Iram supports the adoption of the first organic agriculture law in Madagascar

Vie des projets

Through the impetus given by Madagascar’s organic farming syndicate, SYMABIO - the national organic sector organisation - and by the Department of Livestock and Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, along with the support of the World Bank, the first law on organic agriculture was prepared from 2018 to 2019. Iram supported this process through the Madagascar Agriculture Rural Growth and Land Management Project (CASEF).

The work was done in tight collaboration with the private sector, producer organisations, NGOs, certification bodies, research institutions, and with concerned ministries, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Trade and Health.

The law reflects the strategic ambition of the Madagascar government to support the growth of organic exports, but also to start promoting the development of its national organic market. In May 2020, the law development process was finally concluded, with the adoption of the law No. 10/2019 of 28 November, 2019. The law was adopted unanimously both by the Parliament and the Senate. The next steps will be the development of complementary legislation, including the national organic standard, and the development of the first national organic strategy for organic agriculture, with its related action plans at national and regional levels. Preparatory work has already started, with capacity-building activities for the policy makers and stakeholders who will be involved in these  processes. Those activities include training on policy support to organic agriculture, conducted by IFOAM-Organics International with the support of GIZ, and a policy exchange mission to Morocco and Tunisia, with the support of the World Bank, GIZ and IFAD.

The organic sector in Madagascar – like in many parts of the world - is growing rapidly, reaching US$ 110 million of organic exports in 2019, compared to US$ 23 million in 2012. The sector is
strongly focused on exports of typical and/or high-value products such as spices, fruits and vegetables, essential oils, shrimps, cacao, palm oil, etc. A total of 48,000 ha are certified, from 30,000 producers organised in 120 groups, and another 270 companies employ 7,000 people.

Learn more about the adoption of the organic agriculture law.

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