Information for AFRISCO's clients

Organic agriculture
Organic agriculture, as promoted by Afrisco, is based on the IFOAM Principles of Organic Agriculture:

• The Principle of Health promotes the sustainable enhancement of soils, plants, animals, humans and the planet.
• The Principle of Ecology recognises that organic agriculture is based on, works with, emulates and sustains the natural cycles of living ecosystems.
• The Principle of Fairness by which organic agriculture fosters fair relationships with the common environment and life opportunities through equity, respect, justice and stewardship among people, other salient beings and the environment.
• The Principle of Care requires that organic agriculture is managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well being of the present and future generations and environment.

The principles are achieved by:

• Including all agricultural systems that promote the environmentally, socially and economically sound production of food and fibres.
• Acknowledging that local soil fertility as a key to successful production.
• Optimising 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.
• Adherence to globally accepted principles, which are implemented within local socio-economic, climatic and cultural settings.
• Positively contributing 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.

AFRISCO Certified Organic

AFRISCO Certified Organic is a South African Organic Certifying Agency.   It is the mission of 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 Afrisco is a 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 have now been accredited by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).  Afrisco also intends to apply for accreditation with the Department of Agriculture in South Africa as soon as such a scheme becomes available.

By the operation of the Afrisco organic certification scheme, 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. 

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.  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. 

Afrisco’s ownership: