IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i20p13489-d946979.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Prospects for Organic Farming in Coping with Climate Change and Enhancing Food Security in Southern Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Siphelele Vincent Wekeza

    (Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa)

  • Melusi Sibanda

    (Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa)

  • Kenneth Nhundu

    (Economic Analysis Unit, Agricultural Research Council (ARC), P.O. Box 8783, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

Abstract

The potential for organic farming (OF) as a system that enhances climate change (CC) adaptation and improves food security in Africa has been a provocative topic in global discussions. Although OF is promptly increasing globally, the pertinent question is to figure out how OF can result in sustainable food production systems. This systematic literature review was undertaken through two database searches to maximize available data and relevant literature (Scopus and Wiley Online Library), resulting in 2069 documents published between 2007 and 2022. After excluding documents that were duplicates, not presented in English and irrelevant, 538 documents remained. From the remaining documents, 406 were excluded after careful review (not meeting at least one of the inclusion criteria), and 132 documents remained. Finally, 95 documents were excluded after assessing and reviewing full-text articles for eligibility. As a result, 37 documents were included (eligible) in the systematic review. The inclusion criteria followed in this study considered language, thematic focus and document type. The reviewed articles suggest that OF can be one of the climate change adaptation options, preserve environmental impact and improve food security. However, the relative performance in OF differs from region to region. Correspondingly, the organic–conventional yield gap mostly depends on crops and cropping practices. This review concludes the prospects of organic agriculture in Southern Africa are still largely untapped, particularly by smallholder farmers who remain uncertified. Therefore, the review recommends organised interventions on various fronts, starting with organic certification and regulation. Accordingly, sustainability (economic, environmental and social) and investments in OF need to be reinforced and promoted by stakeholders, as it has the potential to alleviate the swarming farming challenges posed by climate change and to address food insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Siphelele Vincent Wekeza & Melusi Sibanda & Kenneth Nhundu, 2022. "Prospects for Organic Farming in Coping with Climate Change and Enhancing Food Security in Southern Africa: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:20:p:13489-:d:946979
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/20/13489/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/20/13489/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Campi, Mercedes & Dueñas, Marco & Fagiolo, Giorgio, 2021. "Specialization in food production affects global food security and food systems sustainability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    2. Eva-Marie Meemken & Matin Qaim, 2018. "Organic Agriculture, Food Security, and the Environment," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 39-63, October.
    3. Jouzi, Zeynab & Azadi, Hossein & Taheri, Fatemeh & Zarafshani, Kiumars & Gebrehiwot, Kindeya & Van Passel, Steven & Lebailly, Philippe, 2017. "Organic Farming and Small-Scale Farmers: Main Opportunities and Challenges," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 144-154.
    4. Karolina Pawlak & Małgorzata Kołodziejczak, 2020. "The Role of Agriculture in Ensuring Food Security in Developing Countries: Considerations in the Context of the Problem of Sustainable Food Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-20, July.
    5. Christina M Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Food Insecurity and Hunger in Rich Countries—It Is Time for Action against Inequality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.
    6. Alda Miftari, 2020. "Sustainable Agriculture and Farmers Choices Among Short Term Efficiency and Preserving the Future," Academicus International Scientific Journal, Entrepreneurship Training Center Albania, issue 21, pages 89-100, January.
    7. Anita Breuer & Hannah Janetschek & Daniele Malerba, 2019. "Translating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Interdependencies into Policy Advice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-20, April.
    8. Md Ashraful Islam & Golam Ferdous & Ayasha Akter & Md Mokter Hossain & Dilip Nandwani, 2017. "Effect of Organic, Inorganic Fertilizers and Plant Spacing on the Growth and Yield of Cabbage," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-6, March.
    9. Justas Streimikis & Tomas Baležentis, 2020. "Agricultural sustainability assessment framework integrating sustainable development goals and interlinked priorities of environmental, climate and agriculture policies," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1702-1712, November.
    10. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    11. Andrzej Raszkowski & Bartosz Bartniczak, 2019. "On the Road to Sustainability: Implementation of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, January.
    12. Laleh Morshedi & Farhad Lashgarara & Seyed Jamal Farajollah Hosseini & Maryam Omidi Najafabadi, 2017. "The Role of Organic Farming for Improving Food Security from the Perspective of Fars Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-13, November.
