Photo: Lars Aarø

Recent work and speaking engagements

Sample current and recent work 2020-2023

  • Author, Strategy for Accelerating Organic Market Growth in The Netherlands: Policy Framework, market partnerships and organizational development. For BioNederland. Presentations and advisory sessions for Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (The Netherlands) 2022.
  • Co-author, National Agroecology Strategies in Eastern and Southern Africa: Lighthouses for food system transformation  (Biovision Foundation, 2024).
  • Analysis and advisor on National Ecological Organic Agriculture Strategy (Ministry, Tanzania, 2023)
  • Currently co-Consultant with Faris Ahmed on development of global strategy for the Agroecology Coalition, an alliance of over 50 nations and 120 organizations (2023-24)
  • Consultant on development of Organic Action Plan by Canadian Organic Alliance, and lobby strategies for new organic policies in Canada (2023).
  • Consultant for Policy & Advocacy Team, Biovision Foundation advising policy makers and CSOs in E. Africa and supporting peer-to-peer exchanges among policy makers and organizational leaders in Eastern and Southern Africa.
  • Organic policy development support and workshops (Ministry, Indonesia, 2022)
  • Moderator, World Food Summit theme “Green Transition of the Global Agricultural Production” (Copenhagen, may 2022).
  • Successful joint proposal and lobby effort from 6 NGOs and 5 food companies and retailers for a shift in Denmark’s foreign aid strategy towards supporting agroecology in the global south. Goal: food security, climate change mitigation, protection of biodiversity and fighting poverty. Dansk Agroøkologi Initiativ 2021
  • Author of Best Practice in Organic Public Procurement: The Case of Denmark for IFOAM Organics Europe (2021). Report to the EU Commission.
  • Columnist, Altinget.dk, news service for the Danish Parliament, writing on food and agriculture policy.
  • Advising three danish and nordic food companies on climate and organic strategy.
  • Policy consultant for Ministry of Agriculture (Uganda) as part of project “Coherent policies for transforming food and agricultural systems–A peer-to-peer exchange among policy makers” and Food Policy Forum for Change. (Biovision Foundation, IFOAM Organics International, with support from FAO, GiZ and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
  • Speaker and advisor for NGOs, businesses and government agencies on four continents on organic policy frameworks and market development. Selected examples below.
  • Successful lobby effort (national budget, Denmark 2021) for financing for further  climate and organic conversion in the Danish public kitchens. Lobby and joint climate op-ed for a consortia of 9 trade unions, business organisations and knowledge institutions. More info on my blog. And here: Climate and Organic Conversion in public and private food service
  • Project leader for  “Guidelines for True and Fair Climate Claims on Food products” for a consortia of 9 leading food companies and retail leaders, and danish organisations for climate, consumer affairs and agriculture (dec 2020).  And here is our 8 principles for true and fair climate claims, being fine-tuned now as a Danish Codex for climate claims,  Final report in Danish and english summary
  • Speaker on climate-greenwashing & principles for true and fair climate claims on food.
  • Lobby and op-eds in leading national newspapers making the case for Carbon taxation  Putting a price on climate and empowering farmers to become climate leaders.
  • Member and contributor, Climate Partnership for Retail, recommendations to the danish government on climate policy for the food industry (march 2020). Advisor Climate Sector Plan for Retail (2021).
  • Elected to World Board, IFOAM Organics International (2021). Candidacy Statement and CV. Why I am a candidate for the organic World Board

Clients (2020-23, alphabetical order)

Agroecology Coalition; Altinget.dk; Arla Foods; BioNederland (Netherlands); BioNext (Netherlands); Biovision Foundation (Switzerland); Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA); Canadian Organic Growers; COOP Danmark; Danish Crown;  Danish Dairy Board (Mejeriforening); Deltager Danmark; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH; Embassy of Denmark in Indonesia; Embassy of Denmark in Poland; Eosta (Netherlands); Estonian Organic Farming Platform; Food Cabinet (NL); Food Nation (DK); HK Scan Denmark; IAK Agrar Consulting (Germany); IFOAM Asia; IFOAM Organics Europe; IFOAM Organics International; IGBIO (Switzerland); Ingleby Farms & Forests; Løgismose-Meyers; Ministry of Agriculture Uganda; Månssons; Mærkevareleverandør Forening Danmark (MLDK); National Organic Training Skillsnet (Ireland); Naturmælk; Netto Denmark; Organic Council of Ontario;  Organic Denmark (Økologisk Landsforening); Organic Processing and Trade Association Europe (OPTA); Organic Sweden;  Organic Trust (Ireland); REMA 1000; Rijk Zwaan (Netherlands); Samuelsens; Salling Group; Soil Association (UK); Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM); Teagasc Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Ireland); Thise Dairy; Flanders Parliament Green Party.

