Countdown for the Organic World Congress

Familiy farming is quite important in India like here in Kerala. © Karin Heinze

The countdown for the 19th Organic World Congress of IFOAM Organics International is running. From 9 - 11 November it will take place in Noida (New Delhi). Over 2,000 people from around the world have registered already. Markus Arbenz, Executive Director of IFOAM - Organics International invites to join the Organic World Congress in India as still are spaces left.

Watch the video statement of Markus Arbenz

The 19th Organic World Congress (OWC) is being designed and organised by the Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI) to stun the organic world. The Congress Steering Committee has endorsed the decision of the Association to hold the event in an atmosphere of celebration, explains the official OWC website . „The globe is moving steadily towards organic production: India is a key example“, states OFAI. Prime Minister Modi is expected to inaugurate the Congress. That will underline organic agriculture´s critical importance for this nation of 1.33 billion people. In addition, the Agriculture Minister of India, an advocate of organic farming, will himself be delivering a paper.

Government Support

From the OWC website we learn that the India edition is co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the National Centre of Organic Farming is a member of the Congress Steering Committee. Further political support has come with the participation of APEDA, the major organic export arm of the Ministry of Commerce as a Principal Partner. Several important states of the Indian Federation are joining the Congress as Partners.

"In these circumstances, the political support for organic agriculture in India needs to be celebrated by the world organic family. That is the reason why we want as many people from across the world to be there to join the occasion. Besides the political support from the host (India) for organic farming, the other unique aspect of this OWC is the effort to bring organic farmers for the first time centre stage at the event, in order to further a massive exchange of organic agriculture innovations, particularly advanced techniques", explains OFAI.

50+ countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America, from the Philippines to Vietnam and Indonesia, Senegal and Zambia to South Africa, Iran, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Europe, Japan and the US will particate the OWC. " All these farmers will be encouraged to speak in their mother tongues and the presentations are being translated into 12 international and Indian languages. "Nobody at the India OWC will feel she does not understand what is going on. In addition to the farmers, the OWC will see participation from a larger number of scientists, researchers and officials."

Parallel to the OWC the BioFach India/ India Organic will take place at the same venue.

There are still spaces left, reserve your seat