CIHEAM-IAMB
Mediterranean Organic
Agriculture Network (MOAN)
History and scope for a new
organisation
Lina AL BITAR
IAMB
First meeting
November 23 – 25, 2006
Bari - Italy
Background
• Organic farming, in the last years, has
continuously attracted much interest and
consent, and by now it involves quite all the
Mediterranean countries.
• Despite its progressive development, the
evolution of the organic sector in the
Mediterranean region is constrained by some
critical points.
Factors limiting the development of the
Mediterranean organic agriculture
 Information-training deficiency
-
Poor technical-scientific knowledge;
-
Lack of statistics and unreliability of data
 Institutional deficiency
- Regulations unsuitable for the territorial peculiarities and problems of equivalence
- Lack and inadequacy of support policy
 Degradation of the natural resources
-
Fragility of the agroecological system;
-
Soil desertification;
-
Simplification and homogenisation of vegetation;
-
Degradation by salinisation, laterization and erosion;
-
Water and soil pollution;
 Socio-economic and cultural desertification
MOAN launching
In 1999, IAMB launched a
network of experts with the
objective
of
furthering
organic agriculture in the
CIHEAM member states.
Network on Mediterranean Organic Agriculture
www.organicmedit.org
Scientific Network on
Organic Agriculture
CIHEAM
Funds
STRATEGY “a”
Deepening knowledge on Organic
Agriculture in the Mediterranean
Region
Data
collection
Litterature
&
Research
reviews
Database
Courses for
trainers and
for students
Preparation of
proposals for new
funding
Workshops
- seminars
National &
International
Donors (EC, ….)
Input from Strategy “a”
STRATEGY “b”
Institutional strengthening
STRATEGY “c”
Support for farmers
research & experimentation
Disposal of new
funds
Partners
Albania
Algeria
Egypt
France
Greece
Italy
Lebanon
Malta
Morocco
Portugal
Tunisia
Turkey
International Institution: IFOAM ABM
University of Tirana
University of Blida
Ain Shams University
GRAB
MAICH
Bari University
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture
IAV-Hassan II
Ministry of Agriculture
CTAB
Ege University
2004
2002
MOAN evolution
Following the Euro-Med Conference
recommendation (Venice, 2003) IAMB has
decided to re-organize MOAN, by making it
an institutional governmental Network and
by enlarging it to all Euro-Med countries.
Partner Countries
European
•Cyprus
•France
•Greece
•Italy
•Malta
•Portugal
•Spain
•Slovenia
Eastern Adriatic
•Albania
•BiH
- Federation Bosnia
& Herzegovina
- Rep. Srpska
•Croatia
•Macedonia
•Serbia
•Montenegro
Mashrek
•Egypt
•Jordan
•Lebanon
•Palestine
•Syria
•Turkey
Maghreb
•Algeria
•Libya
•Morocco
•Tunisia
Network on Mediterranean Organic Agriculture
www.iamb.it
Flowchar
t
Coordinator
IAMB
Steering
committee
Partners
Ministries
of Agriculture
Objectives
1. Creating a partnership to discuss at regional level all the
problems related to the institutional organization of the sector
and look for common strategies for its development.
2. Strengthening the relations among organic communities
(especially among official institutions like Ministries) in the
Mediterranean region.
3. Valorisation of the potential of organic agriculture in the
region.
4. Become a reference point for policy makers at international
level.
Activities
•
Organisation of an annual meeting to discuss problems and share
common strategies;
•
Organisation of country-specific workshops to encourage national
sub-networks, enhance the visibility of the host country and raise its
profile in the Mediterranean organic context;
•
Organisation of international conferences and publication of
scientific works, periodical reports on the state-of-the-art of OA in the
region with the aim to bring the Mediterranean organic perspective in
the global debate
•
Creation and management of a website on Mediterranean OA with
special sections on country profiles and events.
