www.fibl.org rome, may 3, 2007 how organic agriculture contributes to food availability lukas...
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Rome, May 3, 2007
How Organic Agriculture Contributes to Food Availability
Lukas Kilcher and Christine Zundel
Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security, 3 – 5 May 2007 FAO, Rome
Archived at http://orgprints.org/10753/
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Production systems
Market development
Training and extension
FiBL International Co-operation
Certification, standards and policy
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Food Availability
Definition
Food availability, access, stability and utilization = part
of the multi-dimensional nature of food security
“Availability” of sufficient quantities of food of appropriate
quality, supplied through domestic production or inputs
Methods
Literature review
Case studies
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Dimensions of Food Availability
1. Productivity: The ultimate benchmark when comparing
the performance of agricultural systems!?
2. Efficiency: Does organic agriculture use resources
efficiently?
3. Adapted technologies: Make organic agriculture
successful
4. Peri-urban agriculture: Supplying food to millions, while
minimizing transportation
5. Markets: How OA makes diverse food available at
household, community, national and international levels
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Productivity: Questions
OA = unique combination of low external input
technology, environmental conservation and input/output
efficiency
Farmers are increasingly adopting OA as a method of
improving productivity and sustainability.
Are diverse OA systems more productive compared
to simplified conventional systems?
Can OA meet the world’s growing food needs?
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Low inputHigh input
Yield
Time
Conversion 3-5 years after conversion
Yield development after conversion
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Productivity: Temperate & irrigated areas
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Productivity: Arid and semi-arid areas
Seed cotton yields
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Productivity: Humid and per-humid areas
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Productivity: Hills and mountains
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Efficiency: Questions
Productivity is only one aspect
Resources are always limited consider the capability to produce high output per unit of resources used
Types of efficiency:
natural resource efficiency (input-output relations)
economic efficiency (cost-benefit relation)
Does organic agriculture use resources efficiently?
Does organic agriculture provide the expected benefits for the consumers?
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Efficiency: input/ouput & cost/benefit
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Markets and trade: Questions
Supply: 31 mio ha, 630 000 farms = 0.7 % land plus wild
collection and non-certified organic production
Demand: organic sales €30 billion in 2006;
concentrated in wealthy economies
Developing countries: availability for certified organic
food is weak, lack of awareness and lack of means to
pay extra for organic foods
How can producers generate higher incomes?
How can OA make diverse food available at house-
hold, community, national and international levels?
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Markets: Household and community level
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Markets: National level
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Markets: International level
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Conclusions
1. Real beneficiaries of OA: farmers and ecosystem
2. Intelligent management needs fewer inputs
3. Developing countries: OA offers employment opportunities and production costs are lower
4. Market opportunities benefit farmers financially and socially from OA
5. OA contributes to self-reliance of local food systems and thus to food availability
6. OA improves viability of rural economies, increases food self-sufficiency and national food supply
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1. OA-impact on food availability is still limited
2. Production: build-up of organic matter in the soil
3. Difficult access to information about OA practices for farmers in developing countries
4. Domestic markets develop slowly in developing countries
5. Multiply OA impact on food availability through public and private sector investments on all levels:
research & development
training & extension
markets, certification and & policy
Challenges and recommendations
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Long Term Farming Systems Comparisons in the Tropics
Bolivia
Kenya
India
- Humid- Agroforestry systems- Coffee, cacao, fruits
- Sub-humid- Arable food crops- Maize, beans, vegetables
- Semi-arid- Export crop- Cotton
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Thank you for your attention
Lukas Kilcher
Head of the International Co-operation Division
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
Ackerstrasse
CH-5070 Frick
0041 62 865 72 72