Organic Production and Certification in Uganda

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Organic Production and Certification in Uganda

• Charles Walaga
• Uganda Organic Certification Ltd
• ccwalaga_at_ugocert.org

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Contents

• Organic production in Uganda
• Organisations and institutions
• UgoCert certification programmes
• UgoCert requirements for organic certification of
  Apiculture
• The certification process

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1.Organic production

• 1st Certification in 2004 (Fresh fruits)
• 2nd Certification in 2005 (Cotton)
• Current status
• Organic smallholder farmers Approx 38,000
• Organic wild production Approx. 1,300 collectors
• In conversion status 15,824 smallholders

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1.Organic production cont.
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1.Organic production cont.

• Organic wild freshwater fishery
• Organic wild shea butter
• Honey (in conversion)
• Hibiscus calyxes (in conversion)
• Cardamom (in conversion)
• Black pepper (in conversion)

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2. Organisations and institutions

• Training, extension and research
• MAAIF
• NOGAMU
• NGOs like LOFP
• Networks (PELUM and SATNET)
• EPOPA/SIDA, Hivos
• UMU
• Makerere University

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2. Organisations and institutions cont.

• Certifiers
• Uganda Organic Certification Ltd (UgoCert)
• IMO
• Ceres
• Soil Association
• Ecocert
• BCS

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3. Ugocert certification programmes

• Uganda Organic Certification Ltd (UgoCert)
• Partners
• IMO
• Ceres
• Our services are available throughout Africa,
  south of the Sahara

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3. Ugocert certification programmes cont.

• Uganda Organic Standard (UOS)
• EU Regulation 2092/91
• NOP Regulation
• JAS
• Bio Suisse
• Naturland
• KRAV
• Soil Association

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4. UgoCert requirements for organic certification
of Apiculture

• Description of location of the hives
• Nectar and pollen sources of essentially
  organically grown crops or natural vegetation
• Not near GMO flowering plants
• Good distance (3 4 km) away from major sources
  of contamination (urban centres, waste dumps,
  industrial areas, water works)
• No feeding on conventionally grown nectar and
  pollen producing crops

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4. UgoCert requirements for org cert of
Apiculture cont.

• Any treatment of the hives must be with
  organically approved materials
• Bees wax for new foundations must be organic. At
  harvest, hives must be left with reserves of
  honey and pollen for them to survive.
• Artificial feeding only allowed where the
  survival of the hives is endangered

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4. UgoCert requirements for org cert of
Apiculture cont.

• Origin of bees and reproduction must be organic
  or one year conversion period for EU
  requirements.
• From then onwards only apiaries own organic
  colonies are allowed with 10 non-organic queens
  or wild swarms
• Use of synthetic repellents during harvesting is
  prohibited
• Use of synthetics in management of storage pests
  is prohibited

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4. UgoCert requirements for org cert of
Apiculture cont.

• Destruction of bees in combs as a method
  associated with harvesting is not permitted
• There must be no commingling with other honey
  qualities during harvesting, storage and
  processing
• Finally the whole production process must be
  described, labelled and monitored for compliance

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4. UgoCert requirements for org cert of
Apiculture cont.

• Certification costs
• Application/Registration fee (0.5 USD per
  beekeeper 150 USD for a project)
• Inspection costs
• Inspection fees (100 250 USD)
• Transport by public means (depends on distance)
• Subsistence (modest accommodation and meals)
• Administrative fees (150 250 USD)
• Certification fees (250 1,000 USD)

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5. The certification process

• Contact us for a discussion and the application
  pack
• Study the information, fill in the application
  forms
• Submit the application forms with the application
  fee
• We will review and send you a proposal with a
  provisional quotation

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5. The certification process cont.

• Once you pay the quoted amount or an agreed
  percentage, 1st inspection of the production will
  be organised and conducted
• The results of the inspection will be assessed,
  an inspection programme suitable for the
  production will be developed and an invoice made

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5. The certification process cont.

• If the certification programme is agreed, then a
  certification contract is signed
• An agreed of the invoice has to be paid
• For organic apiculture, a second inspection in
  the second year of the production (1 year of
  conversion) could get the project certified
• Organic certification is renewed every year

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The UgoCert Organic Quality Mark
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• Uganda Organic Certification Ltd
• ACORD Building, Ggaba Road
• P.O. Box 33743, Kampala. Uganda.
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• info_at_ugocert.org
• ccwalaga_at_ugocert.org