Repost from The Organic Center.
The Organic Center and The Organic Trade Association (OTA) were honored to join the 21st IFOAM - Organics International’s Organic World Congress held in Chiayi County, Taiwan on November 30 – December 6. The Organic World Congress is a global gathering of organic farmers, researchers, businesses, trade groups, civil society, and other stakeholders. These passionate voices unite around a shared vision: making organic the foundation of agriculture worldwide.
The Organic Center’s Director of Science Programs Dr. Amber Sciligo and OTA co-CEO Tom Chapman represented the eponymous organizations at the Congress.
Host country Taiwan is the fourth largest export market for American organic products. Taiwan demonstrates how international cooperation fosters resilience for farmers, enhances environmental sustainability, and provides its people with healthy, delicious, and nutritious choices.
DAY 1
The first day of the World Congress began Monday with Dr. Sciligo of The Organic Center delivering an inspiring keynote “Cultivating Organic Solutions for True Sustainability,” which highlighted U.S. efforts to amplify the positive message of organic.
OTA co-CEO Chapman participated in a pre-conference session co-organized by Eduardo Cuoco from IFOAM Organics Europe and Mariano Serratore at ICEA Istituto Certificazioni Etiche e Ambientali to explore how organic systems can thrive in a metrics-driven world. Organic leaders like Andrew Smith, PhD (Rodale Institute), Paul Alvarez (Regenerative Organic Alliance), and Paul Holmbeck (IFOAM - Organics International), as well as leaders from around the globe, delved into current sustainability trends and strategies to elevate organic’s profile.
With introspection, humility, and reflection, the Congress explored how organic’s holistic approach—rooted in true cost accounting—can be integrated into broader sustainability conversations. By addressing the complexities of interconnected metrics, we aim to ensure that sustainability efforts are impactful, enduring, and rise above fleeting buzzwords. Together, the Congress embraces the challenge of crafting lasting solutions to agriculture’s most pressing issues.
DAY 2
Dr. Sciligo showcased The Organic Center's cutting-edge research projects that deliver on farmer-driven priorities. These initiatives tackle real-world challenges, helping American organic farmers thrive by applying solutions directly to challenges in their production operations.
The day was packed with insightful sessions and networking focused on knowledge sharing, best practices, opportunities and challenges in expanding organic markets, as well as policies to scale organic agriculture globally.
Chapman shared updates on the new USDA National Organic Program (Agricultural Marketing Service)’s producer group certification rules under the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations. These rules are critical for supporting small-scale farmers worldwide—producers of crops like cacao, coffee, tea, spices, coconut, cotton, and more.
Chapman was joined during this session by representatives Markus Arbenz from the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL Federica Varini from Naturland, Shailesh Patel from Fairtrade International, Dang Thi Bich Huong of Vietnam Organic. On the agenda was a discussion of the grower group lawsuit, while the Congress engaged with hardworking small producers who could be significantly impacted. Learn more here.
DAY 3
On Day 3, Chapman shared insights on Multiple Pathways to Market Success. He was joined by an incredible panel of global experts from Asia, Africa and Europe, including Raffaele Zanoli, Flávia Moura e Castro, Sylvia Kuria 🇰🇪 Prof. Shih-Hsiung Chen, and Hilke Hartmann.
Dr. Amber Sciligo from The Organic Center was elected to represent North American interests on the board.
Newly elected World Board members were appointed and welcomed including Karen Mapusua, Marco Schlüter, Sarah Compson, Shamika Mone, Boyet Uchida, Mag, Paul Holmbeck, Amber Sciligo, Julia Lernoud, and Bablu.
This team of global leaders brings exceptional expertise and dedication to advancing organic agriculture. Together, they will steer IFOAM-Organics International according to the strategic direction set during the General Assembly, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of ecological sustainability and innovation. Unfortunately, none of the three candidates from the African continent were elected, resulting in the board being without an African member for the first time in decades. However, at the General Assembly, the membership voted to recommend that the World Board co-opt (add) a member from Africa and work is already underway.
The future looks bright with the new leadership. The next Organic World Congress will take place in the Negros Occidental Province, Philippines in 2027.
Key takeaways from the Organic World Congress include:
- Younger generations with growing purchasing power, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are prioritizing and paying for organic products, seeing it as a solution to current challenges.
- From the U.S. to Kenya, organic farmers face significant hurdles in getting their products to market, which highlights the critical need for investment in organic supply chains.
- Opportunities in trade shows: Global trade shows like BIOFACH play a pivotal role in fostering conversations and enabling market discovery for organic producers. It’s inspiring to see the global organic community united in driving meaningful progress.