You are here>>Home>>Projects>> Selected current projects >> OSEA II

Organic Standards in East Africa - OSEA II

The project will support the further development of regional organic standards and certification capacity in East Africa and to support an enabling framework for organic agriculture. The project is a continuation of the successful project to establish a regional organic standard for East Africa. The East African Organic Products Standard was adopted by the EAC Council in April 2007 and officially launched by the Prime Minister of Tanzania at the organic conference in Dar May 2007.


From the left: Leonard Mtama, TanCert; Gunnar Rundgren, Grolink; Stephen Wasira Masatu (MB) Minister of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives, United Republic of Tanzania; and Jordan Gama, TOAM

An East African Organic Mark was also established. This has provided the fundaments for a further development of the local and regional markets.

The project aims at increasing income for rural communities through local, regional and international trade in organic products.

The project will accomplish the following results:

• Improved certification services in East Africa.
• Appropriate conformity assessment systems for EA smallholders and local and regional organic marketing exist.
• Market access to the EU is improved.
• More comprehensive standard and standard revised according to practical experiences.
• Operators understand and implement the standards
• Improved local market opportunities.
• The East African Organic Mark is well managed.
• Increased intra-EAC trade in organic products
• Better government policies and plans for the organic sector.
• The sector in Rwanda and Burundi is further developed.
• Existence of comprehensive information about the development in East Africa

It is implemented by IFOAM and the National Organic Agriculture Movements in Burundi (BOAM), Kenya (KOAN), Rwanda (ROAM), Tanzania (TOAM) and Uganda (NOGAMU) in close cooperation with the organic stakeholders and governments in the East African countries. It is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida

Grolink is contracted for the Project Management and Gunnar Rundgren is the Project Leader. The project started 1 November 2010 and will run up to 31 December 2013.

Download East African organic products standards (PDF 539 kB) >>

Link to IFOAM page for more information about the project >>

© Grolink AB 2007-2011

info @ grolink.se
Tel: +46 56372345, Fax: +46 56372066
Torfolk, Östra Skymnäs, 684 95 Höje, Sweden