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Drivers influencing farmer decisions for adopting organic or conventional coffee management practices

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  • Bravo-Monroy, L.
  • Potts, S.G.
  • Tzanopoulos, J.

Abstract

Colombia is one of the world’s most important producers of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), whose coffee-growing zone coincides with a biogeographic hotspot of biodiversity. Given that coffee agroecosystems are grown by both organic and conventional schemes of management in Santander, a region which produces coffees with specialist distinctive flavours, this study aims to better understand the factors that influence the adoption of these different schemes of management. A combination of ethnographic techniques and quantitative methods were used to examine the predominant drivers of adoption and revealed farmer perceptions associated with coffee farming, and the complexity of interacting factors, that surround their decision making. The results of qualitative analysis suggests that social identity of coffee growers, the existence of farming spaces (lived, perceived, rationalised), the influence of coffee institutions, attitudes about management practices, and social relations of production, all play an important role in the process of decision making. In quantitative terms, we identified 18 socioeconomic drivers, some with interacting effects that had significant influence on the decision to adopt either organic or conventional practices. In particular, at local scale, important factors were technology availability, the type of landowner, formal education of farmers, the role of institutions, membership of community organisations, farm size, coffee productivity and the number of coffee plots per farm. Likewise, economic drivers, such as crop profitability, determined how farmers are involved in trade and market networks at broad regional, national, and international spatial scales. By adopting a more integrated approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, we characterised the complexity of factors that influencing adoption of coffee management schemes and show that not only financial factors but also a variety of other social factors drive farmer decision making. Identifying the most influential behavioural drivers provides policy with opportunities to better support farmer livelihoods.

Suggested Citation

  • Bravo-Monroy, L. & Potts, S.G. & Tzanopoulos, J., 2016. "Drivers influencing farmer decisions for adopting organic or conventional coffee management practices," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 49-61.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:58:y:2016:i:c:p:49-61
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.11.003
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    Cited by:

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    13. Helga Bermeo-Andrade & Andrés F. Bahamón-Monje & Renso Aragón-Calderón & Yarmel Beltrán-Vargas & Nelson Gutiérrez-Guzmán, 2020. "Is Coffee ( Coffea arabica L.) Quality Related to a Combined Farmer–Farm Profile?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-14, November.
    14. Diego Valbuena & Julien G. Chenet & Daniel Gaitán-Cremaschi, 2021. "Options to Support Sustainable Trajectories in a Rural Landscape: Drivers, Rural Processes, and Local Perceptions in a Colombian Coffee-Growing Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Antonella Samoggia & Andrea Fantini, 2023. "Revealing the Governance Dynamics of the Coffee Chain in Colombia: A State-of-the-Art Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-24, September.
    16. Michael Mensah & Grace B. Villamor & Benedicta Y. Fosu-Mensah & Paul L. G. Vlek, 2021. "Exploring the Gender-Specific Adaptive Responses to Climate Variability: Application of Grazing Game in the Semi-Arid Region of Ghana," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-19, October.
    17. Möhring, Niklas & Finger, Robert, 2022. "Pesticide-free but not organic: Adoption of a large-scale wheat production standard in Switzerland," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    18. Jezeer, Rosalien E. & Santos, Maria J. & Boot, René G.A. & Junginger, Martin & Verweij, Pita A., 2018. "Effects of shade and input management on economic performance of small-scale Peruvian coffee systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 179-190.
    19. Geremew Worku Kassie, 2017. "The Nexus between livelihood diversification and farmland management strategies in rural Ethiopia," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1275087-127, January.
    20. Marije Schaafsma & Ilda Dreoni & Lacour Mody Ayompe & Benis Egoh & Dewa Putu Ekayana & Arilson Favareto & Sonny Mumbunan & Louise Nakagawa & Jonas Ngouhouo‐poufoun & Marieke Sassen & Thiago Kanashiro , 2023. "A framework to understand the social impacts of agricultural trade," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 138-150, February.

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