Tunisia's Courage Paid off as Giant and Forerunner in Organic Food Production on the Continent
Tunisia's Courage Paid off as Giant and Forerunner in Organic Food Production on the Continent
It's not surprising that a north Africa country foresees the future of organic agriculture and positions herself by way of advancing the necessary leadership and political will to paving the platform for a nascent, yet economically viable industry with potential too real to guarantee food security, biodiversity, economy development and improve standards of living for her citizens
One would have thought that West and East Africa should have taken the lead having enjoyed the humongous benefit of agricultural industrialization. These are regions endowed with vast arable capital assets, favorable rainfalls and human capital.
During the agricultural economy era, there were hardly any records of rejects of Nigerian agric products less alone ban by European Union on her food items. The country stood tall as choice suppliers in the league of nations when it comes to organic produce. Food domestication was put over 94% while export was over 60% with employment opportunities, decent wealth creation, and appreciable rural development. All these were achieved due to organic agriculture which encompasses bottom up citizens' involvement, minimal or no pesticide use, preservation of water quality etc
Organic farming is part of Africa's culture. From a tiny garden at the corner of individual building to subsistence practices or small scale farming. The propensity for natural food in the phase of ultra high processed food products among Africans can't be doubted. Moreover, the taste for minimally processed or natural food is fast gaining support all over and even beyond our widest imagination as the world is drifting away from consumption of synthetic additive or concoction due to increase awareness of non communicable diseases
Nigeria and other Africa countries which benefited immensely from this infant industry might have lose out in the event of things partly due to lack of foresight, most significantly commitment and intent to pro-actively sustain and manage the sector
IFOAM's policy guideline narrated Tunisia's success story of government-led organic export sector growth. According to IFOAM, Organic agriculture started in Tunisia in the mid 1980s in response to the demand for organic products from Europe. It is interesting to note that the government was not aware of the potential of this sector for almost one and the half decade but limited to a few private initiatives. It was after some international exchanges, particularly between Tunisian agronomy professors and French organic farmers, that Tunisian public institutions became interested in organic agriculture. Discussions between the professors and staff from the Ministry of Agriculture culminated in 1997 in the organization of a workshop followed by several other conferences. These events heralded government support for the organic sector foreseeing it could help achieve some of the national agriculture policy objectives, particularly improving farmers’ income and export revenues. Soon after these events, government support to organic agriculture materialized into explicit support measures.
Since then, The Tunisian government has taken a very pro-active role in supporting the growth of the organic sector over the past 20 years. The law on organic agriculture was enacted two years after, covering both organic regulation aspects and organic support measures. The law and a series of complementary decrees resulted in an institutionalization of organic agriculture, as well as considerable public investments into organic research and extension at a very early stage of development of the sector. In particular, a number of specialized central and regional level administrative government agencies and technical institutions were created through the decrees of 1999, among which are the National Commission for Organic Agriculture and the Technical Centre of Organic Agriculture.
In 2004, Tunisia developed its first national organic action plan with funding support from FAO. This plan, implemented from 2005 to 2009, was rooted in the country’s broader Economic and Social Development Plan. After a review of the sector situation at the end of the first action plan implementation, a second national organic action plan (2010-2014) followed. Again, this plan was linked to the broader Economic and Social Development Plan for that period. In particular, it made reference to the objectives related to food security, increasing exports of agri-food products and conserving natural resources. To achieve those objectives, increasing organic production volumes, diversity, quality and value addition were the particular focus of the organic plan. The action plan had clear annual targets such as areas under organic management. Market development, both international and national, was another component of the plan. The plan was backed up by a series of support measures including budget allocations to organic institutions, subsidies for operators and investors, and governmental projects. Government efforts to support organic agriculture in Tunisia have paid off.
Private investors responded to the policy measures by investing massively in the organic sector. Between 2005 and 2010, about €5.3 million per year were invested in the sector. In 2012, investment in the organic sector reached €7.59 million, representing more than 52% of the total investment in the Tunisian agriculture sector for that year. The number of farmers, the certified organic areas and the export revenue from organic products underwent an impressive growth over the decade that followed the start of government support
The value of organic exports also increased, from EUR 7 million in 2004, to EUR 35 million in 2008 and to around EUR 140 million in 2015.
