scholarly journals Organic farming in Nepal: A viable option for food security and agricultural sustainability

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-230
Author(s):  
Sovit Parajuli ◽  
Jiban Shrestha ◽  
Sabita Ghimire
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
External Input ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Agricultural Sustainability ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
The Government

Increasing use of agrochemicals, higher production cost and deterioration of ecosystem health have advocated the need to change the traditional and external input using agriculture towards safe and sustainable organic production. The article reviewed on general overview of organic agriculture in Nepal. The article aims to put light on the current scenario of the dawdling-paced organic agriculture and the options to revive the pesticide dominated conventional agriculture. Promotion of organic agriculture was first appeared as a priority in the10th Five Year Plan of the Government of Nepal. Now it has been embedded in the national agricultural policy. Organic agriculture provides benefits in terms of environmental protection, conservation of nonrenewable resources, improved food quality, improve health status and the reorientation of agriculture towards areas of market demand. Various institutions, individuals and farmers are engaging in organic farming. Nepal is exporting organic products to international markets. The adoption of organic agriculture increases agricultural production and improves soil health and consumer health and seems a better option in countries like ours where fortunately integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent. It is found to be viable option for better livelihood in the context of Nepal. Because the haphazard pesticide use has marred the conventional agriculture, all these contexts gesture this system to be scrutinize thoroughly and supplanted by organic farming system as a viable option towards food security and agricultural sustainability.

scholarly journals SIGNIFICANCE OF COOPERATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Olha Alieksieieva
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Cooperative Movement ◽  
Analysis And Synthesis ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of the article is to study the impact of the basic principles and benefits of the development of cooperative movement on the development of organic agricultural production, as well as to determine the role of cooperation in the development of organic entrepreneurship. Methodology. The author has used the methods of analysis and synthesis, the method of statistical grouping and comparison, induction and deduction, structural and functional approach to solve the problems and achieve the goals. The study is based on the comparative analysis and synthesis of scientific literature. Results. Organic food is increasing in popularity. The growing demand is mainly attributable to consumer concerns about negative implications of conventional agriculture for human health and the environment. Organic agriculture has a great potential to neutralize a negative impact of agricultural intensification on the environment. The article describes the concept and analyzes the current state of cooperation in agriculture. It is found that during the period under the research, the number of registered cooperatives has increased by almost 45%. The concepts of organic agriculture and organic production are clarified. The dynamics of agricultural lands engaged in organic production and the number of certified organic farms in Ukraine are studied. It is indicated that the consumption of organic products in Ukraine is much lower than in the European countries and the United States. The advantages of introducing a cooperative movement in the field of organic agriculture are identified. Being part of a cooperative helps small farms to be able to produce enough to generate profits and ensure their substance, which is an opportunity to compete with larger companies. Risks arising in the process of establishing organic cooperatives are outlined considering the international experience. It is concluded that efficient organic farming cooperatives can support local and export markets, stimulate production efficiency and promote local logistics. Practical implications. The advantages of consolidation of enterprises and entrepreneurs in the field of organic agriculture on the basis of cooperation can be used for the development of state programs to support the cooperative movement in organic farming. Value/originality. Views on the organization of production, processing and logistics activities of organic agricultural producers through the introduction of cooperatives have been expanded.

scholarly journals Financial competitiveness of organic agriculture on a global scale

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (24) ◽  
pp. 7611-7616 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Crowder ◽  
John P. Reganold
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Benefit Cost

To promote global food and ecosystem security, several innovative farming systems have been identified that better balance multiple sustainability goals. The most rapidly growing and contentious of these systems is organic agriculture. Whether organic agriculture can continue to expand will likely be determined by whether it is economically competitive with conventional agriculture. Here, we examined the financial performance of organic and conventional agriculture by conducting a meta-analysis of a global dataset spanning 55 crops grown on five continents. When organic premiums were not applied, benefit/cost ratios (−8 to −7%) and net present values (−27 to −23%) of organic agriculture were significantly lower than conventional agriculture. However, when actual premiums were applied, organic agriculture was significantly more profitable (22–35%) and had higher benefit/cost ratios (20–24%) than conventional agriculture. Although premiums were 29–32%, breakeven premiums necessary for organic profits to match conventional profits were only 5–7%, even with organic yields being 10–18% lower. Total costs were not significantly different, but labor costs were significantly higher (7–13%) with organic farming practices. Studies in our meta-analysis accounted for neither environmental costs (negative externalities) nor ecosystem services from good farming practices, which likely favor organic agriculture. With only 1% of the global agricultural land in organic production, our findings suggest that organic agriculture can continue to expand even if premiums decline. Furthermore, with their multiple sustainability benefits, organic farming systems can contribute a larger share in feeding the world.

