Peacebuilding

Creating a Global Peacebuilding Platform
The objective of GO Organics is to create a global network in empowering regenerative agriculture and peace in every part of the world.

By creating a global platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration, we aim to create sustainable peace, not only at a national level, but at an individual level, family, community, society as well as at a global level.

Food draws people together. By sharing good quality food together, we bring joy, friendship and mutual understandings. Extending beyond one nucleus relationships, GO Organics connects consumers with the producers so we can make aware that individuals cannot function as single entity but very much dependent on mutual support and care.

GO Organics is a platform of mutual support and care. It is a global platform for regenerative agriculture and peace building. The world is getting smaller through the advance use of technologies and trade but each individual, each religious group, ethnic group and as well as each country have their own culture and subculture which we need mutually learning and respect. On the other hand, we live together in a single planet sharing the same ecosystem and natural resources which human being are so much depending on. If we do not work together collaboratively in protecting our mother earth, we shall experience sufferings, leading to discontent, conflicts and war.

By globalising local actions, we starts with family actions. By consciously aware what we are bringing to the dining table, we extend our care to those who take care of providing us with food, maintaining our soil, and our environment. Economic development, especially at the rural area, is essential for peace . But we need to do it with utmost care in consideration of not only economic values alone but also values of brought by the interaction of social, wellbeing and nature. Market forces are brutal. It neglects public good . The weak will be removed leaving the strong and powerful dominating creating an unbalanced society. Inequality in wealth, knowledge and market access creates divide in every societies.

GO Organics is a holistic initiative. Making social changes countering the negative force of the market need collective actions. No single individual and organization can make the necessary change alone and henceforth we do not work only with a single farm or entity. We need each member of our network to work together sharing their knowledge, their success and their difficulties. Not only do we need to work in the farming community level, we work with private companies, government, academic institutions and civil societies provided that these entities share the same mission.

The organic market is growing rapidly. Double digit growth worldwide on an annual basis. The global organic market although is growing rapidly with about US$81.5billion in 2015, it is merely a little more than 1% . In other words, there is a huge potential to grow for everyone.

But, how can this market opportunity be shared with smallholder farmers when the players in the industry are so strong and dominating?

GO Organics is formed from an social/impact enterprise based in Thailand with an objective of enabling smallholder farmers and producers going towards organic agriculture by creating an effective market place for them in both buying and selling of their organic produce. By encouraging more consumption of organic food as well as finding markets for organic products with incentive pricing to smallholder farmers, raising their standard of production, enhancing their quality in production, more smallholders farmers will have the opportunity in benefiting in this growing industry and will be willing in joining the movement in practising organic agriculture.

On the other hand, many legislated organic certifications are creating barriers for global inclusion. Rather focusing only on the certification process. GO Organics focuses on the four Principles of Organic Agriculture, step forth by IFOAM namely Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care and we based our definition of organic agriculture coincide with IFOAM’s definition, namely:

“Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.”

Some of the most abject poverty in the world is concentrated in farming communities and there are around 87% of the total 570 million farms worldwide (close to 500 million) are small holder farmers with less than 12.5 rai of farmland (Thailand alone has around 19.7 millions of farming holders estimated in 2013 ). Imagine if the living standard of these population can be improved, what consumption power can this be generated for continued global economic growth? The irony is that population of farmers worldwide are aging . Not only do we need to encourage organic production, we need to revitalise the industry, making it more fun, sexy and innovative so younger generations are willing in carrying the torches from our precious farmers without the knowledge gain by these farmers throughout their years of apprenticeship from losing.

This in an essence is what GO Organics’ is about and luckily, over the years, we are seeing more young farmers worldwide entering into the space and we believe, together we can make a difference. . Let’s GO Organics!

For more information, connect with us: connect@goorganics.org

Facts & Data

Worldwide
• There are more than 570 million farms worldwide, most of which are small and family-operated. small farms (less than 2 ha (about 12.5 rai) operate about 12% and family farms about 75% of the world’s agricultural land .
• In 2006 World Bank estimated food and agriculture sector is about 10% of Global GDP
• 2017 Global GDP US$75 trillion => 2017 worth about $7.5 trillion
• Global market for organic food – 81.6 billion US dollars in 2015
• According to the National Statistical Office (2014), the amount of Thai farmer has deceased gradually since last 3 decades; decreasing from 65.65 per cent in 1980s to 44.28 per cent in 2000s
• In 2013, there were 19.7 million holder’s household members in Thailand
• Number of holders by age group (55-64 years) has increased from 1.7% from 1993-2003 to 45.1% from 2003-2013

Thailand
• Agricultural production as a whole accounts for an estimated 9-10.5 percent of Thai GDP.
• 40% of the population work in agriculture-related jobs
• Most Thai farmers own fewer than eight hectares (50 rai) of land.
• Thailand is recognized as a key destination for human trafficking in the Mekong region, in addition to being a source and transit country for forced labour and sex trafficking. (http://un-act.org/thailand/)

Download full article here