This briefing is an opportunity to share with our member States highlights of UNCTAD's analytical action-orientated work on organic agriculture as a trade and sustainable development opportunity for developing countries. The work has focused around two international partnerships for sustainable development:
• UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF), and
• UNCTAD-FAO-IFOAM International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF).
These partnerships extend to the operational level and are having a real impact on the world. The briefing will feature:
CBTF
• Key results of CBTF work on Organic Agriculture in East Africa, including
1. Launch of new CBTF study: Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa
2. Inform about the East African Organic Products Standard
3. Give an overview of future activities
ITF
• Key results of six years of ITF work, including the two just finalized ITF tools (EquiTool and International Requirements for Organic Certification Bodies) that will facilitate achieving equivalence among organic standards.
• Announcement of the 8th and final ITF meeting to be hosted by UNCTAD in Geneva, 6-7 October 2008. All delegates, public and press are invited to the ITF High Level Public Session slated for 3.30 - 5.30 on 7th October, followed by an organic reception (see http://www.unctad.org/trade_env/ITF-organic/itf8.asp).
