Organized by African Organic Network (AfrONet) in collaboration with Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative (EOA-I) and the National Consultation of Farmers’ Organization of Cameroon (CNOP-CAM), the conference will draw a wide spectrum of at least 300 organic stakeholders from
different areas across Africa.
The AOC convenes every three years, with the third conference held from 5th– 8th October 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria. The second AOC was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 2nd – 4th May 2012 the inaugural conference took place in Kampala,Uganda in 2009.
The AfrONet Director of Programs Mr.Moses Aisu told AfrONet Newsletter recently that this year’s conference will address crucial issues related to the organic sector in Africa. Participants will
have an opportunity to share experiences, successes, challenges and ideas towards increasing and widening of the vital sector in the continent, he added.
“Stakeholders shall come from different disciplines ranging from research, academics, organic producers/farmers, hospitality industry, policy makers, government representatives,
agricultural traders/private sector, civil society organisations, development partners/investors, women and youth,” explained Mr. Aisu.
Noting that organic agriculture is practiced worldwide and in Africa inclusive from subsistence, small scale to large scale, he said outcomes of the conference will include sensitized stakeholders knowledgeable about the socio-economic and environmental benefits of organic agriculture achieved
by farmers, traders and processors as well as strategic actions recommended to key actors through a communiqué /declaration.
Other outcomes, according to Mr Aisu, include proposed policy recommendations for the development of organic agriculture along with funding and investment opportunities for Organic
Agriculture development explored.
According to IFOAM – Organics International, Africa has enormous potential for production and export of organic products to Europe and other parts of the world.
The organic agricultural land in Africa has increased by over 400,000 hectares or 33.5 per cent compared to 2014.
There were almost 1.7 million hectares of agricultural land in 2015 [0.1 percent of the continent’s total agricultural area and 3 percent of the global organic agricultural area].
In 2015, at least 43 countries reported data on organic farming. The organic agricultural land has increased by more than 1.6 million hectares from the 52,000 hectares in 2000.
AfrONet has unveiled a LINK for registering for the 4 th African Organic Conference available in its website or can be accessed via:
http://aoc.afronet.bio/tc-events/4th-aoc-cameroon-2018/ or http://afronet.bio/
Please, use the LINK to register, make payment, book for exhibition booths, accustom with the venue, program and get to know the speakers, participants and other side events that will happen parallel with the conference.
