If you are the type of consumer who seeks the organic at home, when you travel, the matter of organic production really becomes no less important. This is especially true if you are to spend any length of time in your foreign destination. If you are visiting or making Buenos Aires your temporary home..this will help make your time so much easier.
My recent trip to Buenos Aires, tearing myself from the British winter and exchanging cold, depressingly short days for 90% humidity and hour upon hour of golden sunshine, was one of a lofty learning arc. When you speak Spanish with the fluidity of congealed … a desperate search ensues to seek information to make life a little easier. The Internet became my superhero in hour (s) of need by plonking out into the vending machine of life, a rather brilliant website packed with foodie led information about my destination. Hail, Organic Buenos Aires. A concise and delectable oasis in a tumbleweed desert of alien text. 'Organic Buenos Aires you can find organic restaurant reviews, information on where to buy organic food, up-to-the-minute news, and health advice for people living in Buenos Aires'.
In an effort to understand just what was going on with the organic producers and retailers in the Federal Capital, I began asking questions about the awareness among the Argentinian's to the benefits of organics, not only for health but the quality of our soil, sustainability and the self sufficiency of a country graced with many growing hours of sunshine. Australian born Sarah Schwager, founder of Organic Buenos Aires agreed to shed some light on this. She began the website from her own desire to make shopping and eating organic more accessible to all.
According to Fresh Plaza Argentina has the 2nd largest production of organic produce (Australia wears the organic crown) yet only a tiny percentage of that is consumed by Argentinians. Only through education and government initiatives will the health of nations who put 'medicine for health' before lifestyle for health at the fore, will the health of its people be improved. Organic Buenos Aires is part of this change.
I love a good 'life' story, and Sarah's is no exception. She met her partner only six weeks after uprooting from her native Melbourne, Australia and landing in BA. I'll let her tell you the rest of the story...
1. What prompted you to start OBA? After living in Buenos Aires for some time, I found that while there was obviously a growing organic and natural health movement, there was a lack of easily accessible information on where to find these resources for tourists/expats and locals alike. While you can find information on natural health abroad, finding localised information in Argentina was next to impossible.
2. Is there an organic soil association or accreditation in Argentina? I’m not sure. I’m not the best person to ask on this topic. In terms of getting products certified organic in Argentina, I know that the process is quite stringent. You will find that most places that claim that their products are organic in Argentina are not officially certified, and those that are have gone through a very tough set of criteria to be so. See this link for example: http://www.oia.com.ar/prog-
3. Are the government moving toward more organic farming? Are there any farming subsides? I don’t believe so. Or at least not that I’m aware. I think the government is more about making money than growing organic products.
4. Are any of the political parties pro 'green'? There is the Iniciativa Verde. I imagine there are others but I couldn’t say off the top of my head.
5. What has been the reaction to OBA? Extremely positive – from the public and from local businesses. We have had a huge surge of followers and daily thanks for the service we provide. We have also found while many of our readers are already involved in the natural health movement, many are new to it and are generally interested in improving their health/lifestyle, which is one of the reasons why we set up Organic Buenos Aires to begin with.
6. What % of mercados in BA are currently organic? I’m not sure. But with five major busy organic markets in the C.A. de Buenos Aires, I think that’s quite impressive.
7. % of restaurants embracing organic? Tiny. I couldn’t give you an exact figure. There are literally thousands of restaurants in Buenos Aires and for anyone who’s been there, they can tell you how difficult it is to find good quality vegetarian food, let alone organic. That’s one of the reasons why we set up Organic Buenos Aires. There are vegetarian and organic restaurants all around the city, you just need to know where to go to find them.
8. What changes have you seen since starting OBA?
In the short time that we have been running Organic Buenos Aires, we have seen a new market open up, natural health practitioners open up, new organic restaurants open up, and more people than ever begin to take notice. It’s important to remember that while natural health and organic food are considered commonplace in places like USA and Australia, in Argentina it is far from the norm. So while it’s small, any movement towards natural health and eating healthily in Argentina, from my point of view, is huge.
It’s also important to remember that it’s a very difficult time in Argentina economically at the moment. For as many businesses that I see opening up I also see many going out of business.
9. Is there a 'green/organic' magazine in Argentina? Yes, there are a couple. Revista Lima and Ecomania are a couple that come to mind. I assume you mean hardcopies rather than online. Can’t think of them all off the top of my head. Here are some links.
www.todosaludonline.com.ar – more about health in general
10. What is the current level of Organic farming in Argentina – does Argentina import organic produce? It’s quite a complex topic, particularly with Argentina’s importation laws. This should give you a good background and answer a lot of your other questions: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/
11. What is your background? I have a postgraduate degree in journalism, and 8+ years’ experience as a journalist/editor. I come from a very natural health focused family, with five chiropractors, a physiotherapist, two midwives and a nurse in my family, which has largely spurred my knowledge of and passion for writing about natural health/alternative medicine.
12. Are there any organic urban farms in BA? Yes, there are a number of organic farms in and around Buenos Aires. Obviously, the ones in Buenos Aires are quite small, such as the one at El Galpon. But I have talked to a number of organic restaurant owners and market stallholders and they have organic farms in various regions of Argentina.
