BioFach Latin America Seminar
 Buenos Aires - Argentina
 June 03, 2004

 
On June 3, the Seminar “BioFach Latin America / Argentina” was held in the auditorium of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires

Auditorium of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires

There were high expectations regarding this seminar, since the main representatives of the Argentine organic sector would be meeting, with Brazil represented by the Ministry of Agrarian Development and SEBRAE. Thanks to the impeccable work of the local organizers, Maria Calzada (MAPO) and Sebastián Sala (CAPOC), the firm, competent moderation of Pipo Lernoud (vice-president of IFOAM), and the efficiency and total support given by the Brazilian Embassy in  Buenos Aires, the Seminar was a success.

At the opening ceremony, greeting over 150 people present and representing Ambassador Mauro Vieira, Minister Sérgio Danese delivered an important and objective speech, declaring that he was sure that the seminar would offer an exceptional opportunity for an exchange of opinions regarding the future of the organic sector in Argentina, Brazil and the whole region. Danese also pointed out that all those present would leave the meeting with a broader view of the business and growth opportunities and prospects  for the organic sector.

The next to speak, during the inauguration of the Seminar, were the following:
Laura Mander – President of the Argentine Chamber for Certified Organic Producers (CAPOC)
Rodolfo Tarraubella – President of the Argentine Movement for Organic Production (MAPO)
Claudio Sabsay – Under-secretary for Agricultural Policies and Foodstuffs - SAGPyA
Marcelo Elizondo – Executive Director of the Export.Ar Foundation.

They all stressed the importance of meetings of this kind, through which it is possible to create closer ties among neighboring countries and to find out where it is possible to develop joint actions, without forgetting the main agent in this scenario, the producer.

From left to right: Rodolfo Tarraubella(MAPO); Claudio Sabsay (SAGPyA.); Ministro Sérgio Danese (Emb.Brasil); Marcelo Elizondo – Fundación Export.Ar.; Laura Mander (CAPOC)
In the introductory panel, Maria Beatriz Costa presented the BioFach Latin America Project, within which seminars will be held in several Latin American countries, always seeking to identify opportunities and obstacles in the organic sector in these countries. In this presentation, she also promoted BioFach Latin America, to be held in Rio de Janeiro from September 8 to 10, 2004. This is the most important international event in the Latin American organic sector.

Next, marking the presence of Brazil in this Seminar, Heliana Marinho (Sebrae-RJ) spoke about the attention given by SEBRAE (an entity whose mission is to promote small businesses) to the organic sector, supporting small and medium-sized producers. Heliana also spoke about the various activities that SEBRAE is developing throughout Brazil, including its support for BioFach Latin America 2004.

Paulo Heineck, for the Ministry of Agrarian Development, presented the initiatives the Ministry has been taking, such as mapping the output of family farms and support for the inclusion of their produce in the market. The Ministry of Agrarian Development is also supporting BioFach Latin America 2004 and, like SEBRAE, it will be present at this Fair, with several family farmers.

From left to right: Heliana Marinho (SEBRAE);
Paulo Heineck (MDA) and Maria Beatriz Costa (Planeta Orgânico)

The press was also present at the seminar and interviewed Rosina Guerra, of Planeta Orgânico, asking for exact data regarding organic production in Brazil, which she was unfortunately unable to provide.  This lack of exact data regarding the organic sector’s production chain is precisely one of Brazil’s weak points mentioned during the presentations given at the Seminar. On the other hand, information with respect to the organic sector in Argentina is one of its strong points. Among Brazil’s strong points are biodiversity, our growth rate, and the public policies that are beginning to focus on the organic sector.

