Presentation at 11th Organic Producers’ Conference: Rising to the challenge.
In 2010, a small farmers’ gathering titled its discussion ‘R-Evolution of Organic Agriculture – Organic 3.0’. The idea of Organic 3.0 was born. The overall goal of Organic 3.0 is to enable a widespread uptake of truly sustainable farming systems and markets based on organic principles. At its heart, Organic 3.0 is not prescriptive but descriptive: instead of enforcing a set of minimum rules, this model is outcome-based and adaptable to local context. It is still grounded upon clearly defined minimum requirements
(standards).
It also expands outward from these base requirements: it calls for continuous improvement through stakeholder-driven initiatives towards best practices based on local priorities, and as described in the Best Practices Guidelines of IFOAM – Organics International. The strategy for Organic 3.0 includes six main features, consistently promoting the diversity and recognizing there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach: 1) a culture of innovation; 2) continuous improvement towards best practice; 3) diverse ways to ensure transparency and integrity; 4) inclusiveness of wider sustainability interests; 5) empowerment from the farm to the final consumer; and 6) true value and cost accounting.
The concept of Organic 3.0 has been drafted based on a discussion in the global organic movement over the past few years and is supposed to be approved by the global general assembly in India in November 2017.
