(Frick/Nuremberg, February 15, 2013) Demand for African organic products has grown steadily in recent years. Many grass-roots initiatives in Africa have started to sell organic products in neighbourhood shops, street markets or in organic shops in towns. Certified organic products provide access to attractive local and international markets, where farmers and other stakeholders of the value chain can receive higher prices and raise their incomes. African organic products are being successfully exhibited at international trade fairs such as BioFach in Nuremberg.
Starting organic farming is only the first step. Selling the products is another challenge. How can producers, processors and traders in Africa be successful in the organic business? This training video explains how to develop successful marketing strategies and techniques for organic products in Africa. It provides examples from Uganda, Ethiopia and South Africa of how to become an entrepreneur and how to learn about market opportunities, requirements and marketing techniques. The challenging topic is described in a comprehensible step-by-step approach.
“Experts from our institute worked with African specialists to produce this training video for growers, farmer groups and extension workers”, explains FiBL project leader Lukas Kilcher. “One of our goals is to increase profitability for farmers by promoting improved technologies for market-driven organic production systems that help to make farmers more fit for successful business.” This video will encourage African producers, processors and traders to apply effective locally adapted marketing techniques. “Critical, but enthusiastic teachers, advisors and farmers are today’s prime movers of agricultural development in Africa”, says Lukas Kilcher. “We are delighted to contribute our expertise to their efforts to promote sustainable farming practices with diverse training tools, tailor made for Africa.”
This training video (60 minutes) is an output of the African Organic Agriculture Training Manual project* of FiBL and partners of the African organic movement. Version 1.0 of the African Organic Agriculture Training Manual was published in 2011 by FiBL. It includes an illustrated trainers’ guide, power point presentations, hand-outs for farmers, and an online directory of organic agriculture in Africa. The tools were developed to assist smallholder farmers implement organic farming techniques, improve sustainability of agricultural production, and expand market opportunities. The project partners include the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), African National Organic Agriculture Movements (NOAMs) and agricultural experts from across Africa. So far all tools are available in English language. Further videos, other training materials as well as translation into French and other African languages are planned in the near future.
The marketing video and the other training materials are available for download free of cost on www.organic-africa.net.
Further information
Contact
Lukas Kilcher, Head of Communications and leader of the African Organic Agriculture Training Manual project
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Media release (72.5 KB)
Media release
*The production of the African Organic Agriculture Training Manual was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. The recommendations in the manual and the video are those of the editors, and do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of either Foundation.