Trainings on the EU Organic Standard for agricultural advisors

The project is integrated into the approaches of the Alliance for Product Quality in Africa (hereinafter: ALLIANCE) as well as the GIZ global sector project “Supporting sustainability aspects in the implementation of EU Economic Partnership Agreements” (hereinafter: NEW). Both the ALLIANCE as well as NEW focus on strengthening agrifood businesses in various African countries by supporting efforts in reaching quality requirements in international trade. The project focusses on organic farming and organic certified products according to the present and future EU organic legislation as a promising part of the countries’ export activities.

After a long revision process, the new “Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007” (hereinafter: New Organic Regulation) was published in June 2018 . It will enter into force on 1 January 2022, following the postponement of its implementation for a year. The new legislation, which shall reflect the changing nature of the rapidly growing organic sector, is designed to ensure fair competition for farmers whilst preventing fraud and maintaining consumer trust. Presently various delegated acts have been published and are amending and supplementing Regulation (EU) 2018/848. However, while the European Commission is currently still working on the additional delegated acts, much is unknown about the future implementation of the New Organic Regulation, and part of the legislative framework is still under discussion.

The tasks of the project focus on raising agricultural advisors’ awareness and enhancing their specific knowledge regarding the differences between the existing and the New Organic Regulation. 20 webinars are to be developed, conducted and followed up on, in order to train the consultants to give adequate advice to their clients on the situation and on the development of the changes in law and the implications.

The services provided include, but are not limited to:

  • Development of a three-day training course:
  • Time plan and scheduling of the webinars for the agricultural advisors:
  • Production of an accompanying manual/handbook on the changes in the new EU organic regulation coming into force on 1 January 2022 in English and French.
  • Conduction of the three-day training courses
  • Follow up and participant survey