scholarly journals Perspectives of Organic Agriculture and Policy Concerns in Nepal

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Mani Pokhrel ◽  
Kishor Prasad Pant
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Organic Certification ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
The Government ◽  
Marketing Information

Agriculture production worldwide has been intensified with a simultaneous expansion in pesticides,fertilizers and other agro-chemicals use to meet growing peoples' demands for food. Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals has however resulted in several problems such as pests' resistance to pesticides and resurgence due to elimination of natural enemies, toxic residues in food, water, air and soil, degrading soil environment and ecosystem, animal and human health hazards and ultimate economic losses. Realizing the facts, organic farming is becoming popular recently, and there have been growing concerns on its importance and promotion in number of countries irrespective of their stage of development. Consequently, farming system paradigms have now shifted from mere increased production and productivity to resource sustainability and eco-friendly production techniques in their emphasis. Higher cost due to agro-chemicals and resulting environmental losses incurred in conventional agriculture on one side and higher advantages of ecological diversities available in the country on the other have proved that Nepal has high potentialities and  comparative advantages of producing quality organic products. A high majority of mountain farmers in Nepal, excluding a few of the agricultural pockets where so-called commercial agriculture has already introduced, do not use any chemicals. Owing to globally increasing trend of demand for organic food, Nepal can benefit from such exports. The government based on some of its policy instruments is also committed to promoting organic farming in the country. However, the instruments are inadequate and not well integrated. Inadequate research, extension services and manpower especially on production and marketing information and input supply have hindered promotion of organic agriculture. Organic product legislation, standardization, certification and infrastructure in such development are also major issues of policy concerns.Key words: Organic-certification; Organic-farming; Organic-standard; Policy; Nepal; etc.The Journal of Agriculture and Environment Vol:10, Jun.2009 Page: 103-115

scholarly journals In the Era of Climate Change: Moving Beyond Conventional Agriculture in Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Suyeon Lee ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Cooperatives ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Market Opportunities ◽  
The Government

Thailand is ranked among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change, and its farmers have faced the risk of natural disasters almost every year for nearly 30 years. However, those affected by climate change have also been the largest contributors to climate change, increasing the risks they will face in the near future. The intensive use of chemical pesticides in conventional agriculture has harmed not only the environment and biodiversity but health of both users and consumers. Responding to these problems, several policies have been put in place over the past decades to reduce pesticide usage as well as to encourage farmers to switch to low-carbon and low-pesticide agriculture, namely, organic agriculture. This study reviews policies related to the development of organic agriculture in Thailand and examines whether organic agriculture is an effective adaptation and mitigation strategy to climate change that can also generate enough food. This study finds that the organic sector has been largely driven by the private sector, particularly the agricultural cooperatives and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which have provided various support ranging from technology transfer, production, financing, distribution, to marketing of organic products. Their role is vital in encouraging farmers to switch to organic farming and growing market opportunities for organic goods. Nevertheless, constraints including inconsistent policies and limited support from the government remain, which, to some extent, weakens the efforts to build sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. To improve organic farming, there is a need for the government agencies to work together with all relevant stakeholders in the organic sector, namely agricultural cooperatives, NGOs, and consumers.

CERTIFICATION SUBSIDIZING AND ORGANIC PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-593
Author(s):  
M A. Bryzgalina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Saratov Region ◽  
Annual Volume ◽  
The Government

The demand for organic food is a prerequisite for the formation and development of organic agriculture, and the task of promoting it on domestic and foreign markets is among the priority ones. A serious problem in the sale of this category of goods to the domestic food markets of the country is the distrust of potential consumers. It is possible to solve this problem through certification and the use of a well-known brand. Certification of manufacturers of environmentally friendly products is a rather complicated and expensive procedure, therefore it is not available for most agricultural producers in the Saratov region. However, basing on the fact that today the task of developing the organic agriculture industry is set at the level of the government of the country, it is possible to solve this problem with the support of the state. The article examines the enterprises of the Saratov region of various legal forms, which do not use fertilizers and chemical means of crop protection in the production of crop production. Using the example of agricultural organizations and farms in the region, a mechanism for subsidizing certification of the most promising producers of organic wheat (winter and spring) is proposed, which includes the allocation of targeted subsidies for its implementation. As a criterion for the selection of applicants for this type of state support, as well as the distribution of budgetary resources between them, it is proposed to use the average indicator (potential) of the annual volume of organic production in the work. As a result, direct participants in certification subsidies were selected from the compiled sample of the studied enterprises that do not use chemical plant protection products and mineral fertilizers and the total annual volume of their marketable wheat was determined. The author determined the maximum cost of quality confirmation procedures for one enterprise, taking into account the increasing coefficients per one day of inspection, and also established the largest amount of budgetary resources that may be spent on the implementation of the proposed measure. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed certification subsidy mechanism, the author developed formulas for determining the selling price of products in the promising organic segment, taking into account its increase by the level of premium premiums.

