Mission & objectives of the Technology Innovation Platform of IFOAM (TIPI)

The World Board of the International Federation of of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) approved the following mission statement of TIPI - the Technology Innovation Platform of IFOAM.

TIPI’s mission is

• to foster international collaboration in organic agriculture research;
• to engage and involve all stakeholders that benefit from organic agriculture research;
• to facilitate exchange of scientific knowledge of organic food and farming systems; and
• to help practitioners disseminate, apply and implement innovations and scientific knowledge consistent with the principles of organic agriculture.

The IFOAM World Board has provided TIPI with the following objectives:

1. To be a network for exchange and collaboration between Organic Research Institutions and scientific partners throughout the world.
2. To develop organic food and farming science, knowledge, and technology innovation within the global organic movement.
3. To serve as a global technology platform for the application of knowledge derived from scientific research through farmer-driven innovation and information dissemination.
4. To enable IFOAM policies to be based on good science.
5. To establish research priorities with the various stakeholder organizations in IFOAM and to network with regional technology platforms and other bodies thatformulate research and innovation strategies for organic agriculture.
6. To enhance the sustainability of agriculture based on the principles of organic agriculture.
7. To build capacity and mobilize partnerships for organic farming research that assists small-scale producers in developing countries alleviate poverty, establish food sovereignty, and meet food security and nutritional needs through healthy, ecologically sound and socially just farming systems.
8. To influence and inspire donors and research funding bodies to increase funding for research and innovation in organic food and farming.
9. To represent IFOAM members that conduct and apply research, develop technologies, and disseminate information as a sector group.

Currently TIPI works on the global vision on organic food and farming research, a strategice pland and an action plan.

1. Engage organic stakeholders, primarily IFOAM members from different sectors and regions, in a process that will develop a shared vision for research, development, technology, and innovation.
2. Draft a strategic plan to present research priorities identified by organic stakeholders as both global and regional challenges.
3. Establish an action plan to set and implement a global and regional research agenda.