"Apulia is a fertile region that has been cultivated by many different cultures" – this is how Eduardo Cuoco, Director of IFOAM Organics Europe (the European umbrella organisation for organic farming), explained the choice of location for the second edition of the Organics Europe Youth Event (OEYE) in his welcome speech. Not only Apulia, but also the event’s host CIHEAM Bari (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) can look back on an exciting history: for more than 60 years, agronomic research has been carried out on its campus and students from all over the Mediterranean region have received their training.
The general consensus throughout the various events was that the young generation plays a key role in shaping the future of the organic movement and driving forward an agroecological transformation. One of the aims of this year's OEYE was, therefore, to strengthen this diverse group of "young organic leaders" and to help them network with each other. Under the guidance of IFOAM, as well as Cristina Laurenti (research associate at FiBL Switzerland and coordinator of the Agroecology Europe Youth Network) and Lennart Bertels (farmer and chairman of Junges Bioland e.V.), young representatives from research, trade and practice discussed possible steps that could lead to establishing a "young European organic voice". This is no easy task, as in many countries (including Switzerland) the "young organic voice" is barely established at a national level.
A detailed report on the event is available on Bioaktuell.ch.
Text by Mirjam Schleiffer and Rike Teuber, FiBL Switzerland