Tunisia's success story is attributed to the political will and justification in investing massively in organic agriculture due to its enormous societal impact, market potential and achievement of MDGs, now, Sustainable Development Goals with annual clear cut milestones
It's not surprising that a north Africa country foresees the future of organic agriculture and positions herself by way of advancing the necessary leadership and political will to paving the platform for a nascent, yet economically viable industry with potential too real to guarantee food security, biodiversity, economy development and improve standards of living for her citizens
One would have thought that West and East Africa should have taken the lead having enjoyed the humongous benefit of agricultural industrialization. These are regions endowed with vast arable capital assets, favorable rainfalls and human capital.
During the agricultural economy era, there were hardly any records of rejects of Nigerian agric products less alone ban by European Union on her food items. The country stood tall as choice suppliers in the league of nations when it comes to organic produce. Food domestication was put over 94% while export was over 60% with employment opportunities, decent wealth creation, and appreciable rural development. All these were achieved due to organic agriculture which encompasses bottom up citizens' involvement, minimal or no pesticide use, preservation of water quality etc
Organic farming is part of Africa's culture. From a tiny garden at the corner of individual building to subsistence practices or small scale farming. The propensity for natural food in the phase of ultra high processed food products among Africans can't be doubted. Moreover, the taste for minimally processed or natural food is fast gaining support all over and even beyond our widest imagination as the world is drifting away from consumption of synthetic additive or concoction due to increase awareness of non communicable diseases
Nigeria and other Africa countries which benefited immensely from this infant industry might have lose out in the event of things partly due to lack of foresight, most significantly commitment and intent to pro-actively sustain and manage the sector
IFOAM's policy guideline narrated Tunisia's success story of government-led organic export sector growth. According to IFOAM, Organic agriculture started in Tunisia in the mid 1980s in response to the demand for organic products from Europe. It is interesting to note that the government was not aware of the potential of this sector for almost one and the half decade but limited to a few private initiatives. It was after some international exchanges, particularly between Tunisian agronomy professors and French organic farmers, that Tunisian public institutions became interested in organic agriculture. Discussions between the professors and staff from the Ministry of Agriculture culminated in 1997 in the organization of a workshop followed by several other conferences. These events heralded government support for the organic sector foreseeing it could help achieve some of the national agriculture policy objectives, particularly improving farmers’ income and export revenues. Soon after these events, government support to organic agriculture materialized into explicit support measures.
Since then, The Tunisian government has taken a very pro-active role in supporting the growth of the organic sector over the past 20 years. The law on organic agriculture was enacted two years after, covering both organic regulation aspects and organic support measures. The law and a series of complementary decrees resulted in an institutionalization of organic agriculture, as well as considerable public investments into organic research and extension at a very early stage of development of the sector. In particular, a number of specialized central and regional level administrative government agencies and technical institutions were created through the decrees of 1999, among which are the National Commission for Organic Agriculture and the Technical Centre of Organic Agriculture.
In 2004, Tunisia developed its first national organic action plan with funding support from FAO. This plan, implemented from 2005 to 2009, was rooted in the country’s broader Economic and Social Development Plan. After a review of the sector situation at the end of the first action plan implementation, a second national organic action plan (2010-2014) followed. Again, this plan was linked to the broader Economic and Social Development Plan for that period. In particular, it made reference to the objectives related to food security, increasing exports of agri-food products and conserving natural resources. To achieve those objectives, increasing organic production volumes, diversity, quality and value addition were the particular focus of the organic plan. The action plan had clear annual targets such as areas under organic management. Market development, both international and national, was another component of the plan. The plan was backed up by a series of support measures including budget allocations to organic institutions, subsidies for operators and investors, and governmental projects. Government efforts to support organic agriculture in Tunisia have paid off.
Private investors responded to the policy measures by investing massively in the organic sector. Between 2005 and 2010, about €5.3 million per year were invested in the sector. In 2012, investment in the organic sector reached €7.59 million, representing more than 52% of the total investment in the Tunisian agriculture sector for that year. The number of farmers, the certified organic areas and the export revenue from organic products underwent an impressive growth over the decade that followed the start of government support
The value of organic exports also increased, from EUR 7 million in 2004, to EUR 35 million in 2008 and to around EUR 140 million in 2015.
Tunisia's success story is attributed to the political will and justification in investing massively in organic agriculture due to its enormous societal impact, market potential and achievement of MDGs, now, Sustainable Development Goals with annual clear cut milestones
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