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Prof. Dr. Uygun AKSOY
Dr Biagio Di Terlizzi
IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo
Recently agricultural practices are being reevaluated due to increased
awareness for environmental degradation, human health, animal
welfare and use of fossil fuels. Among various environmentally
friendly alternative farming systems, organic (biological, ecological)
agriculture receives special attention with its increasing share
in the market. All over the world, the force of attraction in
organic agriculture has always been and possibly will continue
to be centralized in Europe. Research work and regulatory aspects
have always been more intensive in the north despite the high
production potential of the south. In 1990, climatic similarities
and common crop patterns deviating partially from the northern
European countries lead to the formation of a Mediterranean group
on organic agriculture (AgriBiomediterraneo). After successive
annual meetings, the group established the Mediterranean Regional
Group of IFOAM in 1997. The Secretariat of the IFOAM Mediterranean
group is overtaken by: CIHEAM - Institute of Bari (CIHEAM/IAMB).
Via Veglie 9
I-70010 Valenzano-BARI
ITALY
Tel. 080/7806254
Fax: 080/7806268
e-mail: albitar@iamb.it
The Mediterranean Basin has always been an agricultural center
known for its widely diverse nature due to its microclimates.
From time immemorial, fruit and vegetables have been the focal
point in its production pattern and Mediterranean diet. During
the last years, there is an enormous increase in certified organic
agriculture in the Mediterranean countries. The increases in the
acreage are calculated as 20 fold in Italy (1990 - 1996), 25 fold
in Spain (1991 - 1996), 11 fold in Greece (1993 - 1996), 10 fold
in Turkey (1990 - 1996) and 1.4 fold (1980 - 1996) in France.
The final situation of organic production and number of certified
farms are given in Table 1.
Table 1. Organic Production (surface as hectare) and Number
of Ecofarms in Some Mediterranean countries (1996 figures)
Table 2: Share (% surface area) of Horticultural Crops in Organic
Production of some Mediterranean Countries
| Country
Year |
|
|
|
|
| |||
| Olive | | Olive | (fruits) | ||||||
| Vineyard | ||||||||
| Citrus, other Fruits & Nuts | ||||||||
| Vegetables |
Besides the countries listed in the above tables, horticultural
commodities play a major role in the organic production of other
Mediterranean countries like Israel exporting annually 15 000
tonnes of organic citrus and Egypt growing 5 000 feddans of mostly
certified organic herbs, ornamentals, fruits and vegetables (open
field and protected cultivation). In France, in the southerneld and protected cultivation). In France, in the southern provinces,
organic vegetable production is the main activity. In the other
Mediterranean countries where organic agriculture is at its crawling
stage, horticulture will be the focal point as well. In Tunisia
for example, organic date production will be followed by olives
and in Croatia organically grown temperate fruits will be of great
concern.
Despite the market expansion, systematic research on organic agriculture
is still lacking. The review of present research projects put
forth that organic agriculture is comparatively ignored and the
ones that can be compatible are not related to any coherent strategy,
or analysis of farmers' need. Climatic peculiarities sometimes
limit the applicability of research results to a wider region
or to a specific ecosystem. Taking into consideration the large
share of horticultural crops in the Mediterranean organic agriculture
and the potential of organic farming systems in securing a sustainable
and environmentally friendly agriculture and ground water resources,
there is an urgent need to carry out multidisciplinary applied
research work. The targeted species could be primarily Mediterranean
vegetables, herbs, fruit trees or ornamentals. The consequences
can be reflected to many coherent issues like nature conservation,
biodiversity and human society.
biodiversity and human society.
Below listed topics can be the starting points for many integrated
projects:
Researchwork directed to understand and maintain ecosystems and
on farm trials coupled with an integrated approach will help to
enhance the development of organic agriculture by providing valid
data to bulid on for success. The IFOAM Mediterranean Group is
ready for any collaboration on organic agriculture with special
emphasis on horticulture.
AgriDoc Newsletter, Issue 6, Winter 97, Centro Documentazione
Agricoltura Sostenibile, Cesena-Italy.
Ancona, F., 1997, Int. Seminar: Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
in the Mediterranean, 12-16 May 1997, Acireale-Italy
Anonymous, 1990, Organic Farming: Current Technology and Its Role
in a Sustainable Agriculture, American Soc. of Agronomy, Crop
Sci. Soc. of America and Soil Sci. Soc. of America, USA, 192 p.
Kristensen, N.H. and Hogh-Jensen, H., 1996, New Research in Organic
Agriculture, 11 th Int. Sci. IFOAM Conference, Copenhagen, IFOAM,
Tholey-Theley, Germany, 287 p.
Willer, H., 1e, Copenhagen, IFOAM,
Tholey-Theley, Germany, 287 p.
Willer, H., 1998, Oekologisher Landbau in Europa, Deukalion Verlag, Holm, Germany, 392 p.