Benefits of organic farming systems

Benefits of organic farming systems

Year of publication 2014

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Category Brochure

Edition 1

Full item page

Language English

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Book (stand-alone)

Technical study

Comparative Analysis of Organic and Non-Organic Farming Systems: A Critical Assessment of Farm Profitability 2009

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Organic agriculture has triggered a controversial debate in the last decades, most importantly because it shed light on the darker sides of chemical-intensive conventional farming by offering an alternative. By now, there is a strong body of evidence showing that organic farming is more environmentally friendly: potential benefits from organic production arise from improved soil fertility, organic matter content and biological activity; better soil structure and reduced susceptibility to erosion; reduced pollution from nutrient leaching and pesticides; and improved plant and animal biodiversity (Kasperczyk and Knickel, 2006). As more and more attention has been put on determining whether organic systems are environmentally better or not, it is not clear whether organic agriculture could be economically attractive enough to trigger wide spread adoption. If organic farming offered a better environmental quality, and potentially healthier foods, but not sufficient econ omic returns to the majority of farmers, it would obviously remain a luxury way of food production available to a very tiny fraction of farmers. However, the continued growth of organically managed lands worldwide, especially in developing countries, does not support this hypothesis. The number of studies devoted to the question of how profitable organic agriculture is when compared to non-organic management is over hundred; however long-term studies analyzing the development of prof its in comparative studies are much less numerous. Regrettably, the geographical distribution of these studies is very much biased towards developed countries (mainly U.S.A) and certain cash crops (e.g. corn, soy, wheat). Still, a general trend can be identified when considering economic comparisons made in the last three decades. The aim of this paper is to analyze existing literature on the economic performance of organic versus conventional (defined as non-organic) farms, to determi ne the critical factors for success in the evaluation of organic agriculture in different socio-political settings, and to offer some critical insights into how comparative studies differ. Only studies using data from certified organic farms have been considered, covering a minimum of three years (for developed countries) after conversion and undertaken after 1980 (see Appendix). Due to the lack of availability of long-term economic studies in developing countries, the minimum length r equirement was not taken rigidly and studies covering one and two years have also been included from these countries. Studies evaluating yields and certain production costs, but not analyzing profits were not considered. Although an effort was made to compile as many available economic studies as possible, the list in the Appendix is not exhaustive.
Policy brief

Policy brief

Socioeconomic and ecological benefits: Evidence from Participatory Guarantee Systems organic vegetable production in Viet Nam and policy implications 2025

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This policy brief addresses the challenge of scaling up organic vegetable production in Vietnam, specifically those certified through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and based on agroecological principles. While organic PGS is crucial for ensuring food safety and environmental integrity, its widespread adoption is significantly hindered by high labour requirements, persistent productivity gaps, and constraints within market and institutional frameworks.Research conducted in the peri-urban areas of Hanoi and other provinces shows that membership in PGS significantly improves farm profitability (by 117 percent) and agroecological performance (by 40 percent), alongside increasing the diversity of market channels for farmers. However, these benefits are limited by low farmer awareness, a lack of practical technical training to address common pest and soil challenges, and unstable markets for organic produce. Furthermore, the absence of clear governmental lists for permitted organic inputs impedes innovation and local support.To maximize the socioeconomic and ecological potential of this sector, the brief proposes three core policy recommendations:1. Strengthen Local Capacity by establishing a national program for hands-on, contextualized agroecology training.2. Support and Incentivize the uptake of organic practices through targeted subsidies, dedicated credit access, and supportive, coordinated agricultural policies.3. Reform Policy through Evidence by utilizing continuous agroecological performance assessments and establishing a multi-stakeholder working group to monitor and guide the effective implementation of greener policies.Implementing these recommendations requires coordinated investment and commitment from both public and private actors to foster a resilient and sustainable vegetable value chain.
Project

Factsheet

Support for Development of Organic Rice Farming System in West Kalimantan - TCP/INS/3702 2021

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Indonesia is currently implementing a national programme entitled Seribu Desa Organik (a thousand organic villages) for rice, horticulture and several estate crops, with the programme on organic rice being conducted by DGFC, MoA As the focal institute, DGFC requested FAO support for the development of organic rice production in the border area of Indonesia and Malaysia in West Kalimantan province Although organic agriculture is familiar to farmers and government bodies in the province, its commercialization is relatively new Current challenges to the implementation of the national programme include the limited capacity of farmers and extension agents, a lack of certification, and inadequate post harvest and marketing facilities Most farmers, farmers’ groups and extension agents lack the technical capacity required for successful organic farming The production inputs approved for organic production are limited and the country has only one certified organic rice institution With regard to post harvest and marketing facilities, no certified organic rice processing and handling facilities or organic trade/market for organic products exist at provincial level Project interventions would focus on improving the efficiency of production and on initiating market demand to establish self sustaining organic rice value chains Where applicable, gender sensitive cultivation practices and tools to reduce gender segregated work and different pay arrangements would be explored, as well as leadership opportunities for women.