Overview Of Organic Agriculture Development In Europe And Central Asia

This regional publication provides an overview of the development of organic agriculture in eighteen (18) countries in the following ECA sub-regions: Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan); Eastern Europe (Belarus, Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine); South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia); and South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey). The report includes an in-depth analysis of how these countries have achieved the current state of organic agriculture regarding legislative and policy frameworks, governance systems, production, key actors, marketing, opportunities and challenges, and future strategies. The presence of transparent and reliable information enables credibility, informed decision-making and policy-making, and investment in the development of the organic agriculture sector.

Agroecology is rooted in agricultural heritage systems based on small-scale food producers from all food sectors (pastoralism, fisheries, forestry and agriculture). It contributes to building resilient food systems, starting with greater integration of biodiversity into agricultural production systems and landscapes. By diversifying production, agroecology also contributes to diversified and healthy diets. It replaces costly external inputs with the management of local biodiversity and ecosystem services based on the combined knowledge of family farmers and science creating more resilient communities including by creating off-farm job opportunities. Also, it is based on context-specific design and organization, of crops, livestock, farms, landscapes local culture and knowledge. This publication aims to provide an overview of actions and initiatives on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia countries.

This book was prepared under the framework of TCP/UZB/3501: Institutional capacity building to develop organic agriculture and to promote good agriculture practices in Uzbekistan to provide guidance to the stakeholders. This book brings together the status of organic agriculture in Uzbekistan including, market, legal standards, methods, experiences and useful methods and basic information that can be of immediate use for identifying problems and for formulating, executing and evaluating actions so as to benefit and improve organic production. The publication can also serve as a reference that will allow researchers, specialists and farmers to discover jointly, ways to adopt organic agriculture practices and solve the problems and the limitations created by traditional agriculture. This book is meant for researchers, agricultural specialists, extension personnel as well as farmers, and deals with the management and conservation of agricultural land. It is hoped that the Book will help to attain the ultimate objective of increasing quality of agricultural products and improving the productivity of the soils and water in a rapid, efficient and sustainable.

This book represents a unique collection of European and Asian perspectives on the production, trade and consumption of high quality food. The rapidly growing demand for organic and quality food in Europe imposes new challenges on competing food value chains. Europe, as the biggest worldwide food importer, attracts many developing and developed countries in Asia. Prospering Chinese and Thai food markets offer new opportunities for European operators. Wealthy and informed consumers on both continents search for trustworthy high quality food products. Farmers, operators and retailers from distant cultures are coping with different standards, facing the ever increasing necessity for mutual understanding. This publication is the output of Bean-Quorum, a European funded Asia-Link project. Bean-Quorum represents a consolidated network of researchers working together with the business sector and NGOs to enhance European Asian understanding about organic and quality food. This book describes global trends in organic and quality food trade and connects them with recent developments in Asian and European market structures. Selected case studies illustrate the impact of organic and quality food production on topics ranging from sustainable rural development, to the potential of exotic new plant varieties to purchase decisions of European or Asian retail managers. Selected European markets are mirrored by the situation in Chinese and Thai markets. Finally, environmental issues concerning global trade of quality food are addressed.

The countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia urgently need to accelerate the integration of environmental concerns into their agricultural and forestry sectors. Policies and laws promoting integration have undoubtedly improved, but implementation is lagging, particularly in the east and in agriculture. Integrating Environment into Agriculture and Forestry raises awareness of the pressing need to step up progress on implementation. Failure to integrate environment into agriculture and forestry will have major economic and human health implications, eg. soil salinity in Uzbekistan is estimated to cost $1 billion per year, while soil erosion is estimated to cost Moldova at least $40 million per year. Agriculture and forestry are also highly sensitive to climate change and it is critical for the countries in the sub-region to build awareness and the capacity to proactively integrate climate change adaptation into agriculture and forestry sector policies, programs and investments. These sectors contribute about 15 percent of GDP and support the 35% of the population who live in rural areas of the sub-region. Report recommendations include: the imperative of using economic cost-benefit analysis as a base for decision making, scaling up of successful pilot projects, and development and implementation of climate change risk management adaptation plans.The report includes a companion CD-ROM which contains 21 in-depth reviews of Eastern European and Central Asian countries.

Consumers are more and more concerned with the health of the food they eat. While great public anxiety about genetically engineered foodstuffs and BSE in cattle has developed in Europe, on the positive side there has been a rapidly rising demand for organic produce. Food retailers, including supermarkets, have responded, and the organic sector has moved from a being marginal production fad to a serious subject of policy concern for politicians and public servants involved in European agricultural policy. In this book, three leading authorities on organic farming have for the first time produced a serious and scientific overview for the lay person of the state of organic farming and policy towards it in Europe. Based on a review of a huge body of scientific research into all aspects of the sector, the authors provide in accessible terms a balanced, up-to-date and policy relevant overview of: · The position of organic farming today - the size of the sector, its markets, where research is conducted, and current policies towards the sector. · Assessment of its possible contributions to the environment, food quality, farmers' incomes, and rural development generally. · Explanation of the key factors that will impinge on the organic farming sector in future and policy towards it as a result of the enlargement of the EU, ongoing negotiations at the World Trade Organisation, and Agenda 2000. · Detailed recommendations for future organic farming policy. Most people recognise that European agricultural policy has to change, involving further fundamental reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. This unique book will be of immense value to all those concerned with the issue, as well as of intense interest to those actually involved in the organic farming sector. Educationalists in agricultural universities and institutes will find the book a useful teaching tool.

The report brings together the information shared during the Regional Seminar on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia. The aim of the report is to showcase the work and discussions held during the Regional Symposium and to inform the participants and wider audiences (all relevant stakeholders of Agroecology in the region) on the meeting, its content, discussions and outcomes.