There is a growing demand for organic food in the UK, and this is creating new export markets for poor African farmers. But if that food needs to be air-freighted, how do we balance the needs of development and the environment?
Last week the UK's Department for International Development announced a new fund to support ethical food production in Africa, for the UK market. The £2 million Food Retail Industry Challenge fund, or FRICH, will support trade networks between UK retailers and fair-trade and organic farmers in Africa.
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Trade and International Development, said "By purchasing Fairtrade labeled, Organic and other certified products from developing countries, people are already making a real difference to poor farmers' lives, but we want to go further as I don't think we can rely on labels alone." He went on to call for more trade with the poorest countries in Africa, ensuring that this trade is fair and ethical. "The FRICH is designed to help African farmers come up with innovative business ideas to compete in our globalised world. We want to see new products in our shops so that many more African farmers have fairer and more profitable trading relationships with UK shoppers."
Organic and ethically produced food is a huge growth market in the UK, with consumers increasingly aware of the issues, and voting with their shopping carts. Sales of organic produce rose by 22% in 2006, according to the Soil Association, the leading certification body. Orders of organic fruit and vegetable delivery schemes were up by 53%, and for the first time sales of free range eggs overtook egg sales from caged hens.
This kind of growth is great, but means that demand may well outstrip supply. Britain grows around 60% of its food, with the rest imported. There is already an organics shortfall in the fruit and vegetable market, and particularly in grain for livestock. This has opened the door for imports to the UK, and this in turn is driving the growth of organic farming in Africa.
One notable feature in this new organic opportunity is the development of local certification authorities for the domestic market. This year saw the launch of an East Africa Organic Standard which now oversees supply to local restaurants and farmers' markets. Aside from export potential, pesticide poisoning is a huge health problem in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world, and local organic movements are crucial in addressing this.
It's not all good news however. As consumers become more aware, they are demanding higher standards not just on farming practices, but also on food miles. There is a growing movement to reduce the distance food travels, particularly fresh produce that is imported by air. Only 1% of organic produce sold in the UK is imported by air, but most of that 1% is flown from poorer countries, many of them in Africa. Some voices within the organic movement have called for air-freighted food to be stripped of its organic certification. With the FRICH fund promoting organic trade with Africa, and the organic movement trying to focus on local produce, there is a danger that the two agendas could end up competing. That could then result in a fragmenting of the organic movement into those concerned with overseas trade development, and those concerned about the environment.
The Soil Association has found itself in the middle, and sums up the bitter irony of trying to help Africa by supporting a potentially damaging trade:
"The Soil Association believes it is irresponsible for the UK Government and others to support a trade and development strategy that is heavily dependant on fossil fuels and which will further fuel dangerous climate change - predicted to hit Africa and other developing countries the hardest." - Talking RetailIn response, it announced its compromise in October. Under new guidelines, air-freighted produce would only be certified organic if they benefit poor farmers. To that end, the producers would need to meet Fairtrade standards as well as organic standards. They would also need to show that they are working on alternatives to air freight. The new guidelines are currently up for debate, for possible adoption from 2009.
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