Advocate for public policies that support OA in the 4 countries

The recognition of PGS as an M4P tool is progressing thanks to the work under component 2. For example, government representatives from Ghana, Togo and STP have participated in the PGS trainings, and therefore got sensitised about the benefits of PGS. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) , of which STP is a member, in collaboration with the FAO representation in Portugal, is interested in PGS as an M4P tool. The CPLP countries played a key role in the negotiations that led to the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly approving the Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028). Through contacts in STP in the framework of OM4D, IFOAM - Organics International has been invited to participate in discussions on how to further promote PGS as a tool for market access supporting sustainable family farming in CPLP. IFOAM - Organics International is therefore currently liaising directly with CPLP and FAO Portugal to expand PGS activities and recognition more broadly. As part of the strategy commonly adopted to support and promote family farming in the member states (currently nine), governments in CPLP have taken up the commitment to review or establish an appropriate regulatory framework and to support PGS for quality assurance within the CPLP. The IFOAM Policy Brief on How Governments Can Support and Recognise Participatory Guarantee Systems has been revised with up-to-date information and is now available in English and Portuguese. A French version will be ready in the next quarter. This document is useful for stakeholders to advocate for public policies that support OA in general, with a focus on the role of PGS and the domestic market. At the 4th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) held in Nairobi in March 2019, we had bilateral exchanges with ministers and ministry experts of the four project countries to raise their awareness on the opportunities for smallholders linked to OA in the region. In Togo a concept note by MAPAH on the development of the organic sector was shared for comments with stakeholders in February 2019. IFOAM – Organics International submitted detailed comments including recommendations to remove some of the activities suggested (e.g. the establishment of a local certification body). The workshop held in December 2019 built on the work of MAPAH in the development of the concept note, aimed to advance the process, build knowledge and capacity of stakeholders on organic policy, support the ministry to identify priority interventions and to establish a good dialogue with the private sector in order to ensure that the final policies adopted will be efficient and effective in supporting the organic development.