scholarly journals PENGEMBANGAN DESA SENTRA ORGANIC FARMING DI DESA RENDENG, GEBANG, PURWOREJO

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Budi Setiawan ◽  
Zulfanita Zulfanita ◽  
Didik Widiyantono ◽  
Sugeng Eko Putro Widoyoko
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Community Empowerment ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Community Environment ◽  
Institutional Strengthening ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRAKKesadaran petani akan dampak dari penggunaan pupuk atau pestisida kimia dalam pertanian konvensional sangat rendah. Penurunan kualitas lingkungan seperti berkurangnya serangga, penurunan kesuburan tanah, penurunan kualitas air, udara dan polusi tanah disebabkan oleh penggunaan bahan kimia dalam pertanian konvensional. Salah satu yang dapat dijadikan solusi untuk mengatasi kondisi ini adalah pengembangan pertanian organik (organic farming). Program Pengabdian Masyarakat dilaksanakan di desa Rendeng, kecamatan Gebang, kabupaten Purworejo bertujuan untuk menjadikan desa Rendeng sebagai kawasan pertanian, peternakan dan perikanan berbasis organic farming. Mitra dalam pelaksanan pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah kelompok tani Ngudi Makmur dengan anggota 30 orang.  Metode yang digunakan adalah Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD) merupakan salah satu metode pengabdian kepada masyarakat yang berorientasi pada penyelesaian masalah pada lingkungan masyarakat. Metode EfSD menekankan pada 3 pilar yaitu ekonomi, ekologi atau lingkungan dan sosial. Program kegiatan yang dilaksanakan secara garis besar meliputi, 1) pemberdayaan masyarakat melalui penguatan kelembagaan dan peningkatan kualitas sumber daya manusia,2) Penumbuhan dan pengembangan budidaya pertanian, dan perikanan berbasis organic farming, 3) peningkatan produksi, pengolahan dan pemasaran hasil pertanian dan perikanan. Hasil pengabdian masyarakat ini berupa penguatan kelembagaan Kelompok Tani  Ngudi Makmur beraktifitas dengan aktif, adanya program kegiatan dan sosialisasi serta pelatihan serta pembinaan         pengetahuan dan pengalaman  kelompok  tani dalam pengembangan pertanian dan perikanan organik. Kata kunci : organic farming; pertanian; perikanan; education for sustainable development. ABSTRACTFarmers' awareness of the impact of using chemical fertilizers or pesticides in conventional agriculture is very low. Environmental quality degradation such as reduced DR, decreased air quality, air pollution is caused by the use of chemicals in conventional agriculture. One of the solutions to overcome this condition is the development of organic agriculture (organic farming). The Community Service Program implemented in Rendeng village, Gebang District, Purworejo Regency aims to make Rendeng village an organic agriculture-based agricultural, livestock and fishery area. Partners in implementing this community service are the Ngudi Makmur farmer group with 30 members. The method used is Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD), which is a community service method that is oriented towards solving problems in the community environment. The EfSD method emphasizes 3 pillars, namely economic, ecological or environmental and social. The program of activities carried out in outline includes, 1) community empowerment through institutional strengthening and improvement of the quality of human resources, 2) cultivation and development of agricultural and fisheries based on organic agriculture, 3) increasing production, processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products. The results of this community service are in the form of institutional strengthening of the Ngudi Makmur Farmer Group to be actively active, the existence of a program of activities and outreach as well as training as well as fostering knowledge and experience of farmer groups in developing organic agriculture and fisheries. Keywords : organic farming; agriculture; fishery; education for sustainable development.

A Comparative Analysis of the Organic Food Market in Turkey, EU, and US

2020 ◽  
pp. 454-483
Author(s):  
Bilge Ozturk Goktuna ◽  
Nazife Merve Hamzaoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Organic Food ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Food Market ◽  
Eu And Us ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Agriculture And Food

Conventional agriculture has long been criticized about its negative externalities on issues like public health, environment, biodiversity, and all ecological systems on the planet such as environmental pollution, soil erosion, reduction of animal welfare, and negative impacts of GMOs. As an alternative production system to address these problems, organic agriculture has been developed worldwide since the 1970s. In this chapter, an overview of organic agriculture and food market is given and a comparative analysis between organic agricultural markets in EU, US, and Turkey is made after an outlook on the world organic food market. It is seen that EU and US are forthcoming leaders in the organic food market, whilst Turkey remains behind many developed countries in terms of organic production, per capita consumption, and retail sales.

