Organic agriculture is knowledge intensive. This means that application of the principles and practice of organic farming requires adequate capacity building programs for practitioners and all other relevant stakeholders including experts and especially consumers to recognize all benefits of the organic agriculture for their wellbeing.

Organic agriculture can contribute to ecologically sustainable, socio-economic development, especially in poorer countries. The application of organic principles enables employment of local resources (e.g. local seed varieties, manure, etc.) and therefore cost-effectiveness. Local and international markets for organic products show tremendous growth prospects and offer creative producers and exporters excellent opportunities to improve their income and living conditions.

However, know-how transfer requires investments, mostly in people and support systems. At the global level, capacity building efforts are underway, including localized training material, to limited effect.

As of 2007, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements hosted more than 170 free manuals and 75 training opportunities online.

ESENSEE will work on synergizing diverse programs and support system through development of local, national and regional clusters for organic agriculture development and promotion. More on this you will be able to read on our web.

Examples of Organic Agriculture Research

PLANT BREEDING AND SEED PRODUCTION
A joint project that includes farmers, breeders, an organic seed company that was founded and is partly owned by farmers, and an association that deals with biodynamic vegetable plant breeding.
Through this project undertaken in Germany, farmers have been able to share knowledge on botanical and breeding issues, develop new ideas, and exchange experiences and breeding lines. As a result, farmers have developed broader breeding programmes and research, and generated new varieties that they have then shared with breeders and farmers in other areas for adaptation to different growing conditions. The seed company oversees cleaning, quality testing and distribution. The association (Kultursaat) coordinates plant breeding and provides financial support, payment of registration and testing fees. To date, Kultursaat has bred more than 20 new registered varieties and, most importantly, has maintained full ownership rights, ensuring common ownership and benefit sharing among all participants.

STRAWBERRY FARMERS DEALING WITH GREY MOULD
Discoveries such as using bees as “flying doctors” to provide organic control of grey mould – the worst disease affecting strawberry crops – can be shared easily around the world.
When a bee leaves its hive, it passes through a footbath containing a harmless fungus that also serves as an antidote to grey mould. When the bees pollinate the strawberry blossoms, they deliver the fungus into the blossoms, precisely where it is needed, preventing grey mould infection. Recent studies have shown that strawberry yields more than double with the help of these "flying doctors".

PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CELIAC DISEASE
People in many countries who cannot tolerate foods containing gluten can benefit from the collaborative efforts of a group of Peruvian farmers.
In La Unión, Peru, farmers are working to increase production of quinoa, a grain that has been a vital part of the Andean diet since at least 3000 BC. Quinoa does not contain gluten and, thus, provides a nutritious alternative to wheat, rye, barley and other products. These organic farmers, members of the Association of Organic Crop Growers (APCO), produce quinoa in a wide rotation that includes many other crops using organic methods of fertilisation and pest control.

On our ESENSEE web, you can read more on systems of organic agriculture, benefits of organic agriculture, international standards, methods and materials used in organic farming, economics of organic agriculture, productivity and profitability of organic agriculture.