IFOAM

 

 

 

Bonn, October 26, 2021

 

Dear Members of IFOAM – Organics International

I am writing to ask for your urgent support.

Like many organisations, COVID 19 has had a profound impact on IFOAM - Organics International. Many donor funded projects – which make up a large proportion of our income - were affected, but fixed costs such as salaries remained. The postponement and hybridization of the Organic World Congress and General Assembly added significantly to our financial burden. In addition, you will have seen in our annual report that we recently embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of our financial reporting systems which has provided us with a much more accurate picture of the organization’s financial status.

These factors have led us to a situation where we need to take urgent action to secure our ability to continue to serve the organic community, and I am writing to ask for your support.

Despite our current financial challenges, we have continued our work on the global level and influenced important discussions such as the UN Food Systems Summit. We also continued strengthening the fabric of our network and increased our coordination with the Regional IFOAM’s, like IFOAM Organics Asia, IFOAM Organics Europe, IFOAM AgroBioMediterraneo, IFOAM Southern African Network and IFOAM North America , as well as the International Network of Organic Farmer Organisations.

Next year we mark our 50-year anniversary which we would like to celebrate together with you. For 50 years, together, we have created a momentum for organics, put in place foundations such as the Principles of Organic Agriculture and championed the organic community in global efforts to shift agricultural practices and policies.

We are the only non-state actor at the global level defending the Principles, working to maintain the integrity of organic and positioning organic as a solution to global challenges. As a membership-based organization, we provide a place for the organic world to come together to discuss, articulate, protect and promote these crucial principles. No one else has the mandate to do so! As a result, today, organics has achieved global recognition as part of the solution to the world’s most urgent crises: food insecurity, the climate emergency, and biodiversity collapse.

This is the time for organics like never before, and IFOAM - Organics International has a pivotal role to play in ensuring the work of our global membership is supported, uplifted and strengthened. Our newly-elected World Board is committed and motivated to securing our work as a membership based organization and therewith ensuring the work of the worldwide organic movement goes from strength to strength. For this to happen, we have set a fundraising goal of 300.000€. We need you to help us achieve this by the end of the year. This will ensure we can continue our important work and allow time to develop a new strategy for our long-term economic sustainability.

Let’s pull together and help us pass this challenging time, let’s all together build a stronger IFOAM – Organics International and a stronger global organic voice! Please find our bank details here.

We appreciate your contribution and look forward to hearing back from you. Certainly, we will keep you updated on the situation. Thank you!

Warm regards,
Karen Mapusua, on behalf of the World Board President,
IFOAM – Organics International

P.S. Do not hesitate to contact me at k.mapusua@ifoam.bio or our Executive Director, Louise Luttikholt, l.luttikholt@ifoam.bio with your questions and feedback.