Policy brief

2023 | International Edition | No. 1245

Advancing ecological organic

agriculture in Africa
State of scientific evidence and recommendations

African food systems are facing a odiversity loss, and food and nutrition Key messages
number of interconnected challenges, insecurity make a transition to ecologi-
due to the negative impacts of climate cal organic food systems imperative. • The profitability and productivity
change, among other factors. Nev­ Organic agriculture and agroeco- of organic farming in the tropics
ertheless, Africa holds a primordial logical approaches are gaining impor- can equal or exceed that of
position to create more resilient and tance in Africa as they are supposed to conventional farms.
sustainable food production systems. enhance nutrition security and well-be- • Ecological organic agriculture
ing of both smallholder farmers and requires a shift of approach – to
More than half of the African popula- urban consumers by contributing to active, holistic farming. This is
tion base their livelihood on agriculture; healthy, diversified diets. knowledge intensive and requires
and half of Africans live in urban re- Currently, only ~1 % of the 204 Mio auxiliary institutions and policies.
gions due to a strong rural exodus over ha arable land in Africa is dedicated • The policy landscape must
the last 50 years. There is substantial ev- to certified organic farming6. A multi- strengthen to capitalise on the
idence illustrating that the dominant ag- tude of land is farmed in non-certified benefits of ecological organic
ricultural systems feeding the growing or agroecological ways. However, for agriculture and food safety.
population are not a sustainable option African food systems to flourish and • Markets must adapt to serve the
for the future. Global environmental contribute to sustainable development, distinct needs of organic farmers
and social challenges are especially pro- institutions, policies, programmes, mar- and consumers.
nounced on the African continent, and kets and society must support a condu- • Networks across levels and
the adverse effects of climate change, bi- cive environment for change. borders must improve.
 Scope Key results
Based on the lessons learnt from Ecological organic agriculture can pro- Additional benefits that organic sys-
farming systems research, pursuant vide many benefits to people and nature. tems offer to society and the environ-
to the goals of sustainable develop- The profitability and productivity of or- ment compared to conventional systems
ment, the topics covered and policy ganic farming in the tropics can equal are, e.g., reduction of pesticide residues
recommendations provided in this or exceed that of conventional farms. in soils, crop products and run-off water,
brief are relevant to agricultural poli- Additionally, well-managed organic enhanced flora and fauna diversity and
cies at the national and regional lev- farming systems can increase soil fertil- abundance, reduction of non-renewable
el, as well as to the actors in specific ity, improve water quality, reduce pesti- energy resources used, and increased
commodities and sectors, organic cide residues, and enhance biodiversity farm resilience. The approach is more
value chains, and standards. above and below ground. sustainable regarding environmental at-
This brief considers how the To realise these benefits, organic tributes, as well as some social, econom-
results of three projects, SysCom, farmers must go beyond just eliminat- ic and farm governance attributes when
­ProEcoAfrica and OFSA can inform ing synthetic agrochemical inputs and compared to conventional farming.
the debates on the future of organic engage in active organic management Engage in active organic manage­
agricultural development in Africa. practices on their farms, in line with ment to be successful instead of just
The SysCom project consists of long- agroecological principles. The ecologi- eliminating or simply substituting
term farming systems comparison cal approach to organic farming is ex- synthetic agrochemicals for organic-­
trials running since 2007 in three plained in detail, with examples, here > approved products. The projects con-
tropical countries: India, Kenya Link. cluded this is a key to success in or-
and Bolivia. The ProEcoAfrica and The profitability and productivity ganic farming in the tropics. However,
OFSA projects worked with over of organic agriculture can match or even this approach is knowledge-intensive
1,500 smallholder farmers in Ghana, exceed that of conventional agriculture. – farmers and advisors have to contin-
Kenya and Uganda gathering data This is dependent on the type of crop, uously learn, experiment, adapt and
on the farm level between 2014 and management practices and size of the share knowledge and skills with others.
2020. field and farm. On average, farm in-
The projects worked with and for come on some organic farms more than
farmers, using various methods from doubled compared to conventional, de-
participatory on-farm research to on spite the fact that the farmers realised
station and field research. The goal no organic price premium. However, re-
of these projects is/was to enhance search also showed that organic is more
the scientific evidence about the labour-intensive than conventional.
­performance of organic agriculture Soil fertility improved over the
in comparison to conventional agri- long term with good organic manage-
culture in the tropics, investigating the ment. Research showed that after about
topics of productivity, profitability, soil 10 years, organic systems build up im-
fertility and sustainability. portant nutrients and soil organic car-
bon, have a higher biological activity
and improve soil’s physical properties.
Nonetheless, certain nutrients are less
available in organic systems because
they are applied in less plant-available
forms. Such missing nutrients at key
stages can lead to lower yields in nu-
trient demanding crops in organic sys-
tems.
The research featured here is focused on the
­African continent. The three countries in orange,
Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, are where the
­featured research projects focus(ed) their work.

