Global Forum for Food and Agriculture
As the President of the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International and CEO of SEKEM, Helmy Abouleish, took centre stage on January 20 as the keynote speaker at the Agriculture Ministers’ Conference of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture’s (GFFA) taking place in Berlin, Germany.
Biodynamic farming and SEKEM’s Economy of Love standard
Mr. Abouleish explored the principles of true cost accounting, revealing biodynamic agriculture’s twofold role as a regenerative solution to the climate crisis as well as a more cost-efficient alternative to conventional farming. SEKEM’s Economy of Love standard, anchored in biodynamic certification and transparent supply chains, not only validates carbon credits and ecosystem services but also uplifts farmers’ incomes through inventive funding and continuous education programs. A widespread adoption of these measures could yield a significant impact on the global food system.
Biodynamic agriculture as a food system of the future
Positioning biodynamic farming as the food system of the future, SEKEM, established in 1977, has transformed the barren Egyptian landscape into a thriving oasis over the last 46 years. With 5,000 smallholder farmers championing this cause, SEKEM has been able to attain comparable yields with lower water usage and higher incomes than conventional farming, while sequestering hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2. SEKEM’s success clearly demonstrates that a greener future is not merely and ambition, but an achievable reality through biodynamic farming practices.
Contact: Clara Behr, Head of Policy and Public Relations
clara.behr@demeter.net
Brussels, 20.01.2024
