The annual ORC organic producer’s conference will be organized at Aston University, Birmingham from 18 to 19th January, 2012.
The main aim of this conference is to focus on the potential contribution of organic/agro-ecological approaches to CAP Reform and Food Security along with a focus on improving the delivery of public goods and the sustainability of UK food production systems. The plenary sessions will address the key policy issues, while twenty workshops will tackle the practical issues and research/ innovation needed to achieve these policy aspirations.
The opening session on CAP Reform, features Dr Juern Sanders from the von Thuenen Institute in Braunschweig, Germany and Christopher Stopes, President of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements’ EU Group, will focus the implications of the Commission’s proposals for the organic sector, including the automatic qualification of organic producers for the greening element of the single payment and a higher profile for organic farming in rural development. Given the relatively low level of support for organic producers in the UK compared with other EU countries, and the tough market conditions experienced recently, the session will consider whether the organic sector can look forward to a better future under the new CAP.
The closing session will be introduced by ORC’s Prof. Martin Wolfe, who will consider agro-ecological approaches (including organic farming) to food sovereignty around the world, building on Prof. Miguel Altieri’s extensive experience in the United States and Latin America.
These demonstrate clearly that the application of agro-ecology to design resilient, biodiverse and resource-efficient farming systems is the most relevant and robust pathway to ensure sustainable food production while maintaining key ecological services for a growing global population in an era of climate, energy and financial crisis.
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