3rd West African Conference on Organic Agriculture

The third West African Organic Conference will take place in Benin on 27 - 29 August 2014. The main objective is to contribute to defining mechanisms to integrate the principles of organic and ecological agriculture in agricultural development policies and strategies of West African countries. This conference aims to raise public awareness and engage with stakeholders like researchers, academics, the public and private sector, civil society, and development partners for reflections on best strategies for the implementation of the resolution Decision on Food Safety EX.CL/631 (XVIII) in West Africa.
 
Activities and discussions during the conference will be organized around the following sub-themes: institutionalizing ecological and organic agriculture: current status, challenges and perspectives; ecological and organic agriculture: what contribution to food security and poverty reduction?; ecological and organic agriculture and adaptation to climate change; and access mechanisms and governance of seed for ecological and organic agriculture: what biotechnical risks? Various side events are offered: a side event with IFOAM: training in Benin; with FiBL: presentation of results of research on organic farming systems in West Africa; with the African Union Commission: EOA Steering Committee meeting; and with FAO: Presentation of results of research on the links between good farming and good market practices. More information as well as the full programme are available here .