East African Organic Standard comes up against UK air freight debate

by Sue Scott

The newly launched East Africa Organic Standard, designed to boost exports to Europe, could fall at the first hurdle if the largest licensing body in the UK decides in November that air-freighted produce no longer qualifies as organic.

African farmers have been highly critical of the UK Soil Association's (SA) controversial consultation on air miles, which may result in it refusing to endorse products imported by plane. Despite the fact that less than 1 percent of all UK food comes by air, campaigners argue that it is responsible for 11 percent of carbon emissions, and therefore at odds with organic principles.

Soon-to-be-published research commissioned by the United Nation's International Trade Centre, which has been outspoken in its opposition to the SA's position, will reveal that as many as 15,000 people in Kenya and Ghana - the biggest exporters to the UK - would see their livelihoods hit. The figure is based on research carried out among five organic exporters, their workers and dependents.

"These exporters are tearing their hair out," said Alexander Kasterine, senior market development advisor for the ITC. "It's created a lot of uncertainty and is deterring new entrants to the market. One exporter told us they'd followed the SA guidelines for the last five years. They'd invested in training and bought processing machinery. Now the SA may turn round and say 'you can't use our logo.'"

While the SA is only one of half a dozen such agencies in the UK, it's responsible for certifying more than 70 percent of retail organic produce, making it the best known mark with consumers and the one most sought after by exporters. Its decision will send a strong message to certification agencies not only in the UK, but across Europe. Among them, Naturland in Germany is considering a similar gold plating of its standards.

Kasterine said the SA had the wrong target. "There are much bigger contributors to climate change than air freight, for example energy-intensive UK agriculture. If you're an African farmer living on 3 percent of Lord Melchett's (policy director of the SA) income, you might wonder why he is cutting off your market in the name of reducing climate change," he said.

African growers who have taken advantage of the 40 billion dollar global market in organics have benefited considerably from premium prices and a healthier environment brought about by the greening of agricultural practices, somewhat ironically driven by the very agencies that are now questioning the ethics of importing produce.

Uganda, one of the first signatories to the new East Africa Standard, saw overseas sales boosted 61 percent between 2003 and 2004, and latest figures put the state's total organic exports at $6.2 million.

Neil Sorensen, communications manager for the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), which also represents the SA, said that although developing local African markets was important for the long term viability of farmers in the sector, "you can't begrudge them when they are offered way more money to export their product to Europe. To deprive them of that development is not appropriate."

Amarjit Sahota, director of London-based market analysts Organic Monitor, said the SA was in danger of scoring an own-goal. "From a consumer's point of view, if they cannot find an organic pineapple, they will just go back to conventional. In theory, what the Soil Association is doing is correct, but the reality is slightly different," he said.

According to the latest research, 83 percent of organic fruit and vegetables sold in the UK is imported from the least developed or poorer developing countries. Exotic fruits make up almost half of all organic fresh produce bought by British consumers. Most organic pineapples and mangoes come from Africa.

The East Africa Organic Standard covers produce from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. It is the first of three to be developed by the IFOAM, which is also working on regional standards for West Africa and the South Pacific. Co-operation between leaders of the East African states, which together represent 600,000 hectares of organic cultivation, had been key to making the standard possible, said Sorensen, who said others may soon join. "There are a lot of really good organic products in other East African countries. We are working where it is most feasible," Sorensen said.

While the standard is said to be built on a newly revised EU minimum for organic certification, which would in theory guarantee access to the European market, it is unclear when, or indeed if, Brussels will grant it equivalent status.

"We are aware and supportive of the launch of this co-operation on standards between East African countries, but we have not studied the content of these standards and there has been no activities so far in establishing or even studying the possibility of equivalence between them and the current or future EU-regulatory framework," said a European Commission spokesman.

But it does at least free farmers from having to rely on expensive European agencies to audit production. "It's absurd to have to pay for English people to fly to Kenya to get certified," said Sorensen. "Farmers wanted to establish their own infrastructure and regulation and make it a more economic scheme that they can manage, without having to rely on agencies like the Soil Association. It can only be beneficial for the market in Africa and in general."

According to Organic Monitor, there are more than 400 national and private organic standards competing on the world market. "The big issue is incompatibility with the USDA (American) and EU regulations," said Organic Monitor's Sahota. "Many producers who have certified according to the USDA standard are not recognised in Europe and vice-versa. These are the two major standards, but there are still incompatibilities. They have been talking about harmonisation for years, but it's going to take a few more, if ever, before they reach agreement," he explained.

Meanwhile, more and more Africans are themselves choosing organic over conventionally grown produce. "Local consumption is growing in Uganda and Kenya with farmers' markets and stores, such as the NOGAMU shop in Kampala," said Sorensen. "It's a misnomer that it's only the rich who buy organic products. Whether it's Uganda or the UK, people are primarily purchasing organic for health reasons."

Sales through the NOGAMU outlet, supplied by 100 groups of small farmers, have increased steadily from 1,142 dollars a month in 2002 to 2,571 dollars a month today. And more are opening, says Derrick Tenywa, local marketing officer for the Ugandan Organic Agricultural Movement.

He welcomed the new East African standard. "It makes work easier for producers targeting both the regional market and other markets. If organic standards are introduced in Kenyan supermarkets, and in Uganda or Tanzania, we can exchange what each one does not produce."

IPS