IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ajarec/v69y2025i3p649-661.html

Fostering a Sustainability Transition Toward the Organic Farming Paradigm: A Policy Innovation Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Rahul B. Hiremath
  • Yogesh Mahajan
  • Santanu Bhadra
  • Ravi Sharma
  • Ardhendu Shekhar Singh

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of organic farming and its sustainability benefits, obstacles hinder widespread adoption. This study uses the Transformative Innovation Policy framework to explore strategies from leaders among 190 countries for promoting organic farming. We conducted a correspondence analysis of organic farming policy documents from the chosen nations, which were influenced by socio‐economic conditions, industrial specialisations and institutional cultures. We utilised directed qualitative content analysis of key players' policy documents, focusing on metrics such as the extent of land dedicated to organic farming, the number of organic producers and the proportion of the total agricultural area allocated to organic farming. The findings reveal the presence of transitional and mission‐oriented policy approaches at the policy plan level, yet the currently enacted legislative measures need to be revised to motivate significant progress.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahul B. Hiremath & Yogesh Mahajan & Santanu Bhadra & Ravi Sharma & Ardhendu Shekhar Singh, 2025. "Fostering a Sustainability Transition Toward the Organic Farming Paradigm: A Policy Innovation Perspective," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 69(3), pages 649-661, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajarec:v:69:y:2025:i:3:p:649-661
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8489.70030
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8489.70030
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1467-8489.70030?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schot, Johan & Kanger, Laur, 2018. "Deep transitions: Emergence, acceleration, stabilization and directionality," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1045-1059.
    2. Mariana Mazzucato, 2018. "Mission-oriented innovation policies: challenges and opportunities," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(5), pages 803-815.
    3. Markus Grillitsch & Teis Hansen, 2019. "Green industry development in different types of regions," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(11), pages 2163-2183, November.
    4. Julius McGee, 2015. "Does certified organic farming reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 255-263, June.
    5. Diercks, Gijs & Larsen, Henrik & Steward, Fred, 2019. "Transformative innovation policy: Addressing variety in an emerging policy paradigm," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 880-894.
    6. Coenen , Lars & Hansen , Teis & Rekers , Josephine V., 2015. "Innovation Policy for Grand Challenges. An Economic Geography Perspective," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/13, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    7. Mutyasira, Vine & Hoag, Dana & Pendell, Dustin & Manning, Dale T. & Berhe, Melaku, 2018. "Assessing the relative sustainability of smallholder farming systems in Ethiopian highlands," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 83-91.
    8. Quoc Tran-Nam & Tuyen Tiet, 2022. "The role of peer influence and norms in organic farming adoption: Accounting for farmers’ heterogeneity," Post-Print hal-04028068, HAL.
    9. Lowder, Sarah K. & Skoet, Jakob & Raney, Terri, 2016. "The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 16-29.
    10. Stefan Renckens, 2021. "Disaggregating public‐private governance interactions: European Union interventions in transnational private sustainability governance," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1230-1247, October.
    11. Musafiri, Ildephonse, 2016. "Effects of Population Growth on Smallholder Farmers' Productivity and Consumption in Rwanda: A Long-term Analysis," Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, vol. 12(4).
    12. Rada, Nicholas E. & Fuglie, Keith O., 2019. "New perspectives on farm size and productivity," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 147-152.
    13. Rainer Kattel & Mariana Mazzucato, 2018. "Mission-oriented innovation policy and dynamic capabilities in the public sector," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(5), pages 787-801.
    14. Seufert, Verena & Ramankutty, Navin & Mayerhofer, Tabea, 2017. "What is this thing called organic? – How organic farming is codified in regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 10-20.
    15. Kuokkanen, A. & Nurmi, A. & Mikkilä, M. & Kuisma, M. & Kahiluoto, H. & Linnanen, L., 2018. "Agency in regime destabilization through the selection environment: The Finnish food system’s sustainability transition," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1513-1522.
    16. Zvika Marx & Ido Dagan, 2001. "Conceptual mapping through keyword coupled clustering," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 2(2), pages 59-85, September.
