Conversion to organic farming and sustainability : a socioecological analysis.

ISOFAR: Proceedings of the Conference “Researching Sustainable Systems”, Adelaide 2005 page 645

CONVERSION TO ORGANIC FARMING AND SUSTAINABILITY: A

SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Maria Loreto (1)

,

,

(1) University of Viçosa, Campus Universitário, 36571000, Viçosa, MG Brasil, Telephone: (31)3899-2432 dorinhasaraiva @hotmail.com

(2) University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road, N1G 2W1, Guelph, ON. Canada, 519-824-4120 E. 56231, gfilson@uoguelph.ca; E. 52504, ecebotar@uoguelph.ca

(3) INCAPER, Vitoria/Espirito Santo-Brasil, Telephone: (27)3137-9868, liliam@incaper.es.gov.br Key Words: Organic Farming, Sustainability, Socio ecological Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to understand the process of conversion from conventional to organic farming in Canada. Specifically, it looks at what factors have affected this decision and if this production system improved the prospects for sustainability. In order to achieve these objectives this study uses a socio-ecological approach and focuses on organic farmers in Ontario. Besides including a bibliographic review, organic agricultural leaders were surveyed and life story interviews were conducted with producers. The results showed that the decision to become organic is influenced by the type of farmers, their context, and their rationale for conversion. The reasons for converting to organic depended not only on economic factors, but also socio-cultural and institutional parameters. The conversion was associated with a change of values towards protecting the environment and improving farmers’ lifestyles. This model of development doesn't entirely attain sustainability. In order for that to occur, the harmonization of the Canadian organic farming system requires a political solution, which humanizes the complex system of interests for organic producers and shows the potential contribution of organic farming to the achievement of sustainability goals.

Introduction/Problem

The environmental and socio-economic problems related with conventional farming led many farmers to convert to organic farming. The conversion to organic farming has recently grown rapidly throughout the world and is expected to continue to expand between 20 and 30 percent annually (IFOAM apud RAYNOLDS, 2004).

According to Darnhofer et. al. (2005) and Darolt (2002), the success of organic production systems is associated with farmers´ rationale (“committed organic”) and the relatively high consumer consciousness about the environmental costs of conventional agriculture. The growth of organic farming and markets has been accompanied by rapid growth in the number and complexity of the different systems of organic regulation- both private and government.

The increasing social distance from the organic global market, resulting from globalization, can reduce organic farming’s ability to produce sustainability. Yet, organic agriculture is a way of obtaining a high quality of life, respecting the cultural characteristics and the ecological limits.

According to Alroe and Kristensen (2004) these perspectives may lead to the reflexive question of how organic farming can promote the sustainability of the global food system without letting go of its ecological principles. The role of organic farming from a global perspective and in relation to sustainable development was discussed by Sturms (2005) who emphasizes the neostructuralist theory for analyzing the perception of the role of the state and other groups within society in the process of sustainable development. In her opinion, the solution to problems is increasingly based on horizontal political coordination in pluralistic policy networks. In this sense development isn’t a spontaneous process but is a planned and systematic action of the government and the civil society. This implies that the state has to mediate between conflicting agents and recognizes the importance of helping to “empower” weaker parties to negotiate their interests and proportionate to voice them through participation and representation. The small producers need to be “empowered” and given an opportunity to be heard.

Thus, the concept of sustainability is associated with the balance between the desire of the society and capacity of the local system, focusing on three aspects: sustainable use that allows the renewal or replacement of the systems; sustainable growth, where the important basic question is if the growth

page 646 ISOFAR: Proceedings of the Conference “Researching Sustainable Systems”, Adelaide 2005 considers the limitation of the resources, not allowing environment degradation; and sustainable

development that is not a formularization technique of an agronomic or strictly economic matrix, but is an eminently political task for searching for local, regional and national consensus (SILVA, 2002).

In this context, the research aimed to understand the reality of the conversion process to organic farming in Canada. Specifically it was reflected in the following questions: what is the reality of the Canadian organic farming’s context and what kind of factors have affected the decisions about converting to organic farming? Has the conversion to organic production system contributed to social, economic, and, agro-ecological sustainability?

The hypothesis is that organic farming can promote sustainability, if it includes taking care of humans’ needs and rights for all people involved at all levels within daily organic production system.

