Sistemas de Valoración de la Prueba

8.4.2

8.4.2

8.4.2

Establishing an adaptive institEstablishing an adaptive institEstablishing an adaptive institEstablishing an adaptive institutional environmentutional environmentutional environmentutional environment

The policy measures derived from the five developmental steps aim at establishing organic farming within an institutional environment of the farming community, agriculture policy and the food market. However, as mentioned in section 8.3.3, there is a problem of securing the proper sequencing of steps and of balancing the efforts directed towards each of the three domains in order to reach a successful development of organic farming. Facing these problems, the general recommendation here is to establish an institutional setting. The main issue of the institutional setting is to help all parts of the organic farming sector to adapt to changing conditions. For instance, when major growth occurs, there is a need for securing provisions of organic farmers’ special demands for inputs and advice, which differ widely from those available for agriculture in general. Similarly, growing production implies growing supplies of products, which require special marketing channels to obtain prices to

cover extra costs of production and distribution. In each instance solutions are not found easily as they have to be developed for a small sector

operating within an environment developed for serving general agriculture purposes. In addition, when organic farming faces the options available for solving the problems associated with growth, those acting on behalf of organic farming might even find it necessary to return to the foundations of organic farming and consider revisions in order for organic farming to develop under the prevailing social, economic and political conditions. Hence, adapting to changing conditions in themselves implies considering all aspects of the institutional environment. The main policy question is, how such processes may be promoted.

A first answer to the policy question is that it is the task of the

institutional setting to consider problems and secure co-ordination across the three domains of farmers’ community, agriculture policy and food market. Hence, part of the solution seems to lie in establishing an adaptive institutional setting – i.e. an institutional setting which is attentive to the development of problematic situations and committed to finding solutions to them on a continuous basis.

The experience of the six countries studied here points to the importance of some co-operation with general agriculture institutions on the basis of mutual respect at rather early stages in the development. However, some conflict seems necessary in order for organic farming identity to be distinguished from other types of agriculture and food production. Hence, the type of interrelationship to be developed seems to be non-competitive although some kind of creative conflict seems fertile. Furthermore, there is a need for continuous efforts within all domains.

It seems possible to combine these demands by establishing an advisory board which includes influential interests from all domains representing both organic and general agriculture interests as well as the interests of the food industry, consumers and public agencies involved in food production and certification. Such an advisory board may find it possible to develop a common understanding, which may be manifested in many different ways. One way of bringing about a common understanding is to frequently review the development path(s) in order to identify areas needing action. Another way is to formulate action plans aimed at specific targets and to specify what instruments are needed for reaching the targets. A third way is to suggest amendments for regulation or public support. However, a major output of a common understanding might not be policy demands, as each organisation represented in such a board will have specific resources available to put into action for achieving different parts of the objectives set up. A supplementary aspect, which appeared in several countries and which seems of special relevance with respect to the establishment of an advisory board, is that one or more persons with authority or influence within the sector – such as ministers or presidents of farming unions – express their will in public to bring about the development of this field.

The main issue of establishing an institutional setting is, however, to reach a point where interrelationships within the institutional environ- ment of organic farming are so strong that a process of mutual adjustment by self-regulation takes place. Part of this situation seems to have been achieved in Denmark. It illustrates that it seems necessary for the organic farming sector to reach a certain size and that main actors in all domains (although not necessarily the largest actors) accept organic farming organisations as (almost equal) partners.

A summary of the recommendations developed and suggested throughout this chapter may serve as the conclusions to the whole report:

To promote growth in organic farming it seems worthwhile to use instruments that support:

ª the establishment of an organic farming sector through supporting the development of an organic farming identity and the separation of certification and lobbying issues;

production standards; promoting the development of unitary standards and adapting common international standards to reflect specific national conditions;

considering the position of the organic farming economy relative to the general farming economy and the balance between supply and market demand;

organic farming and the general farming community through the establishment of fora that facilitate representation of organic farming on a par with general agriculture organisations regarding supply of competent farming advice and research in organic farming

marketing strategies; promoting market transparency and harmonising standards and logos;

capable of coping with co-operation across domains on a recurrent basis through an advisory board able to identify fields of action, suggest targets for organic farming development and formulate actions – whether in terms of public policy or in terms of organisational action. ª the political recognition of organic farming through recognising

the introduction of financial support through support for farmers,

ª the development of a certain level of cooperative interrelationships between

the development of an organic food market through developing

ª the establishment of an attentive and committed institutional setting ª ª

ª ª