Additional collaborations (2020-23)

Agricultural Development Denmark Asia (ADDA); CARE Danmark; Changing Food; CONCITO; Dansk Erhverv; Dansk Vegetarisk Forening; Embassy of Denmark, USA; European Commission;  European Court of Auditors; Fairtrade Mærket Danmark; Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (DanChurchAid); HORESTA;  Hotel og Restaurant Skolen; Kammeradvokaten, Poul Schmith; Kost og Ernæringsforbundet; KRAV; Landbrug & Fødevarer; Plantebranchen; PELUM Uganda; Real Organic Project (USA); Royal Danish Embassy, Tokyo;  Tanzania Organic Agricultural Movement (TOAM); United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); United States House of Representatives, Agriculture Committee; Verdens Skove; 3F Private Service, Hotel og Restauration.

Sample recent speaking engagements (2020-23)

  • Getting Organics on the Offensive (IFOAM Organics Europe Business Day, BIOFACH, February 2024)
  • Success with Organic Policy and the evolving role of governments as catalysts for organic growth: Lessons from Denmark & EU (for European Commission and equivalency partners in USA, Canada, Chile, UK, Switzerland and South Korea, February 2024)
  • Key drivers for Organic Breakthroughs in Denmark: Strong organic policy, sector capacity and market partnerships (Organic Summit Canada, November 2023)
  • Building a National Organic Brand (Biofarm Conference, Ireland, Nov. 2023)
  • Key Strategic Area for National Agroecology Strategies (peer-to-peer exchange among policy makers and organization leaders, Nairobi, October 2023)
  • How do we get to 25% organic in the EU? Policy to drive organic sales and farm conversion (Presentation for ministry officials in the 27 EU member states, by invitation of The European Commission, DG AGRI, December 2022).
  • Regenerative momentum: How should the Organic Sector Respond? (IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business, November 2022)
  • Organic Policy and Partnerships driving organic market growth in Denmark (Keynote, BIOFACH Saudi Arabia, November 2022).
  • Organic Policy, Market Partnerships and NGO mobilization driving Organic Breakthroughs: Key lessons from Denmark (Presentation for delegation, US House of Representatives, august 2022)
  • The Organic response to the rise of Regenerative Agriculture (BIOFACH, july 2022)
  • Inspiration on policy best practice in Africa and Europe: Input to Uganda’s National Agroecology Strategy (with Charlotte Pavageau, Kampala, march 2022)
  • Local and national Organic policy driving breakthroughs for sustainability in cities: Some lessons from Denmark. (Kisarazu City, Japan, march 2022).
  • How Policy and Sector Development can Grow the Organic Market (Ministry of Agriculture, Republic Indonesia, January 2022)
  • Organic production and consumption as a contributor to a sustainable global food system (Global Food Talk with Rasmus Prehn, Denmark’s Minister for Food and Agriculture. Food Nation, January 2022)
  • Regenerative, Organic, Plant-Based: Trends and opportunities for people, planet and profit (Board of Directors meeting, Copenhagen, November 2021).
  • Policy driving Sustainable Food Systems: The case of Denmark, Working together for more organics (Organic World Congress, France, september 2021).
  • Driving growth in organic farming and the organic market: the organic NGO as change agent (Soil Association, march 2021).
  • 25 percent Organic in EU in 2030: What does it require of us? What game changers do we need? (Meeting of Nordic & Baltic Ministries, september 2021)
  • Agroecology Across Three Continents: Showcasing Good Policy Practices (Oxford Real Farming Conference, UK, speaker, 2021)
  • Real Organic Symposium (USA, 2021)
  • Why the Danes crave organic, Biokennisweek (Netherlands, 2021) Webinar and interview.
  • Organic policy frameworks for market development, innovation and organic conversion (Food Policy Forum for Change for policy makers from sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia 2020)
  • The Danish Model: Organic Policy & NGO Capacity as catalysts for organic breakthroughs (Ekologiska Framtidsdagen, KRAV & Organic Sweden, september 2020)
  • Political solutions that drive organic market development (European Organic Congress, july 2020). Key takeaways in my blog: Policy drives organic market
  • Presentation for the EU Kommission: Organic Policy and NGO Capacity as catalysts for the organic sector. Recommendations for the EU Action Plan and European Green Deal (BIOFACH, Nürnberg, feb 2020).
  • Innovative politics that create healthy, climate friendly and organic meals in public sector kitchens (Sial International Food Exhibition, Paris)