The main goal of INOFO is to improve its members’ living conditions, organic farmers worldwide. To achieve this, INOFO is considering working in a more decentralised fashion, strengthening its regional network while maintaining its global network as the main link between the continents. This network will continue to represent organic farming and advocate for fair, sustainable food systems for current and future generations.
Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA) has been working closely with INOFO since 2018. This partnership resulted in the INOFO board team asking AHA to help strengthen Africa as a model for the other six INOFO regions. The project, which has been running for just over a year, is being led by an Africa task force and has already produced visible successes: the task force has strengthened INOFO’s visibility on the continent, expanded the membership base and developed a strategic plan to achieve further goals.
From 30 June 2024 to 6 July 2024, a joint workshop of the Africa Task Force and the INOFO Board of Directors took place in Kigali (Rwanda). The focus was on the task force presenting the results of the Africa project to the network’s Executive Board. In addition, organisational links between regional and global levels were jointly defined and strategies coordinated. Another important goal was team building. This was achieved through interactive sessions that fostered respect and understanding between participants from different backgrounds. This has created a strong basis for harmonising regional and global activities, structures and processes.
The seven-day workshop was led by trainers Purvi Shah-Paulini, who has been working with INOFO since 2018, and Fatma Ben Rejeb, former Executive Director of the Pan-African Farmers’ Organisation (PAFO) and expert on Africa’s agricultural landscape. The diverse experiences and insights of the members of the task force and the INOFO board enriched the event, enabling both regional and global perspectives to be taken into account. Everyone involved played a crucial role in ensuring that the workshop’s objectives were being achieved.
The meeting also focused on planning the upcoming INOFO General Assembly. In various workshops and discussions, participants continued to strengthen vision and values together to ensure that these are reflected in all areas and activities of the organisation. An excursion rounded off the event, during which the task force, the board and the AHA team visited the Center for Agroecological Practices and Conservation of Nature (CAPCN) with the support of the Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM).
At the end of the workshop, participants shared their reflections, which emphasised a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer understanding of future challenges and opportunities. The collaborative atmosphere encouraged the exchange of best practices and experiences, strengthened the team and enriched their collective knowledge.
The AHA is looking forward to continuing to accompany INOFO along this path.
