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The IFOAM Liaison Office to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) |
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Strategy
In the last few years there has been an increasing interest in organic
agriculture by the FAO and other UN agencies, particularly in relation
to farmer incomes, poverty alleviation, food security and biodiversity.
There is still a long way from convincing the varied FAO departments
and related agencies to recognize organic agriculture as an affordable
solution to several of the problems faced by world agriculture. The
Liaison Office supports FAO staff members that show interest in Organic
Agriculture, helping them to set up events and provide tools to
facilitate organic agricultural development.
Similarly, the benefits from organic agricultural production have not
yet been fully recognised by a majority of national governments,
especially developing and CEE countries, which often view biotechnology
and high-input agriculture as the solution to food security problems.
Among NGOs working on biodiversity related issues, there is recognition
that OA should play a role. However, NGOs working on food security
issues and farmer associations could take on a more central role in
promoting organic agriculture.
General purposes
Financed by the I-GO program, the office aims to:
- Promote the acceptance of organic agriculture as an ecologically
and economically sound and sustainable system of farming linking
biodiversity, food security and sustainable development
- Promote the IFOAM Basic Standards and IFOAM policies as an
effective tool for the development of Organic Agriculture all over the
world
Objectives
The Liaison office activities focus on the following objectives:
- Intensifying and strengthening the cooperation of IFOAM in FAO and other UN agencies and International NGOs
- Influencing government representatives predominately of developing and CEE Countries to FAO
- Networking with national and international NGOs interested in
biodiversity, food security, social responsibility and other key issues
during their participation at FAO events
- Supporting FAO in the generation of useful information and tools for Organic agriculture development
- Enhancing the effectiveness of the Liaison office lobbying activities
Activities
- Co-organization of IFOAM – FAO events (See First World Conference on Organic Seed below)
- Participation at FAO events
- Participation at specific committees and working groups
- Periodic meetings with FAO/IFAD staff and International NGOs in Rome
For more information contact:
Cristina Grandi, Coordinator
IFOAM FAO Liaison Office
Via Piave, 14
00187 Rome - Italy
Tel. +39 06 45437485
Fax. +39 06 45437469
Email: c.grandi@ifoam.org
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