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A comparative analysis of organic agro-food systems in developing and developed regions: Structures and policies

¹University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agricultural Policy and Markets, Germany
²University of Foggia, Economics, Italy

Abstract

In response to significant concerns surrounding agro-food systems, including achieving a stable and sustainable agricultural system that balances profitability, food safety, environmental sustainability, and economic fairness, organic farming systems have been proposed. Despite challenges, policymakers, planners, and producers are urged to develop this system while considering standards and optimal benefits for both supply and demand sides. According to a report by FiBL and IFOAM, in 2022, approximately 96.4 million hectares of agricultural land globally (2.0 percent of farmland) were organic, with Oceania and Europe leading in organic land areas. The organic food market also reached nearly 135 billion euros, with the United States, European Union, and China being the largest markets. Therefore, the most significant advancements in organic agro-food systems have occurred in developed nations. To address this gap and offer suitable recommendations for policymakers and planners in developing regions, this study aims to identify the disparities in the background and conditions of organic agro-food systems between developed and developing regions using a snowball review approach. The results categorise different developmental components of organic agro-food system development into two main contexts: the bio-physical context (including climatic conditions, natural inputs, and land use patterns) and the socio-economic context (including governmental and political structures, social structures, social capital, economic matters, and underdeveloped infrastructures). The transition to organic agro-food systems involves two main approaches, each with two sub-categories: top-down (policy-driven and commercial) and bottom-up (natural farming systems and consumption or demand-driven). In this regard, the choice between organic or conventional production systems in a region depends on local contexts such as governmental, demographic, and agro-environmental structures and infrastructures, as well as the priorities of different stakeholders, including policymakers, consumers, farmers, and other decision-makers across the supply chain.
The findings suggest that in developing regions, attention should be paid to basic drivers to develop certified organic agro-food systems, such as legislation and inspection-body systems, financial support policies, increasing societal awareness through educational and training systems, and institutional development, including farmers' associations and infrastructures, such as market networks of organic products.

Keywords: Developing countries, organic agriculture, organic agro-food systems, policy implications

Contact Address: Arezou Babajani, University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agricultural Policy and Markets, Stuttgart, Germany, e-mail: arezou.babajaniuni-hohenheim.de