THE ORGANIC PRODUCTION IN BOLIVIA: The way to an ecological Nation. The new government of president of Bolivia Evo Morales presents a perspective of great change in many aspects of the lives of Bolivians. The agricultural sector is included in this shift of thinking and constitutes a pivotal axis in the policy of the new government

Vildozo, Luis

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THE ORGANIC PRODUCTION IN BOLIVIA**The way to an ecological NationIng. Luis Vildozo; PhD cand. "Knowledge Systems and Innovations" Institute for Organic Farming Department for Sustainable Agriculture Systems University for Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Austriaemail: lvildozov[a]hotmail.com , luis.vildozo_vargas[a]boku.ac.atThe new government of president of Bolivia Evo Morales presents a perspective of great change in many   aspects   of   the   lives   of   Bolivians*.   The agricultural sector is included in this shift of thinking and constitutes a pivotal axis in the policy of the new government.President Evo Morales, government officials, key leaders   of   social   have   consistently   managed   a discourse   in   favour   of   organic   agriculture, emphasizing   the   positive   benefits   for   Bolivian’s health, the protection of the environment and the opportunity   to   gain   and   consolidate   access   to markets in benefit of smallholder farmer’s incomes. In   June   2006   the   government   presented   the “NATIONAL   PLAN   OF   DEVELOPMENT: DIGNIFIED,   SOVEREIGN,   PRODUCTIVE   AND DEMOCRATIC BOLIVIA, TO LIVE WELL” and in November of the same year passed the “Law of REGULATION AND PROMOTION OF ORGANIC FARMING   AND   NON   TIMBER   FORESTRY PRODUCTS”   making   organic   production   part   of State policy.   At the same time, the government has prioritised a process of land redistribution, affecting millions of hectares, which will be distributed to indigenous communities   and   peasants,   prioritizing   and supporting the ecological use of this  land (Law 3545), as stated in the law passed in November  Bolivia’s geography is comprised of a variety of agroecological climates, a fact that has supported the livelihoods of millenarian cultures throughout the country’s history. Presently the country has high indicators of poverty and extreme poverty, occupying the 113th position in the UNDP development index (UNDP 2005) and a scandalous numbers of chronic undernutrition populations (FAO 2006).2006   the  “LAW   OF   COMMUNITARIAN RECONDUCCIÓN OF the AGRARIAN REFORM”. The afore mentioned development plan emphasises the   importance   of   agroecological   practices   in creating solutions to many of the problems faced by poor Bolivian farmers, and in addition, it hopes  “the development  of   ecological   agriculture   associated with the elimination of pesticides and reduction of the use of fertilizers, replacing them with organic products “(PNdD 2006). The   development   plan   and   the   new   organic production law include a change in the approach to technological innovation for agricultural production, based   on   “the   promotion   of   investigation, recognising and documenting indigenous production techniques,   the   appropriation   of   external technologies and promotion of participatory forms of knowledge sharing, focussing on learning by doing”, farmer   field   schools     and   “farmer   to   farmer” knowledge exchange; primarily focussed at small producers and peasants. It is hoped that these government programmes to support   the   adoption   of   ecologically   sustainable technologies   and   in   regions   where   organic agriculture   is   not   possible,   producers   will   be encouraged to enter the transition process. The plan contemplates the involvement of municipal and state governments in developing these programs and/or projects to support organic production, which is   now   considered   top   priority.   Government’s institutions   that   administer   public   resources   will have to prioritize the acquisition of organic products (Law 3225).AOPEB   (Association   of   organic   producers organizations of Bolivia) an umbrella organization supporting organic producers plays a key role in this process, formulating and actively accompanying the creation of a legal and normative framework, and 1maintaining   an   important   presence   in   all   the institutionalization of Bolivian organic agriculture. The Bolivian organic export market is worth around $us   25   million   with   more   12   thousand   tons   of certified   products   among   them   quinoa,   coffee, cacao,  chestnut, amaranth and soya; a total of 364,100 certified hectares. The main markets are the European Union, the United States of America and Japan, but exports are on the increase  to Colombia,   Chile,   Saudi   Arabia   and   other   new markets. Expert at AOPEB predict market growth top the value of $us 450 million by 2016(IFOAM 2005) (El Deber 2006). Current   production   includes   new   products   like onion, peas, broad beans, peanut and others, as well  as   Andean   tubers,  grains,   fruits   and  other under exploited  crops.   The market  for  organic certificated quinoa is growing with exports of 5 thousand tons, with the perspective of reaching 30 thousand tons in the next four years. The offer of processed   organic   products   includes   dehydrated llama meat, quinoa soups and ready to eat quinoa. The greatest challenge faced by Bolivia’s organic agriculture   sector   is   the   development   of   local markets   following   the   policy   of   the   present government,   to   consolidate   an   agroecologic alternative and overpower the negative effects of the   “green   revolution”   and   of   the   conventional agriculture (Altieri & Yurjevic1991, Vildozo & Vogl 2006). “Before our slogan was “Mother country or death”, now will be “our planet or death”, because we will offer sovereignty and security to humanity, not to make money but to guarantee life” (Evo Morales 2006).“When we speak of ecological Bolivia we are speaking about sovereignty and human security ; to produce ecological products is not for the money but it is about life, we are speaking about the life of humanity” (Evo Morales 2006)“Ecological Bolivia is a component of the agrarian revolution. We are proposing an agrarian revolution and the best way to guarantee an ecological Bolivia. It is not only about organic products but also how to conserve our environment” (Evo Morales 2006) “I am convinced that we only can compete in the international market with organic products, currently cultivated in many different regions from the country. I want publicly to ask some agro businesses in Santa Cruz, to stop the production of GMO´s, because with that we are not going to compete in any market” (Evo Morales 2006).ALTIERI, M. & A. YURJEVIC, 1991: La agroecología y el desarrollo rural sostenible en America Latina. Clades 1.EL DEBER, 2006: Edición para Internet, 22 de octubre 2006, http://www.eldeber.com.boDELGADO, F., 2002: Estrategias locales de gestión del territorio para un desarrollo sostenible en ecosistema de montana. Memorias del Encuentro Desarrollo de los ecosistemas de montana y biodiversidad en Bolivia.FAO, 2006: El estado de la inseguridad alimentaria en el mundo 2006. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la agricultura y la alimentación.IFOAM, 2005: The World of Organic Agriculture Statistics and Emerging Trends. International Federation of Organic agriculture IFOAM.LOW 3225, 2006: Ley de Regulación y promoción de la producción agropecuaria y forestal no maderable ecológica. Boletín Oficial del EstadoLOW 3545, 2006: Ley de regulación y promoción de la producción agropecuaria y forestal no maderable ecológica. Boletín Oficial del EstadoLOS TIEMPOS, 2006:  Edición para internet , 13 agosto 2006, http://www.lostiempos.com/PNdD, 2006: Plan Nacional de Desarrollo  2006. Ministerio de Desarrollo Sostenible Bolivia, Cap 5.4, pag 128.PNUD, 2005: Informe sobre desarrollo humano 2005. Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el desarrollo.VILDOZO L. & C. R. VOGL, 2006: La Agricultura Orgánica en Latinoamérica. Naturraum Lateinamerika, LIT Verlag. ** VILDOZO, L. (2007): THE ORGANIC PRODUCTION IN BOLIVIA The way to an ecological Nation. Abstract from "Der ökologische Landbau in Bolivien: Auf dem Weg zu einer ökologischen Nation“ Background Research Summary, No.1, 2 pages, Institute for Organic Farming, University for Natural Resources Management and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria2

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