Ecovalia recognizes four leading figures for their contributions to organic production, reinforcing the sector while not neglecting research, the promotion of new markets, and territorial recovery.
These are agronomist Pilar Ramírez, the AlVelAl association, the Ecuadorian company Paccari, and the American organization Organic Trade Association, who will soon become members of the organization as honorary members.
In this way, it highlights how organic production continues to advance and gain ground, not only by following agricultural guidelines, but by finding its place through a combination of natural conservation, technological advances, applied scientific knowledge, and the importance of adding value to the sector and uniting consumers and producers on the same path.
This article reviews their main contributions to understand how agricultural research, collective work in the territory, business transformation, and sector representation can foster the development of more sustainable production systems.
Through these recognitions, the journey connects experiences from Spain and the Americas and offers a broad view of the factors that help consolidate organic production.
Ecovalia Debuts Honorary Members
The Ecovalia Board of Directors, at its meeting on September 22, decided to appoint the following people and entities as honorary members of the organization:
Pilar Ramírez – Agricultural Engineer
With this appointment, Ecovalia wishes to acknowledge her long-standing involvement with research, training, and knowledge transfer in the agricultural field, and, most notably, her commitment to viticulture and organic production from the IFAPA Cabra Center.
Her work in research lines related to sustainable viticulture, organic farming, soil conservation, and the adaptation of production systems to climate change constitutes a very valuable contribution to the technical and scientific development of the sector.
In addition, her constant willingness to collaborate with Ecovalia and, particularly, her years of service as a member of the EcoRacimo jury, contributing her knowledge and rigor to the prestige and consolidation of this international contest for organic wines. Her career also includes serving as a juror for the Andrés Núñez de Prado Award for research in organic production.
AlVelAl
With this distinction, Ecovalia aims to recognize AlVelAl’s important track record in promoting a farming model capable of combining economic activity, conservation of natural resources, territorial recovery, and a future for rural areas in the northern part of Almería province.
Their work with farmers and ranchers to spread ecological and regenerative farming practices, restore soil fertility and the landscape, train producers, and drive new economic opportunities linked to sustainable productions has been particularly highlighted.
The association itself provides advisory services, training, support to producers, and an almond farm experimental plot managed under ecological and regenerative farming criteria.
Paccari
With this appointment we want to recognize a business trajectory that embodies many of the values Ecovalia defends: certified organic production, respect for the origin of foods, value creation in the territory, traceability, and the building of more balanced relationships between producers and markets.
Since its establishment in 2002, PACCARI has succeeded in turning Ecuadorian organic cacao and the chocolate produced at origin into internationally recognized products, promoting a model based on fine-flavor cacao, direct trade, traceability, quality, and innovation.
For Ecovalia, there is also a special significance in recognizing a Latin American company that has demonstrated that organic production can be simultaneously a tool for differentiation, economic development, internationalization, and value creation for producers.
It is a vision we deeply share and that aligns with Ecovalia’s long-standing relationship with the organic production movement in Ibero-America.
Organic Trade Association
With this award, Ecovalia wishes to recognize the Organic Trade Association’s long-standing trajectory in the development, representation, and protection of the organic sector in the United States and internationally.
The OTA’s role in bringing together the different parts of the organic value chain, reinforcing the integrity of organic standards, representing the sector before public authorities, and contributing to the growth of the organic market makes its organization a global reference for all who work toward a stronger organic sector.
OTA defines its mission precisely around the growth and protection of the organic through a common voice for its members, from farming to the market.