The following persons took part in the panel “Present Situation: Opportunities and Strategies”:

Sebastián Sala – Executive Director of CAPOC 
Situation of Organic Production in the Region

María Calzada – MAPO’s Director of Internal Trade
Measures for the development of organic trade between Brazil and Argentina

Sebastián Sala (CAPOC) and María Calzada (MAPO)

Pedro Landa – Director of OIA ( Brazil and Argentina ) and President of the Latin American Certifiers Group
The situation of certification at the regional level

Alberto Pipo Lernoud – Vice-president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and of MAPO – The social significance of organic farming

   
Sebastián Sala (CAPOC) presented an overview of some Latin American countries, most of which have yet to develop the internal market.    
Click here for Sebastian Sala presentation
http://www.biofach-americalatina.com.br/sems-argentina2.htm 
 
María Calzada emphasized the importance of joint work between Brazil and Argentina and indicated actions such as the following:  
Argentina and Brasil should get together with a view to becoming a reference for Latin America in the international organic scenario
Work within a network
Capitalize on the diversity in their supply of products
Both countries show geographical sustainability
Harmonize the different ways of working

Click here for María Calzada presentation

http://www.biofach-americalatina.com.br/sems-argentina1.htm 
   
Pedro Landa addressed the issue of certification in the market and the demand for certification labels by purchasers from Europe, Japan and the United States . Pedro Landa is a consultant to the BioFach Latin America Project and will take part in the panel How to Unite Actions to Strengthen the Development of the Organic Market in Latin America, in which Pipo Lernoud will also participate. 

Pipo Lernoud, in addition to being the moderator throughout the Seminar, spoke on a topic that is very important and not well known by consumers: the social significance of organic farming.





From left to right: 
Pipo Lernoud
e Pedro Landa



In his presentation, Pipo said that small producers are the key to diversity in the countryside and in trade. Pipo Lernoud is IFOAM’s vice-president and will be at BioFach Latin America on the panels relating to organic products in Latin America .		  

Click here for Pipo Lernoud presentation
http://www.biofach-americalatina.com.br/sems-argentina3.htm 
 
In the afternoon of the Seminar, the following people took part in the panel on “The Added Value of Organic Food”: 
Graciana Grau – Representative of Eurocentro Mendoza in Buenos Aires - Round of Business Talks at BioFach Latin America 2004
Sonia Pascual - Fincas Cuyen SH -  Organic Sweets 
Maria Calzada representing Patricia Eurnekian - Mel Don Panos – Organic Honey
Francisco Velez Funes - Olive Oil / Agropecuaria Paso Viejo
Marcos Schneider - Haus Brot – Cereals and bread
Bernardo Schifrin - Fincas El Renuevo – Olives

Graciana Grau explained how the Business Round at BioFach Latin America will be conducted, and showed its location on the map of the event. Graciana expects many business transactions to be furthered during this round, which is promoted by Eurocentro Mendoza in association with the Rio de Janeiro Eurocentro.

From left to right: Marcos Schneider/  Haus Brot;
Graciana Grau- Eurocentro Mendoza e Sonia Pascual/ Fincas Cuyen SH

 

In the last panel, it was the turn of the representatives of supermarkets in Brazil and Argentina to speak. Jaime Xavier, commercial director of Supermercados Zona Sul, presented the measures that this supermarket has been taking in order to promote organic products, such as internal training of employees and advertising organic products in their publicity brochures. Jaime Xavier made several contacts with Argentine organic producers at the Brazilian Embassy. Supermercado Zona Sul will have its space at BioFach Latin America 2004, specifically aiming to increase the supply of organic products in the Zona Sul chain. Jaime Xavier is not in favor of supermarkets developing their own brand for organic products, contrary to the opinion of his colleague on the panel, Juan Ignácio Simó, Manager of Controlled Brands of Disco supermarkets in Argentina .

   
Juan Ignácio Simó presented the brand Bell ’s Organics, launched in September 1994 by Disco supermarkets, which now sells several products with this brand, such as olive oils, olives, sweets and others. The representatives of the two supermarkets emphasized the need for an institutional campaign to educate consumers in order to generate internal demand. The Argentine consumer, just like his Brazilian counterpart, does not yet know the difference between organic and hydroponic products, nor the advantages of organic agriculture for the preservation of the environment.

Jaime Xavier(Zona Sul) and  Juan Ignácio Simó (Disco)

 

The Seminar held on June 3, 2004 has already brought concrete results, from the purchase of Argentine products by Zona Sul supermarkets to the formatting of the Workshop "Organic Products in Latin American Gastronomy", which will take place on September 10, within BioFach Latin America, with the participation of Brazilian chefs and María Calzada.

 

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