Establishing a network of eco-certification in Central America
Several national and international agencies agreed in Managua (Nicaragua) developing a proposal for agricultural policy for Central America, to be submitted to the accredited international cooperation in the region to manage the funding to enable its implementation. The proposal includes among its key actions to promote organic agriculture and certification of their products.
This political strategy, which aims to promote and modernize small and medium rural production, has been developed by a team of specialists from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAGFOR), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Organization United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the body path of sustainable rural development. The document, by country, is the most important policy in the areas of production, finance, commerce, public services and strengthening of associations of small and medium farmers.
The proposal contains lines of action on access to financing, integration of family farming systems in the chain of initiatives extension, agricultural research and development as well as access to markets and the benefits of fair trade. The paper also suggests the creation of regional networks to encourage and promote the certification, export and integration of organic agriculture in the markets.
Recently, a survey was completed to update the national agricultural information, social, economic and commercial production of organic food, under the National Strategy for Organic Production in Nicaragua. The survey adds to the information obtained in the regional product, developed by the leaders of the movement Professional under the coordination of MAGFOR with support from IICA.
The Strategy is a document of 160 pages, presented officially in 2005, which outlines a national consultation with all actors in the organic movement, developed in conjunction with the same MAGFOR, IICA, The Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Coffee is the largest certified organic category, which accounts for nearly 80 percent of exports of organic products Nicaraguans estimated at just over $ 10 million, according to data the study. Behind are cocoa, honey, sesame, bananas, cashew and the okra.
Source: Ecoalimenta