Organic agriculture

This is a system which

•      Includes all agricultural systems that promote the environmentally, socially and economically sound production of food and fibres.

•      Takes local soil fertility as a key to successful production.

•      Aims to optimise quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment, by respecting the natural capacity of plants, animals and the landscape,

•      Dramatically reduces external inputs by refraining from the use of chemical or synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Instead it allows the powerful laws of nature to increase both agricultural yields and disease resistance.

•      Adheres to globally accepted principles, which are implemented within local socio-economic, climatic and cultural settings.

•      Positively contributes to environment, food security and the economic situation for the farmer practicing the system and the region where it is practiced. 

 

The advantages of organic certification

Organic certification shows buyers that you know what you are doing, and have followed accepted standards.  It allows you to sell organic products to major retailers – who require the assurance of an accredited certifier – and to export.  Certification also protects you from unfair competition from those who claim to be organic, but who aren’t following the accepted rules.

Ecocert-Afrisco (Pty) Ltd

Ecocert-Afrisco Pty Ltd is a South African Organic Certifying Agency.   It is the mission of Ecocert-Afrisco to work with the organic associations in South Africa and with organic producers in other Southern African countries to:

¨      Provide efficient organic certification services at reasonable cost which are accepted by the major retailers in the region, and also internationally

¨      Develop standards for all aspects of organic production and processing which are acceptable to major retailers and consumers in South Africa and in export markets

In addition, and without providing training or consultancy services or marketing services (which might make us biased when we were inspecting or certifying):

¨      Promote understanding of the skills required for organic production and certification in the region, especially for small-scale producers, through presentations to farmers’ groups on the requirements for organic certification

¨      Develop awareness of the national and international market among producers

¨      Promote awareness of the products and their value for health and the environment among Southern African consumers

¨      Assist client requirements for efficient organic transaction services for exports

The Afrisco certification scheme operated by Ecocert-Afrisco is a certification scheme for licensing organic food production, processing and packaging, and associated non-food products.  The scheme was launched in 2001 to provide an ethical and well-regulated basis for establishing the integrity of organic production systems and food products in South Africa and neighbouring countries.  It involves the independent inspection and certification of organic food from its production through the processing and distribution chain to the consumer.

The certification scheme has adopted strict standards that will allow it to apply for accreditation with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements as soon as possible.  (We are already members of IFOAM.)  Ecocert-Afrisco also intends to apply for accreditation with the Department of Agriculture in South Africa as soon as such a scheme becomes available, and is in the process of applying for ISO 65 accreditation through the South African National Accreditation System. 

By the operation of the Afrisco organic certification scheme, Ecocert-Afrisco intends to promote the production and consumption of organic food in Southern Africa and for export.  Standards have been set to a level that is internationally accepted as organic in order to promote consumer confidence both in South Africa and the export markets.  Fees for the programme will be kept to a minimum to encourage the growth of the sector.

Ecocert-Afrisco is particularly concerned to promote organic production amongst smallholders in South Africa and the rest of the southern African region and thus to improve both the ecological conditions, and rural employment and incomes.  Ecocert-Afrisco intends to promote organic production among small-scale emerging farmers by providing training providers with non-remunerated guidance on the principles of organic production, to:

•       develop simplified curricula based on the standards and the requirements of the operating manual, and obtain approval for these within the National Qualifications Framework

•      develop internal control systems for formal groups of farmers that will allow for a reduction in overall costs of certification for each emerging farmer in the group

•      but never at the cost of a reduction in the level of standards required for organic certification. 

 

Ecocert-Afrisco’s ownership:

The company’s shareholders are

Ø    Diana Callear, the Managing Director, an agricultural economist who has been involved in agricultural and rural development issues in Southern Africa for the last 20 years, and has worked for the governments of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. 

Ø    Ecocert SA, a French company with 25 years of experience in organic certification, which has clients in 85 countries.  

The link with Ecocert SA has proved useful in ensuring that Ecocert-Afrisco’s organic certification to the local, “Afrisco” standards meets international standards.  Ecocert-Afrisco also provides Ecocert organic certification to the European, American and Japanese standards, as well as many others.  If you intend to export within the next 12 months, please contact us to establish if Ecocert certification would be more useful to you.