Opportunities for organic produce in global market, standards and quality for export
Ashish Wele
Outline of talk: Background about Organic and natural farming with focus on the difference if any.
Interpretation of the labels and authorities engaged in labelling/ claims
Geographic/ agroclimatic locations and the impact on the crops
Bridging the gap between agriculture and human health through nutrition sensitive agriculture approach. Bridge the silos between agriculture, nutrition and medical professionals.
There is a difference between food, in general, and nutritious food: while food may provide you with enough calories for a day, nutritious food will provide adequate calories along with enough micro- and macro-nutrients. However, there is an ongoing struggle to deliver nutritious food to the consumer, due to a variety of issues, such as insufficient cold storage infrastructure which makes transportation of fruits and vegetables difficult, or increasing availability, access, and affordability of nutritious foods. By better understanding the consumer, including drivers such as taste, affordability, and tradition, and how these factors impact how and what people eat, we may find a key to improving the diets of many consumers across the globe.
Organic Agriculture Going Mainstream in India
- “Organic Agriculture (IFOAM definition)is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people.
- It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.
- Organic farming is more about using naturally available resources optimally to enhance productivity & production.
- Organic farming is a system of farming (certified inputs)which is dependent entirely on organic sources for crop nutrition and crop husbandry
- Natural farming refers to farming with nature and without chemicals
Emergence
- Organic agriculture has grown out of the conscious efforts by inspired people to create the best possible relationship between the earth and men
Assurance
- There has been a significant sensitization of the global community towards environmental preservation and assuring food quality.
- Organic Agriculture is a potential way to achieve these eco-friendly tasks
- Gives assurance to the consumer of good practices
- However, if natural farming is done with clean practices which is without use of pesticides/limited approved pesticides it also safe.
Regulatory Mechanism For Export
- Notified by Ministry of Commerce as NPOP. It is in operation since 2002
For Domestic
- A framework is s worked out and is notified under the Agricultural Produce Grading and Marking Act on the similar lines of NPOP
The national Programme involves the accreditation Programme for certification bodies, norms for organic production, promotion of organic farming.
The NPOP standards for production and accreditation system have been recognized by USDA, European Commission and Switzerland as equivalent to their country standards.
Although Harmonization of standards in various countries is a challenge.
Remember: Tall nutritional claims on organic products are inappropriate. As it is more of a practice and doesn’t change or improve the nutritional value.
They can be at par with conventional products. Sometimes fresh organic products may have more bacterial load – US study. In such case we need to give thrust on wholesome food.
Growing market for organic food
- Growth: 20- 30 % per annum
- Current Market: USD 31 Billion
(1% of total food sales)
- Major Markets
- USA : USD 12 Billion
- JAPAN: USD 3 Billion
- EUROPE: USD 10 -11 Billion
Biofortification
Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology. Emphasis can be also given to address the issue of mal Nutrion.
Smart Food is defined as food that is: good for you /consumer; good for the planet; and good for the smallholder farmer. Millets with high nutritional value are perfect example to smart food and offers a wide range of benefits as they contribute significantly to food & nutrition security for large population in world. Which can address UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 – of ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition.
Pearl millet is an important food security crop for more than 500 million people in Asia-specially India and Africa. HarvestPlus has developed iron- and zinc biofortified pearl millet disseminated through participating stakeholders’ governments, seed companies (Nirmal Seeds in India), NGOs and farmers; for improved nutrition and health.
Present project focuses on importance of millet-based crop diversification in Central Europe; and significance of nutritious food-based approach to address human nutrition, health and wellness in sustainable development context.
A collaborative research has been initiated through a partnership between University of Debrecen (UNIDEB) Hungary, International Crops Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) & Mrida group from India- in 2017. Public-Private partnerships (PPP) & Scaling up of technology was coordinated by UNIDEB-MRIDA (food-nutrition-health-wellness). Initial collaborative study was completed between 2017 – 2018.
Interventions include:
Successful introduction of high-yielding iron-rich biofortified pearl millet sourced from India, into central Europe. It reveals that nutritious pearl millet can be entirely produced, processed and marketed in Europe.
Preparing different flours and products with base of different millets suited to European taste. Collaborating with distributors & local partners for promoting healthy foods & wellness concept. Providing different collaborative opportunities in the field of agriculture, nutrition and health sciences between India and Hungary
Photo Credit: fnbreport