Resurrected soils – Kenyan organic farmer, Joyce

Angari in her cabbage field showing her healthy,
productive soil.

Advancing ecological organic agriculture in Africa | 2023 | FiBL 2

 Policy recommendations
In order to capitalise on the benefits organic agriculture can offer the e­ nvironment
and society, institutions and programmes dealing with sustainable/ecological
­organic food systems must be strengthened. Governance systems need to work on
four main axes:

1. Enact policies and strategies for organic agriculture

and food safety
Most Sub-Saharan African nations lack basic national or subnational organic
strategies or policies which would enable organic agricultural uptake. To create
enabling environments for organic, governments can:
• Create specific organic agricultural policies or strategies – especially if they
lead to a national organic standard. Both Uganda and Tunisia are examples
of countries in Africa that have national organic policies. Tunisia has had a
national organic policy since 1999 and has created a national action plan that,
amongst other things, provides financial incentives (tax breaks and subsidies) for
producers that are converting to organic agriculture1. Within this context, Tunisia
is to date the African country with the largest organic area6.
Beatrice Mkawuganga Maganga, a certified • Consider the support of organic agriculture within the framework of enhancing
organic farmer in Kenya, since 2009. She raises the share of agroecological agriculture, achieving the Sustainable Development
animals and crops for the local market, but also
Goals (including zero hunger, decent work and economic growth, fight against
exports her avocados as a member of a farmers'
cooperative. land degradation and desertification), and generating employment.
• Enact and implement food safety policies that limit, for example, synthetic
pesticide residues and protect rivers and groundwater from harmful fertiliser
runoff.
Box 1. Key agreements • FAO estimated that, “if women had the same access to productive resources as
­supporting the advancement men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20–30 percent.” Policies to
of ecological organic agri­ strengthen organic agriculture thus need to also strengthen the access of women
culture in Africa and other disadvantaged groups to resources and markets.5
The high-level decision by the
African Union Heads of States and 2. Make markets work for farmers and consumers
Governments on Organic Agriculture To ensure markets serve farmers and consumers and that the economic ­benefits
(OA) in 2011 resolved to mainstream of organic farming (in terms of premium prices) are realised, externalities
organic agriculture into national (i.e., the costs of agriculture to society and the environment) must be internalised.
plans, programmes and policies by Concretely, these actions can be taken:
2020 (now 2025). • Get rid of governmental subsidies for synthetic agrochemicals, instead invest
This high-level decision led to in research and development of organic practices and inputs. Ensure at least a
the subsequent implementation of symmetry of subsidies to give a fair choice to the producers.
a multi-year continental initiative • Establish public procurement programmes, such as school feeding programmes
on Ecological Organic Agriculture – these should offer incentives for family farmers and those who practice more
(EOA-I > Link) outlining the politically environmentally friendly farming, as is the case, for example, in Brazil2. In
recognised importance of organic general, any policies that reimburse farmers for ecosystem services (e.g., on-farm
and sustainable agriculture beyond practices that support biodiversity, like agroforestry systems, flower strips, etc.)
certified organic in Africa. should be advanced.
• Support and constitute measures and policies that improve necessary
infrastructure, to ensure farmers’ products can reach markets – this includes, but
is not limited to transportation and storage infrastructure, access to electricity,
schooling and natural resources, such as water and irrigation infrastructure.
• Create markets for more diverse produce – invest in education and
communication around the benefits of organic, health and environmental risks
associated with synthetic pesticide use, nutrition and healthy foods – focusing on
a diverse diet.

