Organic Movement - Supporters

Supporters

Proponents of organic agriculture point to the environmental benefits of not using these often persistent and toxic chemicals. Organic farming also promotes greater biodiversity on farms, as the lack of poison allows species other than those being cultivated to inhabit the farms.

Groups such as IFOAM are active supporters of the organic movement throughout the world. They readily state their goals and are taking their idea to the world.

"Agriculture is one of humankind's most basic activities because all people need to nourish themselves daily. History, culture and community values are embedded in agriculture. The Principles apply to agriculture in the broadest sense, including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals in order to produce, prepare and distribute food and other goods. They concern the way people interact with living landscapes, relate to one another and shape the legacy of future generations." IFOAM.com

This organization and others like it come under attack from political right in the US and other countries, but it has been accredited by many United Nations organizations.

"Several of the management practices evolved by the organic farming movement have a direct relevance to the battle to achieve food security. Examples include diversification and crop rotation, as well as the use of natural means to combat pests."

-Quote from Jacque Diouf, Director General of the FAO in IFOAM's 25th anniversary issue of its magazine Ecology & Farming.

IFOAM has been an FAO-accredited international organization since 1997.

In March 2002, IFOAM obtained observer status with UNCTAD, and in addition received classification in a special category to participate in the meetings of the Commission on Trade on Goods and Services and Commodities, the Commission on Enterprise, Business Facilitation and Development and the meetings of the UNCTAD Board.

“Organic agriculture can play an important role to achieve the goals of the Convention on Biodiversity, in the global context of the Millennium Development Goals, by significantly reducing the current rate of biodiversity loss. In addition, organic farming offers direct economic benefits to resource-poor farmers and thereby makes an important contribution to both poverty alleviation and sustainable development.”

-Statement made by UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer at the IFOAM Conference on Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture that UNEP co-hosted September 24–26, 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya.

IFOAM is an accredited international organization with UNEP, but that only one aspect of a more complex relationship between the two organizations.

In September 2004, UNEP hosted and jointly organized the Third International IFOAM Conference on Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture at the headquarters of UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya.

IFOAM and the UNEP are in the process of developing a three-year joint work program for biodiversity and organic agriculture in order to implement the recommendations resulting from the conference.

With organizations such as these gaining in their presence worldwide organic farming practices will likely gain ground in the foreseeable future.