Course Outline and Background Information on Organic Trade

Course Outline

Module 1: Why Organic?
(Agriculture - a key sector and its role in the economy, conventional agriculture, defining organic agriculture, benefits, critical concerns, challenges to promotion and trade, related organizations and projects, how to set up/convert into organic production, focusing on developing countries)

Module 2: Organic Production
(Conversion to organic: issues, plans, challenges and solutions, technical tools, organic methods and techniques, food processing, certification, standards, regulations, certification bodies)

Module 3: Organic Market and Trade
(Global markets, rules/standards in organic trade, tariffs and non-tariff barriers, harmonization and equivalence, how to set up an organic value chain, marketing, collective marketing)

Background Information on Organic Trade

Trade in organic food and drinks has attained the US$ 50 billion a year mark in 2008 and despite economic slow down and financial crises, the percentage of market growth for organic products is the highest in the food sector. More than 50% of all baby food sold in the UK in 2008 was organic. In parallel, the market for organic cotton, which was only US$ 241 million in 2001, has crossed US$ 5 billion mark in 2008. Demand for organic wild harvested products, and cosmetics made of organic ingredients is also growing exponentially. The growth trend is expected to continue as consumers and supply chains increasingly realize the health and environmental benefits of organic production.

While increasing demand for organic products has outpaced the supply in recent years, many individuals and institutions, especially in developing countries and economies in transition, have not been able to seize the business development and wealth creation opportunities offered by this growing segment of the market. Various barriers stand in the way; most significantly, a lack of knowledge and understanding about the requirements and standards for production and export.