Advancing ecological organic agriculture in Africa | 2023 | FiBL 3

 3. Address the distinct needs of organic agriculture
The holistic, ecological approach taken in organic agriculture presents different
needs, compared to conventional – the approach is more knowledge and labour
intensive, this requires:
• An increase in government investment into agricultural research and
development (as per the 10 % of the government spending goal agreed upon
by African Heads of State in the Maputo and Malabo Declarations)3. Economic
and institutional support for organic agricultural research should be advanced,
especially in the following areas:
– Optimising nutrient management, carbon storage and tillage practices,
– Enhancing synergies between crops and livestock,
– Increasing the availability of high quality planting materials/starter materials,
and
– Further developing and testing system approaches for pest and disease
management (preventative and direct control measures).
• Strengthening of public and private extension systems – allocating more funding,
utilising innovative digital technologies and testing novel financing mechanisms
Together it works! Ghanaian farmers involved in the for these services. More support is required for agricultural advisors and
ProEcoAfrica project in conversation about organic extensionists training programmes in agroecology and organic agriculture.
cotton productivity.
• Improving the attractiveness of rural spaces – regarding economics and
infrastructure. If more knowledge and labour-intensive approaches are to
prosper, rural spaces as a whole need to become more attractive, especially for
Box 2. Ecological organic the youth. This means strengthening rural infrastructure such as mobile internet
­agriculture and agroecology and incentivising companies to invest in rural areas via policies.
Active ecological organic farming • Adapting technical innovations and medium-scale mechanisation to local
works with nature and helps sustain conditions, thus reducing the need for manual labour. This action is key to
living ecological systems and cycles, empowering small-scale organic farmers. Such innovations can help sustain
this includes: soil, plants, animals, and increase farmers’ activities, lower their production costs and improve their
household, society and the envi- livelihoods and food security.
ronment. This approach requires a • Harmonising policies and minimising conflicting programmes that may hinder the
focus on productivity of the whole successful uptake of organic agriculture and other agroecological technologies
farm system over the long term using and practices.
organic best practices instead of
focusing on short-term income from 4. Better networking and cooperation at local, national and
single crops. ­regional level
Agroecology considers the inter- The diverse actors, both individual and collective, from private, c­ ommunity and
actions among key environmental, state sectors, must improve cooperation and align various projects and
social and economic characteristics ­programmes in order to increase the sustainability and resilience of the sector.
that are typical of diversified agricul- Concretely, actors can:
tural systems. It recognises the great • Promote and facilitate social learning among farmers.
potential of knowledge sharing, • Improve networking – share information, knowledge and project insights. P­ ro-
and deepened understanding, that actively look for and build alliances and mutualisation, e.g., organise tours and
favour the behavioural changes in exchanges to model ecological organic farms and research stations.
food systems that are required for • Consult broadly and ensure public participation in policy and regulatory
sustainable agriculture to become a formulation/reviews and decision making processes. Use evidence to build
reality.4 support for reform and resist pressure from vested interests that may not be
Ecological organic agriculture sustainable in the long term.
comprises agroecology, certified • Focus on sustainable farming practices that work with nature instead of
and non-certified organic farming. ideologies. Agroecology is an umbrella term that covers lots of sustainable
The boundaries between them are agricultural practices, like ecological organic, certified or not, agroforestry,
fluid, and differences are often on biodynamic, etc.
ideological bases as opposed to • Exploit synergies, across geographic levels (local, national, sub-regional or
technological or practical bases. regional).

