Friday, September 23 2005 15:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), a unique organization focusing on the needs of all stakeholders of organic culture, including farmers, has taken up a project to strengthen marketing chains for Indian organic products.

The three-year project (2004-07), first of its kind in the country, will be funded by Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and technically supported by FIBL, Director, Horticulture Karnataka, Dr G K Vasanthkumar told sources.

The project aims at promoting consumer awareness, providing information and improving market access of Indian products to domestic and international markets, he said.

ICCOA will also be holding its first major international organic trade fair here from November 4-7 to enable farmers' groups to find national and international buyers and create consumer awareness about domestic market for organic produce.

The fair, which is expected to have nearly three lakh visitors from Germany, European Union, South-East Asia, Gulf and Japan, will provide a common meeting platform for all stakeholders in organic agriculture, Vasanthkumar said.

The exhibition will include organic food courts and certifying agencies, which will disseminate information on quality analysis, he said.

ICCOA is looking at building the competence of individuals and organisations of the South Asian Region in organic agriculture and thereby contribute to building ecologically and socially sustainable agricultural systems, Vasanthkumar said.

It foresees partnerships with national and international stakeholders of organic agriculture such as FIBL, research institute of organic agriculture in Switzerland, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA), he said.

The two-year old ICCOA, formed by eminent persons representing various stakeholders of organic agriculture movement in the country here covers the whole ambit of organic agriculture including farmers, farmers' organisations, NGOs, certifying agencies, research institutions, Agriculture universities, national and state government departments.