13. What is Argentina's stance on GM crops? More than 99% of all soy in Argentina is genetically modified, 86% of maize crops and 99% of cotton. Does that answer your question? This is a topic that Organic Buenos Aires is incredibly concerned about, due to the research relating to the negative health impacts of GM products. Add to that the ignorance among Argentines of how harmful GM products are as well as the fact that Argentine companies do not need to advertise on the label that their products include GM ingredients and you have a very serious problem.
Part of the problem also is illegal GM crop planting, particularly around the Mendoza region. I hope to do a feature on the issue soon.
Read this article we wrote: http://www.organicbuenosaires.
14. What, in your opinion, is the future for organic food in Argentina? I’m very optimistic. I have to be! I believe that as awareness grows in the US about the harmful nature of GM crops and the benefits of consuming organic food and on natural health, that will eventually creep down to Argentina. As I said before, any change is a good change.
15. Is there a producer of green home products in Argentina - washing powder, cleaning products etc? Yes, there are. I see them sold at the organic markets but I couldn’t tell you the brand names. Organic fertilizer and insecticide is also popular, as are organic pet cleaners, flea wash etc.
16. Any supermarkets have organic products and produce? I've not found any so far. The dietetica's don't seem to have any either (and I've visited ALOT of them).
Yes, El Jumbo has a great range of organic products (packaged rather than fresh), albeit small. That’s the only supermarket I’ve seen with organic produce. A lot of the local fruit and vegie stores and butchers etc may offer organic produce (in that it’s not sprayed with pesticides or fed with steroids/hormones etc) but it’s difficult to know, which is one of the main problems in Argentina. You will find organic products in many dieteticas, again packaged. Most of the natural or so-called organic products on offer in Argentina still contain toxic ingredients (such as shampoo which contains parabens or Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulphate) and this will often be the same whether you buy them from a dietetica or an organic market, even when the ingredients aren’t listed on the label. Always ask!
17. What is happening with the organics in restaurants in BA? My own focus is on vegan/vegetarian so I do not have a general picture. Most seem to know what a celiac is and there are many products for this dietary need (so obviously the food intolerance is a problem for Argentinians also). From my narrow view point it seems that the veggie/vegan scene seems to be having an influence on the organic movement.
Yes, I think you’re right. There seem to be many people in Argentina now with gluten intolerances, which is not a huge surprise when you look at their diet. Like most areas, it is the vegetarian locals and foreigners who spawn the movement, as what’s on offer is so limited for their dietary needs that they feel they have to open their own restaurants/markets. However, it’s important to note that while we do offer plenty of information for vegans and vegetarians, we are more focused on organic food of all kinds, including meat, as we promote health rather than vegetarianism, which is a very difficult way to keep healthy for most unless your diet is highly supplemented.
18. What part do you and your colleagues hope OBA to play in educating BA to adopt an organic lifestyle?
Again, we see ourselves as more of an information and news provider rather than helping spawn the movement. But if we can educate even one person who visits our site and reads our articles on the importance of natural health and healthy living, then our job will be done. There is far too much of an attitude in Argentina of “treating the disease with medicine” rather than being healthy in the first place, as well as a lack of education on what is a healthy diet. And so we would like to help educate people on this.
19. What brought you to BA and why do you stay? Favourite place or thing to do in the City? Favourite restaurant or cafe (or both)?
I came to BA to travel and work for a year and met my partner after six weeks. That was over 3 years ago. He’s a local and a graphic designer and helped me set up the site.
I love jogging/bike riding/picnicking around the Bosque de Palermo. It’s a bit of a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Tigre is a favourite of mine for a day trip, there’s so much to do.
El Malvon in Villa Crespo (where I used to live) is my absolute favourite café, their smoothies are to die for. It really is just a little piece of Melbourne (where I’m from) in Buenos Aires.
Sarah is an organic superhero in Buenos Aires, a sure agent for change. We wish her continued success.
Thanks Sarah!
I've one more interview in this series, soon to come. Discover the story behind a man who waved the corporate life goodbye to make a map.
please note* Previously this post had Sarah mentioning a meat based restaurant. It has been removed so as not to cause any confusion.
please note* Previously this post had Sarah mentioning a meat based restaurant. It has been removed so as not to cause any confusion.
2 comments:
"The quality of the meat and salads they serve up is so good and so Argentinean, you just can’t go past it. It’s expensive though so only on special occasions!" you must be kidding, right? In which way you call yourself a vegan?
@Anonymous
Hi Anon,
I see why you ask this, pertaining to Sarah's comment regarding the meat in Argentina. Sarah does not claim to be vegan. I am a vegan and used OBA to find some great organic VEGAN eateries in BA. The organic movement is being pushed forward by health aware restauranteurs and produce suppliers in BA. Being a HEALTHLY vegan is important to me, as is using my money to bring forth the increasing organic market, for the health of people, the planet etc. Thus my interest in Organic produce when travelling as well as at home. I will state, I do not atone the eating of meat. I am a VEGAN. What Sarah of OBA eats is her choice.
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