4-Day Virtual Workshop on Harmonisation of Organic PGS Standards across West Africa and Regional Organic Trade Fair in West Africa (BioWest Fair)
The Regional Secretariat of the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative in the region organised a 4-day virtual workshop on Harmonisation of Organic PGS Standards across West Africa and Regional Organic Trade Fair in West Africa (BioWest Fair) between 15 and 18 March 2021. About 60 participants from different countries of the ECOWAS-region and other parts of the world participated at the workshop listened and participated at general discussions related to the decisions taken at the General Assembly of the West African Organic Network that took place at the 5th West African Organic Conference hosted by Ghana in 2019 where stakeholders resolved that:
- There is the need for harmonization of organic agriculture standard (Participatory Guarantee System – PGS) in the region to facilitate regional trade of certified organic produce/products within the regions.
- The need for an annual regional trade fair in the region to improve marketing of organic produce and products in the region.
In addressing the above decisions, the West African Cluster of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) is supporting the process by putting together a workshop to address both decisions. Although EOA is currently being implemented in four out of 15 countries in West Africa, the workshop has been opened to other stakeholders from all ECOWAS member states in the region.
At the end of the 4-day virtual workshop event, the outcomes greatly contributed to putting a draft copy of the Harmonised Organic Participatory Guaranty System Standards across West Africa and setting up a road map to the Regional Organic Trade Fair in West Africa (BioWest Fair). This greatly contributes to the development of Organic Agriculture in West Africa and the realization of the decision of the African Heads of States and Government on organic farming.