Reversion from organic to conventional agriculture: A review

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henriette Sahm ◽  
Jürn Sanders ◽  
Hiltrud Nieberg ◽  
Gesine Behrens ◽  
Heike Kuhnert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Absolute Number ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Organic Certification ◽  
The Past ◽  
And Control

AbstractOver the past 10 years, the organic sector has expanded continuously in Europe due to policy support and a growing market demand for organic products. In line with this development, many farmers converted to organic farming each year. Nevertheless, the total number of organic farms has not increased constantly in Europe. In several countries, the absolute number of organic farms actually decreased in some years of the past decade. Some of the deregistered farmers gave up completely; others reverted to conventional agriculture. Against this background, this article aims (i) to give an overview of the extent of reversion to conventional agriculture in Europe based on statistics, (ii) to conceptualize the decision to revert in the form of a theoretical model, (iii) to compare farmers’ reasons to revert to conventional farming based on existing studies, and (iv) to identify further research needs. The importance of reversions to conventional agriculture is difficult to determine with the existing data, especially as in most cases it is not recorded as to what happened to the farms after deregistering from organic certification. The data nevertheless show that there are large fluctuations in the organic sector with many farmers entering and exiting each year. In order to reveal the farmers’ reasons for deregistering, various qualitative as well as quantitative surveys have been carried out already. For most farmers, the decision to revert is a result of different factors. Reasons for the reversion of their farms can be classified into economic motives, difficulties regarding certification and control, problems with organic production techniques as well as the farms’ macro environment. In most cases, however, economic reasons played a main role. Suggestions for organic legislation bodies, advisory services and policy makers are derived out of the findings. A deeper understanding of the influencing aspects regarding reversions and the necessary changes in the organic sector to avoid them should be an important objective of forthcoming research.

Assessment of the environmental sustainability of organic farming: Definitions, indicators and the major challenges

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 981-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Halberg
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Agricultural Sustainability ◽  
Functional Integrity ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Improved Performance

Halberg, N. 2012. Assessment of the environmental sustainability of organic farming: Definitions, indicators and the major challenges. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 981–996. The debate over agricultural sustainability continues due to the challenges of reducing externalities of intensive farming methods and preserving vital natural capital, but many definitions of sustainability are too wide to allow for a prioritized assessment. This paper uses a more narrow definition of agricultural sustainability focusing on the functional integrity of a system to highlight specific aspects of vital importance for the long-term resilience and reproducibility of agricultural systems. Key areas of resource sufficiency are also identified. Based on a review of scientific literature the relative sustainability of organic agriculture is assessed with a focus on environmental impact and resource use in Europe and North America. While there are many examples of organic agriculture with improved performance in terms of soil fertility and preservation of biodiversity, in other aspects – such as resource use per kilogram product – the difference to conventional farming is less important. The paper presents a framework for selection of indicators based on the principles of organic agriculture which may be used to monitor and improve the performance of organic agriculture with respect to functional integrity and resource sufficiency. The differences between comparable organic farms may be used for improving farm practices through a benchmarking process.

scholarly journals Chemical and Organic Farming in India: An Overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-27
Author(s):  
V. Gurumoorthy
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Work Force ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
National Programme ◽  
Organic Certification ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Scientific Agriculture ◽  
Accreditation Programme ◽  
The Government ◽  
Agricultural Exporter

India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per 2018, agriculture employed 50% of the Indian work force and contributed 17-18% to country’s GDP. India exported $38 billion worth of agricultural products in 2013, making it the seventh largest agricultural exporter worldwide and the sixth largest net exporter. Chemical fertilizers are major inputs of scientific agriculture. India is one of the major countries in the production and consumption of fertilizers. Fertilizer consumption was less than 1 million tones before the mid-1960s. With the introduction of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, there was acceleration in the growth of fertilizer consumption. The Government of India has also implemented the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). The national programme involves the accreditation programme for Certification Bodies, standards for organic production, promotion of organic farming etc. As on 31st March 2018, total area under organic certification process (registered under National Programme for Organic Production) is 3.56 million Hectare (2017-18). Against this backdrop, the present study is undertaken to present an overview of chemical and organic farming in Ind

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document