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Certified organic agriculture in China and Brazil: Market accessibility and outcomes following adoption

Author

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  • Oelofse, Myles
  • Høgh-Jensen, Henning
  • Abreu, Lucimar S.
  • Almeida, Gustavo F.
  • Hui, Qiao Yu
  • Sultan, Tursinbek
  • de Neergaard, Andreas

Abstract

Based on three case studies in China and Brazil, this paper explores the terms of access for farmers' participation in certified organic agriculture (OA) and investigates the influence of adoption on productivity, nutrient budgets, income and labour use. Small-scale farmers converting to OA require substantial external production-related, marketing and certification support. Access to OA was strongly dependent upon the type of support available to farmers. Organization based on a contract-farming model resulted in OA only being an option available to a narrow group of farmers, whilst OA initiated by a farmer cooperative provided better access. Gross output was significantly higher for oranges, whilst for the other crops gross output was similar. However, organic farmers in China felt that adoption had improved prices, incomes and market access. Farmers' perception of improved incomes is probably due to improved market access coupled with either a large production base, production intensification and production diversification. This study demonstrates that organization of farmers, and the manner in which this is structured, is crucial for external support to have an effect. Thus, OA may be a development path for small farmers if the supporting structures are provided at a small financial interest rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Oelofse, Myles & Høgh-Jensen, Henning & Abreu, Lucimar S. & Almeida, Gustavo F. & Hui, Qiao Yu & Sultan, Tursinbek & de Neergaard, Andreas, 2010. "Certified organic agriculture in China and Brazil: Market accessibility and outcomes following adoption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1785-1793, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:69:y:2010:i:9:p:1785-1793
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    2. Bello, Muhammad Baba & Abdulai, Awudu, 2015. "Evaluating Preferences for Organic Product Attributes in Nigeria: Attribute non-attendance under explicit and implicit priming task," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205085, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Ayuya, Oscar I. & Gido, Eric O. & Bett, Hillary K. & Lagat, Job K. & Kahi, Alexander K. & Bauer, Siegfried, 2015. "Effect of Certified Organic Production Systems on Poverty among Smallholder Farmers: Empirical Evidence from Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 27-37.
    4. Adenle, Ademola A. & Wedig, Karin & Azadi, Hossein, 2019. "Sustainable agriculture and food security in Africa: The role of innovative technologies and international organizations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
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    6. Vincent Terstappen & Lori Hanson & Darrell McLaughlin, 2013. "Gender, health, labor, and inequities: a review of the fair and alternative trade literature," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(1), pages 21-39, March.
    7. Némethová Jana & Dubcová Alena & Nagyová Ľudmila & Kramáreková Hilda, 2017. "Ecological Farming in Slovakia and Its Regional Disparities," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 9(4), pages 746-768, December.
    8. Jorge Sellare & Eva‐Marie Meemken & Christophe Kouamé & Matin Qaim, 2020. "Do Sustainability Standards Benefit Smallholder Farmers Also When Accounting For Cooperative Effects? Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 102(2), pages 681-695, March.
    9. Parvathi, Priyanka & Waibel, Hermann, 2015. "Adoption and Impact of Black Pepper Certification in India," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 54(2), pages 1-29, May.
    10. Celina Schelle & Benno Pokorny, 2021. "How Inclusive Is Inclusive? A Critical Analysis of an Agribusiness Initiative in Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-17, October.
    11. Muhammad Bello & Awudu Abdulai, 2016. "Measuring heterogeneity, survey engagement and response quality in preferences for organic products in Nigeria," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(13), pages 1159-1171, March.
    12. Froehlich, Anderson G. & Melo, Andrea S.S.A. & Sampaio, Breno, 2018. "Comparing the Profitability of Organic and Conventional Production in Family Farming: Empirical Evidence From Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 307-314.
    13. Läpple, Doris & Rensburg, Tom Van, 2011. "Adoption of organic farming: Are there differences between early and late adoption?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(7), pages 1406-1414, May.

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