EBDA in February 2024
EBDA Signed with New Validation and Verification Bodies
In the course of expanding the Economy of Love standard internationally, EoL has onboarded two new validation and verification bodies (VVB) to validate and verify the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Statements of EoL licensees in India according to ISO 14065:2020 and ISO 14064-3:2019.
The new VVBs are EPIC sustainability and Enviance Services Private Limited. Check the Link for more details: Enviance Services Private Limited EPIC Sustainability
EBDA Various Activities
The Agriculture Conference 2024
Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland
Celebrating 100 years of biodynamic agriculture, The Agriculture Conference 2024 was held in Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland by the Section of Agriculture from the 7th to 10th of Feb under the theme of “SUN EARTH HUMAN”. The EBDA had the chance to establish a booth for introducing its major upscaling project and the Economy of Love carbon credit scheme system.
EBDA member, Naglaa Ahmed opened the first day of the conference with an inspirational speech mentioning EBDA’s achievements and future goals. Next to this, the EBDA team attended insightful sessions, open spaces and artistic courses during the conference. Speech link Opening: The biodynamic impulse in the world (goetheanum.tv).
EBDA showcased their intensive research on “Paradigm Shift in Biodynamic Agriculture” through a poster presentation and introduced their upscaling strategy at a booth, featuring the “Economy of Love Standard” and fostering significant networking opportunities.
Meeting with BFDI members in Goetheanum
A meeting was held with BFDI to discuss to activate more the role of BFDI and potential enhancement of the movement in each country and different income creation channels of the association.
Over the course of the four-day event, the EBDA team showcased their commitment to sustainable agriculture, spreading awareness about their Economy of Love (EoL) standard and whole system carbon credits. Visitors to Sekem’s booth were invited to learn more about EBDA’s initiative, including an invitation to the first African Biodynamic Conference in Egypt. This conference, celebrating 100 years of biodynamic agriculture, will provide a platform to discuss the future of biodynamic agriculture in Africa.
EBDA Joined Biofach 2024 in collaboration with RDNA and Organic Egypt at Sekem’s Booth
The Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA) proudly announces its participation in Biofach 2024, held in Nuremberg, Germany from February 13th to 16th. In collaboration with esteemed partners RDNA, Organic Egypt, and Sekem, EBDA made a significant impact at the renowned exhibition.
In addition to networking, the EBDA team held intensive meetings with potential future partners, laying the groundwork for impactful collaborations. They also participated in panel talks addressing crucial topics such as food security and the impact of biodynamic agriculture on women in Africa.
The collaboration with RDNA, Organic Egypt, and Sekem at Biofach 2024 was a tremendous success, said Justus Harm, Executive Director at EBDA. “We were thrilled to spread awareness about EBDA and EoL and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of sustainable agriculture.”
Women as Pioneers for Sustainability (BIOFACH 2024)
– Based on organic production and agroecology, African women are leading transformative changes at different operational levels of the food system: from farm to policy making. The diverse examples from Africa bring inspiration for action across the globe. The session will focus on knowledge exchange and cross-fertilization of ideas at farm level, marketing and farm-business models, advocacy and policy influence, and co-creation of knowledge.Participation in Women Change makers in Africa: Insights and experiences for food system transformation in cooperation with KCOA & IFOAM; speech covers different areas of creating knowledge, sharing it, training local communities and interacting with farmers to support them in their journeys towards organic agriculture, how do we make sure women are involved and empowered? What is our perception and experience on the quality of capacity development processes led by women and which is the most effective entry point to engage women in long-term processes for knowledge co-creation? to view the session please check the link: African women are leading transformative changes.