Methodology

To achieve the objectives of the research this study used a systemic and holistic socio-ecological approach as well as a network framework, because it presumes that farmers, researchers, certified bodies, firms, government authorities and non-government organizations (NGOs) are all involved in the complex web of material and non-material (culture and local values) relationships.

As specified in Figure 01, this methodology is based on a socio-ecological framework because it presumed that there is a social construction that allows farmers and decision-makers to understand problems, trade-offs, alternative actions and outcomes. It takes into consideration the agro-ecological, economic, socio-cultural, and institutional parameters within a wide context of objectives and perceived needs of the social actors (SCIALABBA, 2000).

Contextualization of the study’s object was characterized by the environment lived in by the farmers and their families, as a whole. Based on Macey (2004) the population of the Certified Organic Producers in Canada is 3,134; and the Province of Ontario has the third position, with 478 producers (15.25% of the total). The questionnaire was sent to 400 producers, for whom we had complete addresses.

In the second stage of the research a sub-sample of this group of farmers was selected for a deep and evolutionary analysis, using a qualitative research method (life story), for analyzing the conditions and trade-off between the agro-ecological, economic, social, and institutional parameters.

Results and Brief Discussion

Empirical evidence, obtained by the bibliographic review, showed that life in this modern pluralistic society is characterized by inequalities and economic inequities. According to MacRae et. al. (2005) Canadian organic farming exists in a state of disequilibria and inefficiency that can be reduced by policy interventions for supporting the conversion to an empowering form of sustainable organic farming.

The results of the life story interview, with a sub-sample of Ontario’s farmers, showed that the conversion to organic farming depends on the type of producers and the reality of their micro and macro environment. The implementation of organic farming is associated primarily with philosophical reasons, with a change of values and lifestyle. For “ecologically minded producers” the organic methods are better either for the health of themselves or their families. Organic farming is: the “right way to farm”; “the stewardship of land and growing clean environment and food”. For another group the most common motivator is market

opportunity, which compensates for the risks of organic production, such as: weed control and availability of labour. In this sense the main reasons for changing to organic farming aren’t only economic, but are also concern about personal life and the environment.

Another positive attitude towards organic farming is associated with the political situation. Some organic farmers asked for a realistic environmental policy, with a financial compensation for take caring the natural resources; for a national standard certification; for public marketing, which shows the benefits of the organic farming for sustainability. In the other words, “the lack of co-operation and harmony has become a problem for the harmonization of organic systems (BOWEN, 2002).

The role of the Certified Bodies in this process of harmonization and also humanization of the organic system is very important because they have the function to verify "in locus" the different fulfilment of the conditions, which must be observed in organic production systems. The process of certification has added value to organic production and has constructed a relation of confidence between the farmers and the Certifying Body. However, the cost of certification is high and its social dimension remains fragile. The

ISOFAR: Proceedings of the Conference “Researching Sustainable Systems”, Adelaide 2005 page 647 instruments that can be used by the certified organisms to verify the social sustainability of organic systems are timid; with special reference to family workloads and social relations of production (HOWARD, 2005).

Conclusions

Canadian Organic Farming is dynamic, with opportunities and challenges, because it demands balanced decisions about the capacity of the environment, the needs of the farmers and the priorities of the decision-makers, with all their value systems and interests The main reasons for converting to organic production are philosophical (beliefs and lifestyle) and economic. The organic system needs harmony and rationality not only between people and nature but also among humans. There is a state of some disequilibrium, which reflects on its capacity to promote sustainability, because the institutions have shifted away from consideration of equity to a market driven efficiency perspective, with a lack of national legislation and adequate policies to support organic agriculture

.

Acknowledgements

This paper results from Dr. Maria Loreto’s Post-Doctoral Research at the University of Guelph with Professors Glen Filson and Nora Cebotarev. The Project was funded by OntarBio Organic Farmers and CAPES/Brazil. Received also the collaboration of OCPP and Ecological Farmers Association.

References

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Agro-ecological parameters Economic parameters Socio-cultural parameters Institutional parameters Ecological performance Agronomic performance Economic performance Socio Institutional parameters Environmental sustainability Agroeconomic Sustainability Information

collection Performanceanalysis Impactanalysis Trade-offevaluation Improved decisions Objectives and perceived needs Food security Env. Conserv. Develop. Style of Life Farmers’ decisions Change

Figure 1. Components of the Socio-Ecological Approach

Social Sustainability

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