    17. Jonathan Zeitlin & David van der Duin & Theresa Kuhn & Maria Weimer & Martin Dybdahl Jensen, 2023. "Governance reforms and public acceptance of regulatory decisions: Cross‐national evidence from linked survey experiments on pesticides authorization in the European Union," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), pages 980-999, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maria Rabadjieva & Judith Terstriep, 2020. "Ambition Meets Reality: Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy as a Driver for Participative Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Janssen, Matthijs & Wanzenböck, Iris & Fünfschilling, Lea & Pontinakis, Dimitris, 2023. "Governance arrangements for the implementation of transformative innovation policy: Insights from a comparative case study," Papers in Innovation Studies 2023/13, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    3. Janssen, Matthijs J. & Abbasiharofteh, Milad, 2022. "Boundary spanning R&D collaboration: Key enabling technologies and missions as alleviators of proximity effects?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    4. Janssen, Matthijs J. & Abbasiharofteh, Milad, 2022. "Boundary spanning R&D collaboration: Key enabling technologies and missions as alleviators of proximity effects?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 180.
    5. Franz Tödtling & Michaela Trippl & Veronika Desch, 2022. "New directions for RIS studies and policies in the face of grand societal challenges," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(11), pages 2139-2156, November.
    6. Trèves, Viviane & Hannachi, Mourad & Meynard, Jean-Marc, 2025. "Enhancing capacities for sustainability transition policy design: Lessons from French pesticide reduction plans," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    7. Grillitsch, Markus & Hansen, Teis & Madsen, Stine, 2020. "How novel is Transformative Innovation Policy?," Papers in Innovation Studies 2020/8, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    8. Marvin Henry & Julian Kirchherr & Rob Raven & Marko Hekkert, 2024. "Bottom‐up dynamics in circular innovation systems: The perspective of circular start‐ups," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 320-338, April.
    9. Laatsit, Mart & Grillitsch, Markus & Fünfschilling, Lea, 2025. "Great expectations: The promises and limits of innovation policy in addressing societal challenges," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(3).
    10. Camilla Chlebna & Johannes Suitner, 2026. "The transition development nexus. disentangling growth and transformation agendas in regional sustainability transitions," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 46(1), pages 31-51, March.
    11. Harald Rohracher & Lars Coenen & Olga Kordas, 2023. "Mission incomplete: Layered practices of monitoring and evaluation in Swedish transformative innovation policy," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 50(2), pages 336-349.
    12. Catalá-Pérez, Daniel & Rask, Mikko & de-Miguel-Molina, María, 2020. "The Demola model as a public policy tool boosting collaboration in innovation: A comparative study between Finland and Spain," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    13. Wiarda, Martijn & Sobota, Vladimir C.M. & Janssen, Matthijs J. & van de Kaa, Geerten & Yaghmaei, Emad & Doorn, Neelke, 2023. "Public participation in mission-oriented innovation projects," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    14. Verónica Robert & Gabriel Yoguel, 2022. "Exploration of trending concepts in innovation policy," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 259-292, July.
    15. Matthijs Jansen, 2022. "Legitimation and Effects of Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies: A Spillover Perspective," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 243(4), pages 7-28, December.
    16. Shufang Huang & Jin Chen & Liang Mei & Weiqiao Mo, 2019. "The Effect of Heterogeneity and Leadership on Innovation Performance: Evidence from University Research Teams in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-14, August.
    17. Allen, Darcy W.E. & Berg, Chris & Markey-Towler, Brendan & Novak, Mikayla & Potts, Jason, 2020. "Blockchain and the evolution of institutional technologies: Implications for innovation policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    18. Odeh Al-Jayyousi & Hira Amin & Hiba Ali Al-Saudi & Amjaad Aljassas & Evren Tok, 2023. "Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, August.
    19. Malte Jütting, 2020. "Exploring Mission-Oriented Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainability: Towards a Literature-Based Typology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-28, August.
    20. Hansmeier Hendrik & Kroll Henning, 2024. "The geography of eco-innovations and sustainability transitions: A systematic comparison," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 68(2), pages 125-143.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:ajarec:v:69:y:2025:i:3:p:649-661. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaresea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.