology
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} Conservation of water and energy should have more focus in organic standards (reduction of use of fossil fuel consumption) ◦ done without guidance from the organic rules -
some farmers rely quite heavily on energy-intensive practices such as flaming and intensive cultivation for weed control.
} Transport by air: same carbon footprint as much as conventional products.
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} From small and medium-sized farms and social benefit for rural communities toward scale farming ◦ Motivated by minimizing the price of organic
products } Isn’t this a loss of social and economic
benefits? } If organic food is better, the challenge is how
can it be affordable: is it not socially unjust that only the wealthy are easily able to afford it?
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} Organic standards include animal welfare requirements-treatment, location (outdoors, shade, shelter, access to pasture…)
} Leverage with economical benefits with the current intensive farming – are we ignoring other livestock handling requirements?
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} Environmental drive at origin toward a money driven business: rather than being an exception the increasing importance of profits might rule against integrity – what should be allowed in processing
} Organic standards restrict the substances that can be used in food processing – what and where do we draw the line
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} Dilemma between continuing expending organic standards –or developing separate standards or criteria for other aspects of sustainability as organic regulations are already complex
} Continue discussion over whether the energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions of organic products is justified by the economic benefits for farmers in developing nations – weak environmental sustainability
} The regulators should be brought in and have a say in standardisation
} Addressing social and economic issues as social responsibility from organic business community
} fair trade practice and ecolabelling } Intra african trade versus exportation
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} Customer Protection and Market Penetration through compliance demonstrated by certification
} Improve the industry/product (supply) value chain
} Assist in Identifying and analyzing the value drivers that enhance competitive advantage.
} Improve local economies thus leading to an easier and hastened integration of the African economy
} Fair Trade and Business } Formation of Regional/Domestic Partnerships } Economic value of Eco-systems
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Triangle of growth
SOURCES OF GROWTH 19 African countries 1960-2000
SOURCES OF GROWTH 84 countries in the world 1960-2000
Triangle of growth
There is a fundamental lack of appropriate technology policies in the African economic growth models.
Source: Bosworth Barry and Collins M. Susan., 2003 (September 22,) “The Empirics of Growth: An Update”, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C. (USA). The 19 African countries are: South Africa, Cameroon, Ivory Cost, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia et Zimbabwe
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Appropriate Technology policy requires optimal combination of two (2) channels :
Investment-based strategy to develop the National Technological
Accumulation and Absorptive capacity
Promoting and facilitating
the acquisition of Patents and L
icences
Promoting and facilitating
development, adoption and
diffusion of Product, Services and Process
Standards Sustainability (economy, social a& environment
} The complete perfect sustainability can not be granted by any production system, process or service
} The gaps found in organic and sustainability standards should be addressed step by step by including all stakeholders (consumers, farmers, processors, public)
} organic and other value-based foods are a rapidly growing market - Intrafrican trade should be discussed early enough among the african farmer – buy local slogan is not over yet local food.
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“Food and agriculture are central to our lives, but they are only one dimension of our impact on the earth let thing with open mind as environment is connected” } transport used in organic agriculture be
required to run on biodiesel? } What is the energy used in the organic
products food chain? } Who dictate the organic market?
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Muito obrigado!
Merci beaucoup!
Thank you!
شكرا
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Mama Ngina Street P. O. Box 57363-00200
NAIROBI, KENYA. Tel: 254-020-224561/311641/311608
Fax: 254-020-218792 E-mail: [email protected]/
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http: www.arso-oran.org
ARSO CENTRAL SECRETARIAT