– For the celebration of the 100 years of biodynamic agriculture, the biodynamic movement; the EBDA would like to highlight the crucial role of women in building a sustainable agriculture and taking care of the land, they play a key role in paving the way to a just transition and in shaping agriculture for the future. As a speaker in the ‘Women as pioneers for sustainability’ panel a discussion was about empowering women through education, restoring the social connection as part of biodynamic farming and health approach example of Sekem Showcase. “100 years of biodynamic” at BioFach 2024 | Demeter
Economy of Love Standard Updates in February
EoL team in February 2024 successfully implemented the following in response to enhance the EoL criteria for the EBDA registered farmers:
EBDA Trainings & Workshops
EBDA Team Organized a Workshop in The Agriculture Conference 2024
Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland
Additionally, The EBDA team was hosting a successful 3-day workshop on “The Social Impact of Biodynamic: Livelihood Improvements in the Global South’. Showing Case about the Economy of Love carbon credits scheme systems and its holistic sustainability standard in enhancing small holder farmers livelihoods and increasing their lands’ productivity. Next to this, the cooperation between the Carbon Footprint Center (CFC) for measuring carbon sequestration and issuing the EoL-CC by the Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt (COAE). There was an open discussion to answer the participants’ questions and reflect on the EBDA services. Eventually, Justus Harm led the last day of the workshop for meditating to link all participants themselves with the Earth and nature.
EBDA Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) Standard Updates
In continuation of what was completed during the past months, by the end of February, the PGS audits were completed by the Peer Review Committee on a number of 1,313 farms in 18 governorates in Egypt. Inspection documents for each farm were uploaded to the ERPNext system by the EBDA team. The COAE team is now working on reviewing all the documents related to the farms that were inspected and reviewed by the Peer Review Committee so that the PGS certificates will be issued to these farms by the end of the review process.
The research day at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland
On 6th February 2024
28 researchers and interested people gathered at this event to hear from the conducted trials and research topics around Biodynamic agriculture.
- Benjamin Eppler – Production and use of potentized preparations
- Angela Hofmann – Effect of potentized preparations on Basil and Corn silage
- Dr.Fritz Jürgen (University Kassel) – how the human microbiome is influenced by Biodynamic agriculture.
- Simone Helmle – new training model for biodynamic agriculture implemented.
- Dr.Glen Atkinson – 50 years of experience with potentized preparations, Hugo Erbe preparation and the king’s preparation (Glenopathy).
Trial with potentized biodynamic preparations 500 (horn manure), 501(horn silica), CPP (cow pat pit) on Corn Silage cultivation
EBDA Engineers’ Training Program at SEKEM Farm
Two-day training program for the EBDA agronomists. The first day of the programme focused on medicinal and aromatic plants, and different farming practices in order to Organic and biodynamic farming regulations. The second day focused on the ERP-next data tool for adding and collecting farms’ data.
EBDA Marketing and Communication
The EBDA and EoL marketing and communication team plays a pivotal role in enhancing the visibility, impact, and reach of the Egyptian Biodynamic Association and Economy of Love standard and its sustainability approach on social media platforms and webpages.
- They are working on several learning materials and creating educational videos in different sectors.
- They are following up the EBDA upcoming conference. The First African Biodynamic Conference that will be held on 10th -12th May 2024.
- The team starts a new online campaign that will be published on the EBDA official youtube channel called “Learn with EBDA”
The Egyptian Biodynamic Association is hosting Africa’s first Biodynamic Conference to explore new agricultural approaches. Focused on climate resilience, youth leadership, and indigenous wisdom, it aims to shape a regenerative future for African farming by connecting international experts with local practitioners for meaningful collaborations. Check the link to learn more and save your spot: ABDC 2024
EBDA Farmers’ Training
Training includes different topics inside the field by field training by different extension services by consultant and EBDA engineers who follow up farmers’ needs of training and EoL services. Worth to say that all packages of services are integrated to benefit the member farmers and their network through demo plot training, field training, field visits. Farmers’ Training Plan February 2024
EBDA Farmers Growth
In February, EBDA extension engineers successfully registered 126 new farms, comprising 1619 feddan and 763 farmers. The following are the overall values for each statistic, which includes both January and February:
- Total 242 farms
- Total 1345 farmers
- Total 2789.5 feddan
