Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
products. This is an indication that the potential for organic farming in South Africa is not only
based on access to the export market in Europe and the USA but also on the local demand. The
domestic market is robust with two domestic retailers (Woolworth and Pick 'n' Pay) selling
reasonable amounts of organic produce and both are now starting to insist on certification for
this produce as well as farmers markets attracting large number of buyers.
One approach taken to improve smallholder access to organic markets has been the formation
of certified organic groups using guidelines developed by the International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) and enforced by certification agencies such as
Ecocert/AFRISCO (African Farmers Certified Organic) in the case of South Africa [23]. Under
the group certification system, organic farmers can either grow and market their produce
collectively or produce individually but market collectively. This ensures that smallholder
farmers especially in developing countries are not marginalised and unduly excluded from
the organic sector due to factors beyond their control. Several organic farming groups have
emerged in South Africa in the last decade notably Ezemvelo Farmers Organization (EFO),
Vukuzakhe Organic Farmers Organization (VOFO), Ikusasalethu Trust and Makhuluseni
Organic Farmers Organisation.
The question of how to face the growing problem of food insecurity in Africa becomes more
and more important, especially due to the steadily increasing world population and the
changing consumption pattern. According to [24], while organically produced food seems not
to be able to feed the World's Population, there are strong evidences that organic agriculture
might help to alleviate the number of people suffering from hunger especially in developing
countries. Given the strong negative externalities of conventional agriculture, the diversifica‐
tion of production as a basic principal of organic agriculture can contribute to the improvement
of food security [25] which may improve the nutritional level in rural communities. The
expanding global market for organic products [26, 27] and the possibilities for smallholder
farmers in developing countries to access markets [24] can have very positive effects on the
rural economies, triggering rural development. The increasing awareness of what people
consume also has positive effects on organic agriculture as an alternative option for agricultural
production. Organic agriculture may thus be an option in some areas to strongly support rural
development.
Against this background, the objective of this paper is to provide, through an exploratory
analysis of data from farm and households surveys, empirical insights into determinants of
organic farming adoption, differentiating between fully-certified organic, partially-certified
organic and non-organic farmers; eliciting farmers risk preferences and management strategies
and; exploring consumer awareness, perceptions and consumption decisions. By exploring a
combination of adoption relevant factors in the context of real and important land management
choices, the paper provides an empirical contribution to the adoption literature and provides
valuable pointers for the design of effective and efficient public policy for on-farm conservation
activities. Similarly, achieving awareness and understanding the linkage between awareness
and purchasing organics is fundamental to impacting the demand for organically grown
products. Consumer awareness of organic foods is the first step in developing demand for
organic. Section 3 describes the materials and methods, outlining the study areas and study