    13. Vladimir Trukhachev & Igor Sklyarova & Yuliya Sklyarova & Sergei Gorlov & Anna Volkogonova, 2018. "Monitoring of Efficiency of Russian Agricultural Enterprises Functioning and Reserves for Their Sustainable Development," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 14(3), pages 95-108.
    14. Saskia Visser & Saskia Keesstra & Gilbert Maas & Margot de Cleen & Co Molenaar, 2019. "Soil as a Basis to Create Enabling Conditions for Transitions Towards Sustainable Land Management as a Key to Achieve the SDGs by 2030," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-19, November.
    15. Daniel El Chami & André Daccache & Maroun El Moujabber, 2020. "How Can Sustainable Agriculture Increase Climate Resilience? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    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. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak & Agnieszka Wojewódzka-Wiewiórska, 2021. "Profiles of Food Insecurity: Similarities and Differences across Selected CEE Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    2. Debuschewitz, Emil & Sanders, Jürn, 2021. "Bewertung der Umweltwirkungen des ökologischen Landbaus im Kontext der kontroversen wissenschaftlichen Diskurse," 61st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 22-24, 2021 317076, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    3. Ramazan Çakmakçı & Mehmet Ali Salık & Songül Çakmakçı, 2023. "Assessment and Principles of Environmentally Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-27, May.
    4. María Luisa de Lázaro Torres & Pilar Borderías Uribeondo & Francisco José Morales Yago, 2020. "Citizen and Educational Initiatives to Support Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Daniel El Chami & André Daccache & Maroun El Moujabber, 2020. "How Can Sustainable Agriculture Increase Climate Resilience? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    6. Zahra Didarali & James Gambiza, 2019. "Permaculture: Challenges and Benefits in Improving Rural Livelihoods in South Africa and Zimbabwe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Maria M. Makwela & Rob Slotow & Thinandavha C. Munyai, 2023. "Carabid Beetles (Coleoptera) as Indicators of Sustainability in Agroecosystems: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-12, February.
    8. Amirreza Asrari & Maryam Omidi Najafabadi & Jamal Farajollah Hosseini, 2022. "Modeling resilience behavior against climate change with food security approach," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(3), pages 547-565, September.
    9. Anugu Amarender Reddy & Indrek Melts & Geetha Mohan & Ch Radhika Rani & Vaishnavi Pawar & Vikas Singh & Manesh Choubey & Trupti Vashishtha & A Suresh & Madhusudan Bhattarai, 2022. "Economic Impact of Organic Agriculture: Evidence from a Pan-India Survey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    10. Niraj Prakash Joshi & Luni Piya, 2021. "Food and Nutrient Supply from Organic Agriculture in the Least Developed Countries and North America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, April.
    11. Tanushree Haldar & A. Damodaran, 2022. "Can cooperatives influence farmer’s decision to adopt organic farming? Agri-decision making under price volatility," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 5718-5742, April.
    12. Juliet Wanjiku Kamau & Christian Schader & Lisa Biber-Freudenberger & Till Stellmacher & David M. Amudavi & Jan Landert & Johan Blockeel & Cory Whitney & Christian Borgemeister, 2022. "A holistic sustainability assessment of organic (certified and non-certified) and non-organic smallholder farms in Kenya," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(5), pages 6984-7021, May.
    13. Dmitry A. Ruban & Natalia N. Yashalova, 2022. "Corporate Web Positioning as a Strategic Communication Tool in Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, July.
    14. Philippos Karipidis & Sotiria Karypidou, 2021. "Factors that Impact Farmers’ Organic Conversion Decisions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.
    15. Tatar, Maryna, 2023. "Agricultural sector development and elasticity of its links with the food security level," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 9(4), December.
    16. Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Edgar Yoder & Hazem S. Kassem, 2021. "Extension Agents’ Perceptions of the Role of Extension Services in Organic Agriculture: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, April.
    17. İlkay Unay-Gailhard & Mark A. Brennen, 2022. "How digital communications contribute to shaping the career paths of youth: a review study focused on farming as a career option," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1491-1508, December.
    18. Mahin Ghafari & Vali Baigi & Zahra Cheraghi & Amin Doosti-Irani, 2016. "The Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Iranian Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-10, June.
    19. Elizabeth T Cafiero-Fonseca & Andrew Stawasz & Sydney T Johnson & Reiko Sato & David E Bloom, 2017. "The full benefits of adult pneumococcal vaccination: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, October.
    20. Santos Urbina & Sofía Villatoro & Jesús Salinas, 2021. "Self-Regulated Learning and Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-12, June.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:20:p:13489-:d:946979. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.