Bonn, Germany
September 28, 2005
The General Assembly of the
International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) approved the revised
Principles of Organic Agriculture, resulting from an intense
two-year participatory process. They will serve to both inspire
the organic movement in its full diversity, and to articulate
the meaning of Organic Agriculture to the world at large.
With the continuous growth of the organic sector and the
challenges and opportunities that come with that growth, the
IFOAM General Assembly had come to the conclusion that the basic
values, the fundamental underpinning for Organic Agriculture,
needed further reflection and discussion.
The approved Principles of Organic Agriculture consist of 4
principles upon which organic agriculture is based:
The Principle of Health
Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the
health of soil, plant, animal and human as one and
indivisible.
The Principle of Ecology
Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological
systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help
sustain them.
The Principle of Fairness
Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that
ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and
life opportunities.
The Principle of Care
Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary
and responsible manner to protect the health and well being
of current and future generations and the environment.
The Preamble explains that the
“Principles apply to agriculture in the broadest sense,
including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals
in order to produce, prepare and distribute goods. They concern
the way people interact with living landscapes, relate to one
another and shape the legacy of future generations.” Each
principle is followed by an action-oriented explanation.
IFOAM’s newly elected president Gerald A. Herrmann from Germany
stated, “The formulation of the Principles of Organic
Agriculture at the global level is a major achievement. The
Principles of Organic Agriculture have been approved at a time
when governments are revising their regulations of organic
agriculture. The public demands a value oriented and credible
system based on a clearly identifiable framework, and IFOAM is
just the organization to provide this. The Principles of Organic
Agriculture should also be recognized as a foundation for public
regulations. IFOAM will make significant efforts to ensure that
the Principles of Organic Agriculture are recognized by the
Codex Alimentarius, other United Nations agencies and
governments worldwide.”
Angela B. Caudle, IFOAM’s newly appointed Executive Director,
noted, “From acknowledging the importance of precautionary
management and traditional knowledge, to recognition of social
and ecological justice, the Principles of Organic Agriculture
provide a precise and systematic framework for the further
development of the organic sector that ensures the integrity of
the organic agricultural system.”
IFOAM is the worldwide umbrella organization of the organic
movement, uniting 771 member organizations in 108 countries.
IFOAM’s mission is leading, uniting and assisting the organic
movement in its full diversity. IFOAM’s goal is the worldwide
adoption of ecologically, socially and economically sound
systems that are based on the Principles of Organic Agriculture. |