Karen Mapusua

Organic agriculture has an important role to play in addressing so many of our current issues – climate, food and nutritional insecurity, loss of biodiversity, protecting water sources, creating livelihoods, and even protection of human and cultural rights. I value the role IFOAM - Organics International has been playing to engage the organic movement in these important issues, and through candidature for the World Board I hope to be able to play a strong role in supporting organic farmers as the leaders in the dramatic change that is required for our planet’s future.
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Resume
Board Member, Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand 2012- 2017 (tenure completes 2018)
Coordinator Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community 2012 - 2016
Volunteer Secretary Regional Organic Task Force 2008 – 2012
Women in Business Development, Samoa Organic Programme 2006-2012
Key achievements
– Involved in development of the Pacific Organic Standard – the first organic standard that contains requirements around climate change mitigation and adaptation.
– Supported development of Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom), a network across 15 Pacific Island countries and territories with over 40 member organizations reaching thousands of organic growers.
– Initiated an Organic Tourism and Hospitality Standard helping to facilitate farm to table linkages for small holders;
– Developed regional PGS system where all approved PGS carry a regional organic mark, facilitating trade and creating local market recognition of organic products and;
– Initiated an online Policy Toolkit to assist governments and stakeholders develop supportive policy environments.                         
Advocacy has been a strong focus and I have led initiatives to have organic agriculture recognized as more than a production system but a valuable tool in the Pacific regions development aspirations. Outcomes include:                                                     
– Organic agriculture is included in the outcomes document of the UN Small Islands Developing States meeting held in 2014.
– Council of Regional Governments and Administrations (CRGA), the Ministry’s of Foreign Affairs of the 24 member state Pacific have directed the Pacific Community to establish its first organic agriculture program.
The advocacy role has also lead to many invitations to speak internationally on organic agriculture for small holders in less developed countries. Presentations include to the;
–  Governing Council of the International Trade Centre in 2011;
– staff of IFAD HQ (2014);
– Small Island States Ambassadors based in Europe (2014);
– Least Developed Countries Ministerial Meeting in Benin (2014), and
– Women’s World Economic Forum in Mauritius (2016).