The International Conference of AgriBioMediterraneo - IFOAM for Organic Agriculture and Agro-Eco Tourism in the Mediterranean on 16-18 September 2011 at Zakynthos Island is organised by DIO organization and Region of Ionian Islands. The conference is held under the auspices of Region of Ionian Islands, Agrocert and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with the participation of the organizations IFOAM, ISOFAR and BIOLMED programme. Supporters and sponsors of the conference are numerous universities, organizations and individuals.

Source: Nyeleni Forum. 04/09/11

The Nyeleni European Food Sovereignty Forum in Krems, Austria, took place from 16 to 21 August 2011. The forum adopted the first European Declaration on Food Sovereignty. The declaration proclaims, "we are convinced that a change to our food system is a first step towards a broader change in our societies". The full text of the declaration is available here. Over 400 delegates from European countries committed to strengthening their collective capacity to reclaiming community control over food system, to resisting the agro-industrial system and to expanding and consolidating a strong European movement for Food Sovereignty. Over 120 organisations and individuals, representing civil society and social movements, discussed the impact of current European and global policies. Together they developed a comprehensive platform and a set of principles to achieve food sovereignty in Europe.

Source: IFOAM. 03/09/11

Resource efficiency is identified as one of seven flagship initiatives by the European Commission under the EU 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Recent reports by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) and the European Commission Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) have clearly underlined the challenges across the entire food chain, the necessary changes required and the potential for investment in agro-ecological approaches for food security in a resource scarce world. Working in accordance with agro-ecological principles, sustainable agricultural systems, including organic agriculture, have much potential to contribute to a more resource efficient Europe. The IFOAM EU Conference "Resource Efficiency and Food Security: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Food Systems" will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 9 November 2011. The conference will deal with the following key features: examination of the relationship between resource efficiency and food security and of the role of system approaches to sustainable food and farming (with global experts and regional speakers), knowledge sharing, exchange of ideas and development of solutions, and meetings with key decision-makers and high-level stakeholders. The draft programme for the conference is available here IFOAM

http://www.organic-market.info/web/News_in_brief/Fairs_+_Conferences/IFOAM_EU/176/186/0/10839.html

IFOAM EU Group calls on Commission President Barroso to make a clear statement for a strong 2nd pillar

Brussels, 22 June 2011 – The IFOAM EU Group calls for a strengthened financial basis for the second pillar under the financial framework 2014-2020 in a letter sent to Commission President José Manuel Barroso today, as it considers rural development measures being of the upmost importance for the environment and rural society.

"The second pillar is of crucial importance to achieve the environmental goals the EU is committed to. Soil erosion, climate change, loss of biodiversity and scarcity of clean water must be addressed to secure our capacity to maintain a sustainable farming system. The environmental challenge can effectively be met through programmes that go further than basic greening measures", states Christopher Stopes, President of the IFOAM EU Group[i]. "The second pillar of the CAP has also been an effective way to contribute to the viability of rural economies, especially in peripheral regions. Keeping farmers in business in peripheral regions beset with economic problems and often of high natural value, requires more than direct payments, therefore the second pillar needs an appropriate financial basis to deliver to meet these challenges."