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OSCE: Supporting peace, development and organic farming

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the largest regional security organization that consists of 57 OSCE participating  states stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok. OSCE’s main objective is to safeguard peace through a system of collective security. According to the second so-called "basket" of Helsinki Final Act, this also includes co-operation in the area of environment, water , and energy sectors. The Head of the Control Union Academy, Dr. habil. Rainer Friedel, met the Head of Economic and Environmental Dimension of OSCE Programs Office in Astana at the round table "Supporting the development of organic agriculture initiatives in Kazakhstan".

Learn more about the relationship between peace, rural development and organic agriculture as Rati Japaridze sees it.

Question: Why OSCE, the peace-maker in this world, is supporting organic agriculture in Kazakhstan?
Answer: OSCE is a security organization and in our understanding the stability is achievable through a comprehensive security concept that involves military, economic-environmental and human dimensions. Avoiding the conflicts involves not only political aspects. For sustainable peace and prosperity it is essential to avert environmental cataclysms related to accessing water, food and energy sources. In this context promoting organic agriculture is a possibility to diversify the economy and to create new working places by using natural resources sustainably.
As part of our work we support our partners from business, government and civil sector both at the national and regional level by using our international background and connections among the OSCE participating states. In our specific case, we promote a dialogue aimed at raising awareness on the benefits of organic agriculture by working together with different stakeholders including but not limited to the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development, Agriculture Ministry, chamber of entrepreneurs, farmers, municipalities and international partners.

Question: How do you assess the prospects of promoting organic farming?
Answer: The changes in climate are apparent and the extent of consequences affect virtually everyone. This situation triggers us to reflect on rethinking society's development priorities and existing approaches. For that purpose the OSCE, as a political organization, supports activities aimed at raising awareness and learning skills of local population to confront such challenges on sustainable level by creating favourable conditions for development of small and medium enterprises, based on the principles of "green" growth and improving management efficiency.
Kazakhstan is an exporter country of hydro carbons and the economy is heavily dependent on that. Diversification of economy is in vital interests of the country and this aspect is quite intensively supported by the government that first in the region developed a strategy for transition to the green economy. We believe that matching the interests of my organization and the priorities set by the host country’s government as well as world-wide demand for environmentally healthy products creates a good foundation for promoting organic agriculture locally.

Question: How do you appraise the progress achieved in the development of organic farming in Kazakhstan? What are the priorities your organisation supports currently and in the near future in the area of organic agriculture?
Answer: We appreciate the fact that Kazakhstan decided to embark on economic reforms by taking into consideration sustainable agricultural development. Organic goods are agricultural products where farmers do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, artificial food additives and genetically modified organisms. This is a global trend which is practiced in approximately 160 countries around the world.  The total area of organic agriculture in Kazakhstan is 296 thousand hectares. These fields are certified in accordance with international standards and comply with the European regulations. We positively assess the passing of legislation last year, however, still a lot remains to be done.
We need to develop bylaws and technical norms that would complete adopted framework law and at the same time implement country wide awareness raising campaigns.  The development of organic farming, in fact, requires significant and systematic action with the participation of all stakeholders and targeted state support, including legislation and government decisions aimed at stimulating investment in this area.
To this end, we intend to further cooperate with our partners in Kazakhstan on promoting organic agriculture. One of finest examples of cooperation is the work with the German-Kazakh Agrorpolitical Dialogue and we intend to further promote set goals for 2017.

I want to finish my words by thanking you for active co-operation.

Rainer Friedel: Thank you, Mr. Japaridze, for this interview.

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