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Effects of Participation in Organic Markets and Farmer-based Organizations on the Adoption of Soil Conservation Practices among Small-scale Farmers in Honduras

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  • Wollni, Meike
  • Lee, David R.
  • Thies, Janice E.
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    Abstract

    Conservation agriculture is often perceived to provide “win-win” outcomes for farmers leading to reduced erosion and off-site sedimentation, as well as improved soil fertility and productivity. However, adoption rates for conservation agriculture in many regions of the world remain below expected levels. This paper looks at the effect of organic markets in providing incentives for farmers to adopt soil conservation practices. Farmer-based organizations may link farmers to these markets by helping them overcome information deficiencies with respect to production standards and consumer preferences. Based on original survey data from 241 small-scale farm households in Honduras, we find that both participation in organic markets and farmer-based groups have positive effects on the number of soil conservation practices adopted on the farm. The results indicate that besides supply-oriented policy measures, such as the provision of technical assistance and extension, demand-related factors are likely to play an important role in sustainable soil management. Demand-oriented policy measures can include support for labeling initiatives and consumer education to facilitate value-added product differentiation and market segmentation.

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    Bibliographic Info

    Paper provided by International Association of Agricultural Economists in its series 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China with number 51669.

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    Date of creation: 2009
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    Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae09:51669

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    Web page: http://www.iaae-agecon.org/
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    Keywords: soil conservation; technology adoption; organic markets; farmer organizations; Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Environmental Economics and Policy; International Development; Q01; Q12; Q13; Q16;

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