IFOAM - Organics International 193d ago

Farmers are stronger together. Proof? One Gujarat Farm Producers Co-operative Society (Or Farm). Devesh Patel explained that Or Farm unites certified organic farmers from Gujarat state, India, to exchange practical knowledge, work on processing, branding and marketing. The cooperative links organic farmers to organic markets and Sunday markets and, most recently, at BIOFACH in Nürnberg. Now, the cooperative has undertaken another component: consumer awareness to create a bigger market for organic farmers. Devesh shared insights on the cooperative during #IGrowYourFood. Over 100 participants from across the world joined IFOAM – Organics International and Inter-Continental Network of Organic Farmers Organisations (INOFO) for this timely webinar exploring farmer-led initiatives to build self-sufficient and resilient enterprises. The event featured speakers from Samoa, India, Kenya, and Switzerland, each sharing their unique experiences and innovations in areas such as agritourism, farm cooperatives, organic entrepreneurship, and strategic communications: Floris Niu, Ms Sunshine Organic Farms, Samoa Devesh Patel, One Gujarat Farm Producers Co-operative Society, India Sylvia Kuria, Sylvia’s Basket, Kenya Pauline Buffle, Foundation for Farmers Organisations and Restorative Action, Switzerland Moderated by Thales Mendonça, INOFO Global Relationship Manager, the session centred on financial and enterprise models developed by and for smallholder family farmers, who, despite farming less than 2 hectares, collectively produce over one-third of the world's food.