Going organic easier for developing nations: Expert

The Borneo Post, 1 November 2008

SANTUBONG: If it took American policy makers nearly 20 years to impress American public the benefits of organic farming, how long will it take for Malaysia, a developing country to do the same to Malaysians?

It was one of the hardest questions raised over the four days of Organic Asia Conference, which come to an end yesterday afternoon.

Some 50 speakers and moderators talked over the issue, concluding with cautious hope that it would take developing countries a shorted period to grow their organic agriculture sector.
“I’m quite confident countries like China, India and Malaysia would require less time,” said Katherine diMatteo, president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement.

“Because there is a wealth of data and evidence available, I think developing countries will benefit from that advantage. The skills and knowledge are there, it’s now a matter of implementation.

“From what I’ve seen in China, for example, changes are happening fast. The development or organic agriculture there is very promising. In Malaysia too, there seems to be groundwork being put in place.”

In the US, organic agriculture was a by-product of the anti-war movement in the 1960s.

Then, organic farming movers sought for better techniques to lessen environmental degradation.

“By the 1970s, there were pockets of organic advocates across America. People like myself started to realise we could have a tangible and direct influence by making choices on what we buy.”

“But it wasn’t until around 1990 that the first organic farming related legislation was passed by American lawmakers.

“The challenge over those 20 years, between when people first talked about organic until policy makers took notice, was really on spreading awareness.

“Consumers have to see organic produce as a way out of environmental degradation, or as the best way to eat healthy food. For others, purchasing organic is a way of developing fair trade, since organic farmers are usually small-scale producers.”

According to DiMatteo, awareness is certainly the key if consumers here are to be encouraged to spend more for the safer and healthier alternative.

In Malaysia, organic crops, fruits, vegetables and meat cost between 30 and hundreds of percent more than conventional food items.

And with the global recession just beginning will there be fewer people willing to spend more on food?

“Well, that’s a concern that worries everyone,” DiMatteo said.

“But some people, including myself, think that the higher cost of conventional agriculture – with their greater use of petroleum input – will lead to higher prices anyway.

“So the recession could potentially lend a hand to levelling prices between organic and conventional produce. More conventional farmers may also turn to organic farming to earn more money.

“Meanwhile, consumers may spend less eating out, preferring instead to shop and cook for themselves, thereby making better judgement over food.”

But political will to boost the sector is just as important, she said.

“There’s got to be a shifting of agriculture subsidies from conventional to organic farming. However, this has had resistance in the US and will be the case for other countries.

But ironically, the ‘backward’ nature of agriculture practices in developing countries could have its own benefits.

DiMatteo explained: “Organic farming is all about going back to traditional modes of agriculture: the non-usage of chemicals chiefly, and to diversify crop production which is to avoid monoculture.”

In a nutshell, implementing organic is less of a shock to agriculture systems in countries like Malaysia, according to her.

“There would also be less resistance from established, conventional farmers when policies shift towards organic,” she said.

The conference has looked at trade from three perspectives-local, regional and global.
Although local markets are larger in Asia – and statistically unaccounted for – focus has been on the latter two.

Discussion points have emphasised on the role of certification standards.

Within the Asian region alone, governments have introduced at least seven distinct forms of standards.

Requirements vary from country to country, and generally involve a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping.

Some delegates have argues that such un-unified practices are stifling growth and innovation.

Others believe certain standards are misrepresenting the term ‘organic’.

As a result, it’s been pointed out that with so many certification standards, consumers are growing increasingly more concerned whether an organic imports meets their own country’s minimum requirements.

“Creating certification is certainly tool of trade,” United Nations Conference on Trade and Development representative Ulrich Hofmann said.

“When you want to buy an organic apple, you will not be interested to know whether your government has certified the organic apple safe.”

Is there’s one thing delegates would have taken away from the four-day conference, it’s this: Communication – from making inclusive policies that take into account grassroots inputs, to government-to-government cooperation and the creation of a regional desk.