Agroecology Promotion Programme (APP)

Timeline:

May 2024 - April 2028

Target Countries:

APP has a regional scope across Africa and Southeast Asia, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and the selected Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. 

Project Facilitation:

IFOAM - Organics International

Local Partners

Supported by:

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

The Agroecology Promotion Programme (APP) is a transformative intervention for creating sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and healthy food systems globally. It specifically targets Sub-Saharan Africa and selected Southeast Asian countries. By empowering civil society, influencing policies, and developing robust agroecological markets, APP aims to significantly enhance food security, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic resilience. 

While IFOAM – Organics International coordinates the overall programme, providing leadership for the Programme Steering Committee (PSC) in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), as well as leads the Global Component of the project, the regional components are facilitated by Biovision Africa Trust in Africa, and GRET/ALiSEA for Southeast Asia. 

  • Strengthen the advocacy capacities of civil society organizations and stakeholders to effectively adopt and promote agroecological practices. 

  • Facilitate the integration of agroecological principles within policy frameworks at national and regional levels. 

  • Encourage the growth of economically sustainable agroecological market systems. 

The APP is structured around four key intervention lines, implemented across national, regional, and global levels: 

  • Capacity building for civil society organisations and stakeholders 

  • Advocacy and policy dialogues at multiple governance levels 

  • Specific empowerment initiatives aimed at youth and women 

  • Financial mechanisms for agroecological market development 

APP operates through three interconnected regional components: Global, Africa, and Southeast Asia (SEA)—each led by key partner organisations. Across these components, 11 partners collaborate to implement 24 coordinated initiatives that align with APP’s objectives.

  • Civil society stimulates: Empowering civil society organisations, rural populations, women, youth, and smallholder farmers to demand accountability and improved food systems outcomes (food security, economic livelihoods, and environmental sustainability)

  • Policies progress: Encouraging policymakers and government officials to integrate agroecology into national and regional policy frameworks, contributing to global food systems transformation

  • Markets develop: Strengthening market actors (including MSMEs, consumers, and finance institutions) to grow agroecological product markets through increased demand, access to finance, and local market development

  • Smallholder farmers 

  • Women and youth groups 

  • Civil society organisations 

  • Government policymakers 

  • Market stakeholders, including SMEs and consumers 

What is our approach?

The Agroecology Promotion Programme (APP) operates under a comprehensive Theory of Change designed to drive systemic transformation in food systems. APP also follows the 10 elements of agroecology outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the 13 principles proposed by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, UN Committee on World Food Security (HLPE-CFS).

The programme envisions that if producers, consumers, and policymakers adopt and apply agroecology, and if financial support for agroecology is provided along the supply chains, particularly benefiting smallholder farmers, women, and youth, then nutrition, livelihoods, and environmental conditions will improve. As a result, food systems will become more resilient, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. This transformation occurs because individuals become active participants in their food systems, and a critical mass of good practices supports the implementation of national pathways for food systems transformation through agroecology. 

APP employs a co-creation and partnership-driven approach to ensure alignment with the agroecology principles of participation, inclusiveness, and systemic transformation.

APP has 3 components and their respective sets of initiatives, with a total of 11 strategic partners: 

  • IFOAM – Organics International (Global Component Lead) 

Latest News & Publications

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Learning Event

Second APP Learning Event Examined the Kampala Declaration

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News

New Training to Nurture South Africa’s Organic and Agroecological Leaders

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News

New Course Empowers Kenya’s Organic and Agroecological Change Agents

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News

Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Leadership Course Launches in Nigeria

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Learning Event

APP First Learning Event Explores Participatory Guarantee Systems

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Training

(Application closed) Open Call for Participants for Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Leadership Course - South Africa

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Training

(Application closed) Open Call for Participants for Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Leadership Course - Nigeria

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Training

(Application closed) Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Leadership Course - Kenya

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News

Rooted in Sustainability: The Agroecology Promotion Programme Drives Inclusive and Resilient Food Systems

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Contact us 

In case of questions, comments or getting involved in the process, please don’t hesitate to contact us:  

Patricia Flores
Senior Manager Global Academy
IFOAM - Organics International
p.flores@ifoam.bio

Sahar Brahim
Project Coordinator 
IFOAM - Organics International
s.brahim@ifoam.bio