The Organic World Congress is being designed by the Organic Farming Association of India to stun the organic world. The Congress Steering Committee has endorsed the decision of the Association to hold the event in an atmosphere of celebration. The globe is moving steadily towards organic production: India is a key example. The Prime Minister himself is expected to inaugurate the Congress, underlining its critical importance for this nation of 1.33 billion people. In addition, the Agriculture Minister of India, a fierce, no-nonsense advocate of organic farming, will himself be delivering a paper.
Compared to past OWCs in other countries, the India edition is co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The National Centre of Organic Farming is a member of the Congress Steering Committee. Further political support has come with the participation of APEDA, the major organic export arm of the Ministry of Commerce as a Principal Partner. Several important states of the Indian Federation are joining the Congress as Partners.
In these circumstances, the political support for organic agriculture in India needs to be celebrated by the world organic family. That is the reason why we want as many people from across the world to be there to join the occasion. Besides the political support from the host (India) for organic farming, the other unique aspect of this OWC is the effort to bring organic farmers for the first time centre stage at the event, in order to further a massive exchange of organic agriculture innovations, particularly advanced techniques.
This is the first OWC which will see participation from 50+ countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America -- from the Philippines to Vietnam and Indonesia, Senegal and Zambia to South Africa, Iran, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Europe, Japan and the US. All these farmers will be encouraged to speak in their mother tongues. However, their presentations, approved 6 months prior to the OWC, are being translated into 12 international and Indian languages. Nobody at the India OWC will feel she does not understand what is going on. In addition to the farmers, the OWC will see participation from a larger number of scientists, researchers and officials.
The venue itself is being designed by Orijit Sen – one of India's most creative designers -- while the dances are being choreographed by Nehha Bhatnagar of Sarvam Foundation. The splash of Indian culture that will envelop the venue will be enjoyed in the form of Indian classical dancers, drummers from the farming community, and a menu that will enable you to taste foods that you never tasted in your life, all organic. Those in charge of the kitchen are preparing a film that shows you from where all the food served at the OWC came.
The OWC will be exclusively for those who have registered. However, the seed exhibition, plus demonstrations of how to generate recipes for living soils, and other innovations, will take place outside the halls in the lawns, and will be open to the general public, which will also have free access to the state and commercial (BIOFACH) pavilions.
The OWC organisers are putting up a spectacular display of organic, indigenous, open pollinated seeds from the entire country. In addition, work on seed conservation done from other countries of the world will be featured as well.
Numerous pre-conferences are on and you are advised to participate in them. (Registration at these pre-conferences is free to those who have registered for the OWC.)
Post OWC, you have low-cost tours arranged to see organic farms and meet Indian organic farmers in Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and the Himalayas, besides possibilities to visit the Taj Mahal. And the OWC India team will be available at all times to ensure that everyone is comfortable on these tours, never alone, with ready access to internet, taxis or doctors.
On-site registration starts from 8 November 2017 from 1100 hrs at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, India.
© IFOAM - Organics International 2017