Agropub

Av Øystein Sogn

With its 122,000 ha., Uganda seems to have the highest amount of organic certified surface in East Africa. While Tanzania has about 5,000 ha., Kenya has about 495 ha. organic certified land. These numbers might however fast change.

As a certified mode, organic production implies a great potential to develop the whole agricultural chain “from soil to table". It makes visible the organic agriculture “by default", as well as it makes it possible for the stakeholders at all levels in the food production chain to take out environmental, economic, social and nutrient values. Aware consumers will, as citizens, also be able to vote for a policy in accordance to their beliefs. Up to now, there is hardly any certified organic produce in the Tanzanian market. The consumers in this country benefit the organic production only "by default".

During the last years, there seems however to be an awareness raising, and increased needs for certified organic produce in the Tanzanian market. The organic movement in Tanzania is driven by different actors, which recently are joining forces in the creation of the certification body: TanCert. We also see several workshops and cooperation at East African level on issues connected to organic farming. The establishment of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement’s (IFOAM) Africa Organic Service centre (IAOSC), witness that the organic movement has reached Africa. These initiatives show that many actors believe there is a big potential for organic production and sales in Africa.

The mentioned TanCert, which is supported by the Swedish Sida funded Export Promotion of Organic Food from Africa (EPOPA) project, has recently been established to be a national certification body for organic production in Tanzania. It will certify organic production in Tanzania according to two standards. One standard is for the national market and another one is for the export market. Beside EPOPA, TanCert is founded by, Tanzania Organic Foundation (TOFO), ADP Mbozi, Kilimo Hai Tanzania (KIHATA), Sunnhemp Seed Bank, Environment, Human Rights and Gender Organization (ENVIROCARE), ZAFFIDE, SeeD and UHAI. The mentioned organizations are the major forces behind the organic movement in Tanzania. The Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) is also taking part in the formation of organic standards for production. Among the actors, there is a whish that the authorities sooner or later should be responsible for certified organic production in Tanzania. Today, only 32 of the 140 countries were certified organic products come from, has implemented organic regulation as a part of the country’s “jus publicum" - ensuring its citizens their right to choose the type of food they want.

Several workshops on organic production show also that organic farming is an important issue in Tanzania and elsewhere. In July 2003, ENVIROCARE organised the workshop on "Organic Food Production and certification Status in Tanzania" which attracted some 50 people from Public Sector, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO), Community Based Organisations (CBO), research institutions and farms, newspapers and TV-stations, to come. The workshop’s conclusion was an unified agreement that certification of organic production in Tanzania should have been “established yesterday".

In December 2003, a three days workshop organised by the Sida supported EPOPA attracted some 100 participants from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to come to Arusha and discuss “East African organic standards and certification development". A wide range of important subjects were discussed, such as: 1) Standards for crop and animal production, 2) organizational formats and business formats, and 3) East African cooperation. The conclusion from East Africa was quite clear. The three countries want to cooperate more closely on common standards for organic production, and a timetable and task force were agreed to follow up in the next months. The actors agreed to meet again in half a year.

Organic farming is a reality, and no dream. It is a strongly growing movement in Africa¸ and it will be very interesting to follow its future development.