The Virtual 6th ALGOA Summit Draws 2,000 Viewers from 48 countries

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Asian Local Governments for Organic Agriculture (ALGOA) Summit this year was virtually held. This, however, did not stop the organic community from witnessing and being part of two events: the 5th ALGOA Anniversary and Asia Organic Day on the 18th of September, and the 6th ALGOA Summit: Building Alliances Beyond Asia on the 12th - 16th of October.

More than 600 people registered for the events and over 2,000 watched the Opening Ceremonies and Summit. These were broadcasted live in the ALGOA and IFOAM Asia websites, as well as on YouTube, Facebook and Zoom.

Speakers from international organisations from around the globe such as the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), IFOAM - Organics International, the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equity (ESP) of FAO, Regeneration International, 4per1000, IFOAM Organics Europe, INRAE France, the Organic Food System Programme (OFSP), International Network of Eco Regions (I.N.N.E.R) and League of Organic Agriculture Municipalities, Cities and Provinces in the Philippines (LOAMCP) presented during the Summit's 5-Day event.

On the 5th ALGOA Anniversary, there was a designation of three ALGOA Centres: The ALGOA Centre for Public Procurement to New Taipei City, The ALGOA Centre for Organic Governance to LOAMCP-Ph in the Philippines and the ALGOA Centre for Organic Leadership to Goesan County.

The Young Organics Global Network (YOGN) was also formally launched and the matriculation ceremony of the annual ALGOA Organic Foundation Course (OFC) followed. In the 5 days that followed, 28 trainees from all over Asia attended the first ever virtual.

A major highlight during the opening ceremony of the 6th ALGOA Summit was the establishment of the Global Alliance for Organic Districts (GAOD), an alliance of ALGOA and I.N.N.E.R, to cooperate closely in promoting a wider adoption of organic agriculture practices and disseminating them in other continents.

* ALGOA is a daughter organisation of IFOAM Asia. It is registered in South Korea and is fully sponsored by Goesan County, which has been the seat of presidency for the last 5 years.