Website presentation
CIHEAM-IAMB
Organic Agriculture in the
Mediterranean
Statistics and main trends
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
•Total area about 4 000 000 ha
•Total number of farms about 114 000
Source: SIAB, MOAN, ONAB (IAMB)
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
Organic land area (ha) in the Mediterranean countries
Ita
ly
Sp
ai
n
Fr
an
ce
Se
rb
ia
G
re
ec
Tu e
ni
si
Tu a
rk
M ey
or
oc
co
Eg
yp
Sl
ov t
e
Po nia
rt
ug
a
Cr l
oa
Le tia
ba
no
Al n
b
M ani
ac
a
ed
on
ia
B&
H
Cy
pr
us
Sy
Pa ria
le
sti
n
Al e
ge
ri
a
Jo
rd
an
M
al
ta
Ha
1100000
1050000
1000000
950000
900000
850000
800000
750000
700000
650000
600000
550000
500000
450000
400000
350000
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
Number of organic farms in the Mediterranean countries
45000
42000
39000
36000
33000
30000
27000
24000
21000
18000
15000
12000
9000
6000
3000
Ita
ly
Sp
ai
Tu n
rk
M ey
or
oc
c
Fr o
an
c
G e
re
e
Sl ce
ov
en
Po i a
rt
ug
a
Tu l
ni
Pa sia
le
sti
ne
Eg
yp
Cy t
pr
Le us
ba
no
Cr n
oa
ti
Al a
ba
n
M
ac ia
ed
on
Al ia
ge
ri
a
B&
H
S
y
M
on ria
te
ne
gr
o
Jo
rd
an
M
al
ta
0
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
Organic land area: share of non-EU Mediterranean countries
Morocco
5%
others
0%
Serbia
7%
total EU-Med
73%
non EU
27%
Serbia
7%
Egypt
1%
Turkey
5%
Tunisia
6%
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
Maghreb
Country
National
Organic policy
legislation
Algeria
Draft
Yes
Action
Plan
No
Morocco
Draft
No
Tunisia
Yes
Yes
Egypt
No
No
No
Turkey
Yes
Yes
Draft
Lebanon
Draft
Yes
Syria
No
Palestine
Financial
support
Mashrek
Eastern
Mediterra
nean
countries
EU
countries
Certification
bodies
Producers’
association
Market
local
1
No
2 foreign
1 local
2 foreign
Yes
4 foreign
various +
national
federation
8
Yes
5
growing
No
7 foreign
3 local
2 local
2
No
Draft
No
-
mostly local and
regional
Limited
No
-
-
1 foreign
Jordan
No
No
Yes
1 foreign
Albania
Yes
No
Draft
B&H
Yes (rep.
Srpska)
No
Croatia
Yes
Macedonia
2
export
Yes (very limited)
Yes (very limited)
yes
Strongly exportoriented
Strongly exportoriented
Strongly exportoriented
Strongly exportoriented
Very limited
growing
Export-oriented
Export-oriented
3 Foreign
1 Local
Yes
Limited
Yes
Limited
No
Local &
Foreign
Yes
Limited
Export-oriented
Yes
Draft
5 local
1 Foreign
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Draft
Foreign &
Local
Yes
Serbia
Yes
Yes
No
No
3
Montenegro
Yes
Yes
No
1 Foreign
3
Portugal
Yes
Yes
Yes
France
Yes
Yes
Yes
Greece
Yes
2
1
1
5
3
Italy
Yes
Yes
Spain
Yes
Malta
Export-oriented
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
mature
Yes
emerging
yes
Yes
mature
Yes
No
Yes
emerging
yes
Draft
Yes
Yes
1 Local
No
yes
limited
Cyprus
Yes
Yes
Draft
2
Yes Limited
yes
Slovenia
Yes
Yes
Yes
1 Local
1 Foreign
2 Local
10
Yes
Yes
Foreign
Local
Foreign
Local
Local
Organic agriculture in the Mediterranean
Critical issues
•
•
•
•
•
Heterogeneity and unreliability of data
Difficulty in finding statistical information
Insufficient training and technical know-how
Insufficient research and support policies
Inadequat regulations and problems of equivalency
Perspectives
•
•
•
•
Economic development
Preservation of natural resources
Income generating
Strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean relationships
Conclusions and future prospects
• Develop a local culture of organic farming
• Set up action plans and support policies
• Harmonization of international rules and norms
• Different actions should be undertaken such as:
 The creation of databases for the collection and diffusion of
information;
 Institutional capacity building;
 Activities of research and experimentation; and
 Networking.
Thank you for your attention and
welcome at IAMB