UGANDA: Experts focus on economic impact of organic farming

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KAMPALA, 6 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - Over 200 global coffee-industry experts started a three-day international conference on organic coffee production, saying it was the way to go in order to improve incomes of farmers who had been affected by a slump in international coffee prices.

The conference's theme was 'Fair trade in quality coffee' and stressed the notion that the ultimate individuals to benefit from organic coffee production will be the smallholder farmer, whose income would improve because organically grown coffee is fetching a better price on the global market.

"Today the global market for organic products is US $23 billion and the area of organic production is 24 million hectares," Charles Walaga, a researcher in organic-related production in Uganda, told IRIN in an interview after the opening ceremony.

He noted that the organic-coffee industry was growing at a rate of 15-20 percent annually, but its growth could improve and translate into increased incomes for poor farmers in coffee-producing countries.

"There are at least four mechanisms, whereby organic farming can improve income, profitability and return on labour," a conference document said. It listed the benefits, including removing or reducing the need for purchased inputs, diversification, optimising productivity and maintenance of on-farm and off-farm biodiversity.

In Africa, which has been described as the world's most "Natural Continent", there are now 320,943 ha of organic-certified land and 38 percent of this land, or 122,000 ha, is found in Uganda.

"There are so many benefits in organic farming, some of which include environmental sustainability, soil rejuvenation, social capital for farmers and improved financial status," Walaga added.

One delegate called for a more concerted effort to focus on the Chinese market and gave a statistical scenario to relate the country's importance to the global market. He said one cup per person taken every day in China, meant that the market would require another 30 million bags of coffee and, therefore, would inherently translate to more income for farmers.

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, in conjunction with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, organised the conference. "It is time to put East Africa on the map," Bo Va Elzakker, the conference Programme Coordinator, told journalists. "We all know that Africa is struggling with the impacts of globalisation. Organic coffee is an opportunity for poor smallholder farmers to get a fair price for organic, high-quality coffee earlier."

[ENDS]