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Where Do We Want To Go?

The ICS is an important tool that can be used not just to provide a set of rules for compliance for an organic project but also as a template for the way communities can be organized to work together to improve their livelihoods. Where Do We Want To Go?. Planning as a group.

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Where Do We Want To Go?

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  1. The ICS is an important tool that can be used not just to provide a set of rules for compliance for an organic project but also as a template for the way communities can be organized to work together to improve their livelihoods. Where Do We Want To Go? Planning as a group

  2. The project initiative may arise from: a group of farmers who have identified opportunities to market an organic product; a government or an NGO a company (e.g an exporter) The focus area might be : Where production is very close to organic and where there is potential for selling the product as organic in an export market. Where organic agriculture as a way for converting from conventional farming practices to more sustainable farming practices. Organic Projects There are many different scenarios for the way in which a small holder organic project can be organised:

  3. Remember that projects should be “sustainable” at the end of the project (e.g. end of funding) farmers should be better off than when the project started e.g. farmers should have ownership of project or similar Organic production and market development should go hand in hand! Reminders for Planning Organic Projects

  4. ProcessorExporter operates ICS Basic Types of Smallholder Projects A) Farmers Cooperativeor Associationoperates ICS B) Contract Production

  5. Possible Options for Project Structure • B) Company/Processor/NGO • holds the certificate • Develops and manages an ICS; includes technical support, internal inspection. • Covers all: • Storage • Processing • Transport • Farmers organized in groups contract to sell organic product to company A) Cooperative/farmers association holds the certificate Manages the ICS Contracts processor and sells final product Sells collected product to processor Contracted Processor Processor collects product from farmers Option A 3 Processor Option A 1 Option B Option A 2 Each unit holds a contract with the certifier

  6. Highly motivated farmers; empowerment of farmers Good social control / high sense of responsibility Possibly already existing structure Farmers Association - + • Possibly lack in marketing experience • Possibly lack of experience in project management • Possibly new structure - may need time until structures working

  7. Good experience in project management Access to funding Possibly access to organic fair trade market (via development aid) Interested in welfare of farmers; no profit for NGO NGO-Organised Farmers - + • Possibly lack of marketing experience • Farmer may not feel that it is “their project” --> lower sense of responsibility • Possibly individual farmers, no group (close relation between members)

  8. Good experience in marketing Good market access Experience in product quality assurance Usually better access to trade finance Processor with Contract Production - + • Farmer may not feel that it is “their project” --> lower sense of responsibility • Processor may be strongly profit oriented and not share full benefits with farmers • Certain risk that farmers are too dependent on contractor and not treated well.

  9. From the beginning: Ensure there is sufficient funding support for the project. Ensure all key stakeholders take part in the awareness building workshops. Include the agencies that might be promoting non-organic products to farmers (these may be government extension agents). Ensure that farmers understand what they are committing to. Communicate to farmers in the farmers’ language either directly or through a translator. Choose certifier and ensure the ICS documentation developed by the ICS operator meets all the certifier’s specific requirements. Planning

  10. Overview of farms Overview project sites Typical size of farms Biggest & smallest farm All growing same crops? Typical production methods Overview of Buying and Handling Buying centers Product flow until export ICS Manual: Overview of Farm, Buying and Processing The ICS operator needs to present in the Internal Manual a brief overview of his organisation, registered farms as well as buying and handling procedures.

  11. ICS organizational units (office staff, field staff) Hierarchies (manager, field officer) Positions of organic staff (types of positions) in separate list or included in chart: field advisors & internal inspectors, buying staff (not included in this example) BOARD OF DIRECTORS MANAGING DIRECTOR (Ali Muheza) EXPORT MANAGER (Charles Mulogo) PROCESSING/ OPERATIONS MANAGER (Edward Mulagwe) PRODUCTION MANAGER/ COORDINATOR (Edward Mulagwe) FINANCE MANAGER (Thomas Tutu) Morogoro (Sebastian Shanga ) Kitende (Mwatima Juh) Zanzibar (Betty Banja) Individual family farm units; contracted for organic production by Exporter AA ICS Manual: Organization of the ICS (Project Coordination) The ICS operator needs to develop an organisational chart.This chart is important as it will provide a clear picture of the:

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