Organic Farming and Small-Scale Farmers: Main Opportunities and Challenges

Jouzi, Zeynab; Azadi, Hossein; Taheri, Fatemeh; Zarafshani, Kiumars; Gebrehiwot, Kindeya; Passel, Steven Van; Lebailly, Philippe

doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.10.016

Cited by 225 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Moreover, food access is another important issue that should be considered. Studies suggest that OF can improve the food access of farmers through different ways, including gradual increases in yield as well as improved farmer income, which leads to higher purchasing power [45].…”

Section: Of and Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Higher bargaining power, better access to credits and markets, exchanging knowledge and experiences, as well as reducing certification costs and facilitating contribution to policy institutions are the most important examples of how OF may empower poor farmers [23]. Given that OF is a labour-intensive system, it can increase employment opportunities in rural areas and improve the capability of poor farmers to afford better education and health services [45].…”

Section: Organic Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Species richness in birds, plants, soil organisms, and predatory insects increased while pest and non-predatory insects did not. The soil management methods in OF have the ability to restore degraded lands and to prevent further degradation in vulnerable regions [45]. The practices used to protect the soil in organic systems include minimum or no tillage of the land, contour cultivation, soil bunds, terraces, mulching, and planting cover crops [23].…”

Section: Organic Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A World without Hunger: Organic or GM Crops?

2017

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It has been estimated that the world population will increase to 9.2 billion by 2050; supplying the growing population with food will require a significant increase in agricultural production. A number of agricultural and ecological scientists believe that a large-scale shift to organic farming (OF) would not only increase the world's food supply, but might be the only way to eradicate hunger sustainably. Nevertheless, OF has recently come under new scrutiny, not just from critics who fear that a large-scale shift in this direction would cause billions to starve but also from farmers and development agencies who question whether such a shift could improve food security. Meanwhile, the use of genetically modified (GM) crops is growing around the world, leading to possible opportunities to combat food insecurity and hunger. However, the development of GM crops has been a matter of considerable interest and worldwide public controversy. So far, no one has comprehensively analyzed whether a widespread shift to OF or GM would be the sole solution for both food security and safety. Using a literature review from databases of peer-reviewed scientific publications, books, and official publications, this study aims to address this issue. Results indicate that OF and GM, to different extents, are able to ensure food security and safety. In developed countries, given that there are relatively few farmers and that their productivity, even without GMOs, is relatively high, OF could be more a viable option. However, OF is significantly less efficient in land-use terms and may lead to more land being used for agriculture due to its lower yield. In developing countries, where many small-scale farmers have low agricultural productivity and limited access to agricultural technologies and information, an approach with both GM and OF might be a more realistic approach to ensure food security and safety.

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Section: Of and Food Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Organic Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Organic Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A World without Hunger: Organic or GM Crops?

2017

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“…For example, intercropping (with or without legumes), fertilizer management, crop rotations and reduced tillage practices can lead to lower external inputs, efficient crop nutrient use and yield improvements (Scalise et al 2015;Dahmardeh and Hodiani 2016;Jouzi et al 2017). Benefits for the soil can also be realized through improved biological and chemical characteristics (Oelbermann and Echarte 2011;Chapagain and Riseman 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity and nutrient use efficiency with integrated fertilization of buckwheat–fenugreek intercrops

Salehi

Mehdi

Fallah

et al. 2018

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Intercrops and organic fertilizers can improve the productivity of cropping systems due to increased soil nutrient availability and plant nutrient use efficiency. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different intercropping ratios and fertilizer types on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and yields of fenugreek and buckwheat at the research farm of Shahrekord University, Iran. The

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“…Critics consider it an ideologically-driven and unproductive farming system which will have little relevance in the future [2][3][4][5]. Conversely, proponents have recognized organic farming as an innovative and increasingly important approach to food production due to its potential to balance multiple sustainability goals [6][7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Organic Farming in Europe at the Crossroads: Looking for the Way Forward through System Archetypes Lenses

et al. 2017

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Abstract:Over the last several decades, policymakers and stakeholders in the European Union (EU) have put considerable effort into increasing the adoption of organic farming, with the overall objective of its sustainable development. However, the growth of the organic sector has come with many challenges that jeopardize its sustainability. The question then is how to move organic farming in Europe forward and at the same time capitalize on its potential contribution to sustainability? Organic farming in the EU is a highly complex and dynamic food system and as such this question cannot be answered in isolation using a one-dimensional mind-set and tools of the past. In this paper, we use three system archetypes-Limits to Growth, Shifting the Burden and Eroding Goals-to sharpen our ability: (1) to analyze and anticipate difficulties in the development of organic farming in the EU under the current policy measures; and (2) to find effective ways to address these difficulties. A system archetype consists of a generic system structure that leads to unintended behavior over time and effective strategies for changing the structure into one that generates desirable behavior. The analysis reveals that in order to move forward, policymakers and stakeholders should reemphasize fundamental solutions rather than quick fixes that often generate unintended consequences. Specifically, Limits to Growth shows us that the leverage for moving organic farming out of the niche does not necessarily lie in increasing subsidies that push engines of growth, but rather in anticipating and managing its limits arising from, for instance, market dynamics or intrinsic environmental motivation. In turn, Shifting the Burden brings to attention how easily and unnoticeably the EU's organic farming system can become dependent on third countries thereby undermining its own sustainability. Finally, Eroding Goals highlights that is it important to continuously improve regulatory standards based on an external frame of reference, as otherwise organic farming in the EU will continue on its trajectory towards conventionalization.

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Organic Farming and Small-Scale Farmers: Main Opportunities and Challenges

Cited by 225 publications

References 62 publications

A World without Hunger: Organic or GM Crops?

A World without Hunger: Organic or GM Crops?

Productivity and nutrient use efficiency with integrated fertilization of buckwheat–fenugreek intercrops

Development of Organic Farming in Europe at the Crossroads: Looking for the Way Forward through System Archetypes Lenses

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