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Evaluation, Development and Introduction
of International Biodiversity and Landscape Standards for
Organic Agriculture
Landscape values, like biodiversity and landscape aesthetics are more
and more important products of agriculture. However, there are many organic
and biodynamic farms which show lower values than the average for conventional
farms. The reason is simple: there exist no corresponding standards in
the current organic and biodynamic guidelines.
Our institute, in co-operation with
the biodynamic movement in Switzerland (Section
for Agriculture, Goetheanum, Dornach) and the International Federation
of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM),
initiated moves to take this aspect into consideration with a study containing
an analysis of the current situation and concrete proposals for such standards.
Several expert meetings and symposia have taken place since. In 2003,
IFOAM established an expert group that includes our institute to broadly
evaluate the existing proposals and to elaborate viable standards for
biodiversity and landscape quality.
The IFOAM General Assembly will vote
in 2006 on whether the proposals should be added to the 'International
Basic Standards' (IBS) of Organic Agriculture.
The IBS implementation will be accompanied
by extension programmes to assure acceptability and positive effects of
the standards on the individual organic farms. A key element will be the
manual for agricultural biodiversity that is in elaboration by the ELPR
company.
Publications:
Bosshard A. 2005: Implementing biodiversity
standards: The need for extension. In: Stolton S. & B. Geier (Eds.):
The Role of Organic Agriculture for Biodiversity - its contribution today
and its potential tomorrow. Proceedings of the 3rd International IFOAM/IUCN
Conference on Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture, Nairobi, 24.-26.9.04.
(download here:
pdf 50 KB)
Bosshard A. 2003: Actual and Potential
Role of Organic and Traditional Agriculture for the Conservation of Biodiversity.
In: The Potential of Organic Farming for Biodiversity. In: Stolton S,
D. Metera, B. Geier & A. Kärcher (eds.) 2003: The Potential of
Organic Farming for Biodiversity. Münster (Landwirtschaftsverlag),
p. 67-78. (download here: pdf
50 KB)
Bosshard A. 2002: Participation of different
actors in a landscape. In: Bastian O. & U. Steinhardt (eds.): Development
and Perspectives of Landscape Ecology, pp. 424-432. Kluwer. ISBN 1-4020-0919-4.
Bosshard A. & T. van Elsen 2002: Gesichtspunkte
zur Landschaftsentwicklung auf dem biologisch-dynamischen Hof. In: Forschungsinstitut
für biologischen Landbau, Verein für biologisch-dynamische Landwirtschaft
(Hrsg.): Leitfaden zur biologisch-dynamischen Landwirtschaft, Kapitel
6: Landschaftsentwicklung. Frick und Münchenstein (CH). 15 S.
Bosshard A. 2000: A methodology and terminology
of sustainability assessment and its perspectives for rural planning.
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 77, 29-41. Bosshard A. 1997:
What does objectivity mean for analysis, valuation and implementation
in agricultural landscape planning? A practical and epistemological approach
to the search for sustainability in "agri-culture". Agriculture,
Ecosystems and Environment 63, 133-143. (download
here: pdf 75 KB)
Bosshard A. 1998: Betriebsstruktur und
ökologische Leistung der Landwirtschaft. Agrarforschung 5 (10), 463-466.
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