Cooperation in organic farming continues!

The three-year cooperation between the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine (MAPE) in the field of organic farming will be extended for another year.

The project of the German-Ukrainian Cooperation in the field of Organic Agriculture (COA) will be advising the MAPE on outstanding implementing regulations on the recently enacted Act related to organic agriculture. Indeed, MAPE stresses that the German experience in implementing EU standards is particularly valuable.

In addition, the project will establish a digital knowledge platform for organic farming. This platform will be hosted and maintained by the State Agricultural Education Organisation, Agroosvita. The aim of this online platform is to provide the existing knowledge for lecturers, producers and consultants in organic farming; always taking into account the specific needs of the various market participants. Publications and online courses complement the platform and thus provide a unique overview of procedures and training methods in the Ukraine’s organic agricultural sector.

On the 14 and 15th of March, COA presented itself together with the Agritrade Project at the 3rd Organic Congress in Odessa. Nearly 400 Guests from Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands and other nations attended the event. The Conference provided a forum for Ukrainian producers of ecologically produced food for processors, traders, scientists, certification experts and, last but not least, representatives of MAPE. Team leader Elisabeth Rüegg moderated a technical panel on the development and possibilities of the organic sector in Ukraine and worldwide. Together, the experts discussed safety and quality requirements as well as their implementation, transparency and confidence-building measures within supply chains. All in all, "smart organic"!

For further details please contact Stefanie Maak (stefanie.maak [at] afci.de).