Advancing ecological organic agriculture in Africa | 2023 | FiBL 4

Further information References Imprint
This policy brief is based on more than 60 publications This policy brief is a part of a series of knowledge
SysCom project written by experts involved in the previously mentioned products produced as an outcome of the SysCom and
• Project website > Link research projects. ProEcoAfrica projects. For further information on these
projects refer to the corresponding project description
• Project Synthesis Report > Link 1 Carey, C. Governmental Use of Voluntary Standards
factsheet > Link.
Case Study 9: Tunisia’s Organic Standard. ISEAL
• Project publications > Link
Alliance, (2008). https://platform.isealalliance.org/ The purpose of this knowledge series is to educate
• Site description videos: sites/default/files/E054_Tunisia_Organic.pdf African farmers, advisors, students and policy makers
‒ Bolivia > Link 2 da Silva, E.A.; Pedrozo, E.A.; da Silva, T.N. PNAE
on research results related to organic farming.
‒ India > Link (National School Feeding Program) and Its Events Publisher
‒ Kenya > Link of Expansive Learnings at Municipal Level. World Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL,
2022, 3, 86-111. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ­Switzerland, Ackerstrasse 113, Postfach 219,
world3010005 CH-5070 Frick
ProEcoAfrica/OFSA project Tel. +41 (0)62 865 72 72
3 Goyal, A., Nash, J. Reaping Richer Returns:
• Project website > Link Public Spending Priorities for African Agriculture
[email protected], www.fibl.org
• Project publications > Link Productivity Growth. African Development Forum – Authors: Benjamin Graeub, Lauren ­Dietemann, Gian
• Can organic agriculture improve World Bank Group. 2016. https://openknowledge. Nicolay, David Bautze, Beate Huber (all FiBL CH)
worldbank.org/handle/10986/25996
yields and i­ ncomes for smallholder Contact: [email protected]
farmers in Africa? Video: > Link 4 HLPE. Agroecological and other innovative
Contributors: Noah Adamtey, Irene Kadzere
approaches for sustainable agriculture and food
(all FiBL CH)
systems that enhance food security and nutrition.
Further knowledge products in the (2019). A report by the High Level Panel of Experts Editor: Lauren Dietemann (FiBL CH)
series on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee
Layout: Brigitta Maurer (FiBL CH)
on World Food Security, Rome.
Factsheets, Powerpoint presentations,
Photos: Alexander Valeton (Yielder) page 1, 3, Joost
posters and videos cover topics such 5 Raney, Terri (Eds.). Women in Agriculture – Closing
Bastmeijer (Biovision) p. 2, Gian Nicolay (FiBL) p. 4.
the gender gap for development. The state of
as: the ecological approach to organic food and agriculture 2010-11. (2011). Office of FiBL ordering no.: 1245
farming, pest and disease, productivity, ­Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension,
Permalink: orgprints.org
soil, profitability and biodiversity > Link Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, Rome, Italy. ISSN 0081-4539.
6 Willer, Helga, Jan Trávníček, Claudia Meier and
Bernhard Schlatter (Eds.) (2022): The World of
Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends
2022. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
FiBL, Frick, and IFOAM – Organics International,
Bonn. ISBN 978-3-03736-434-5.

Knowledge product funders Projects involved

ProEco
$ Africa
Project funders

FiBL is one of the world‘s leading research institutions on organic farming. It has offices in Switzerland, Germany,
Austria, France and a representative office in Brussels (FiBL Europe). The strengths of FiBL are interdisciplinary research,
joint innovations with farmers and the food industry, solution-oriented development projects and rapid knowledge transfer.
The views expressed in this policy brief belong to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of FiBL, or any
associated institutions or individuals.