Introduction
The concern for the environment becomes more widespread all around the world, and people try to change their lifestyle to minimise the potential harm to the ecology. Consuming organic food and supporting organic farmers are some of the most straightforward ways to contribute to the cause without significant efforts. According to New York Post (2015, p. 16), “the U.S. Department of Agriculture certifies products as organic if they meet certain requirements including being produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, or routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones.” Thus, for farmers it a conscious choice that entails hard labour and extra resources, and it should be worth doing.
Main Body
Organic farming is a form of agriculture that employs crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control, but sometimes fertilizers and pesticides are also allowed, though only if they are considered natural (Fedigan 2015). There are some advantages related to organic farming, most of them pertaining to the ethical use of soil, seeds and labour to decrease the negative impact of human activities on the landscape, water, people and wildlife.
Ecological agriculture, being a part of organic farming, is relevant not only for developed countries but even more so for the developing world because it can contribute to the growth of local people’s income, employment and socio-economic stability (Tiraieyari, Hamzar & Samah 2017). However, this approach has some disadvantages too, as not all countries are suitable for traditional crop production systems due to problematic soil and rapid growth of population.
For example, to avoid food shortage and extra labour local farmers in Tanzania had to start using glyphosate after years of the traditional approach to growing maize (Lotter 2015). It was approved for small farm use and helped them fight weeds which otherwise would have needed ploughing, and, thus, protected the soil from deterioration and gave sufficient harvest.
Growing interest in fitness and quality of life, environmental preservation and safe products encourage US families to choose organic. In 2011 organic food sales reached $29.2 billion and had been rising an average of 9.4% for the next five years (Lee & Yun 2015, p. 259). A whole range of factors influences the choice of consumers in favour of organic products, even though the price for them is usually higher.
Rana and Paul (2017) overviewed several studies on the topic of the behaviour and intentions of buyers and summarised the results from the USA, Sweden, Malaysia and Italy. According to them, most people associate organic products with wellbeing and pleasure, and consumers choose certified organic food to adhere to a healthy diet and good nutrition to make their lives more wholesome. Another crucial reason for the widespread popularity of organic food is the idea of its safety due to the absence of chemicals in the process of its production. This feature is a considerable advantage over conventionally grown food because people tend to avoid possibly harmful substances.
It is important to notice that “organic” refers to the way the food is produced, but not to its inherent qualities. Contrary to general beliefs, organic products do not have extra nutritional value when compared to other products, when 51% of buyers confirm that they choose organic for its nutritional characteristics (Fung 2015). However, promoting organic products in this way would mean misleading people; thus, the emphasis should lie with the safe process of production.
Concerns towards the current ecological situation are also one of the driving forces in ethical consumerism. Those who want to participate in the protection of the environment and cut the negative impact of human activities on the environment buy organic products. It is also one of the popular trends in developed countries as a healthy lifestyle becomes more affordable, and people tend to invest in organic food.
Promoting organic food requires a special approach, oriented at the local people, and a steady supply as, according to Rana and Paul (2017), “less availability of organic food at retail stores remains a key deterrent and barrier in generating sales and customer loyalty” (p. 162). This data is also confirmed by research carried out by way of interviews of regular organic food buyers in retail and organic food stores in Germany.
This study showed that organic products make up less than half of their budget, and the main reason for that is insufficient availability (Buder, Feldmann & Hamm 2014). Thus, buyers need to be more confident about the reliability of the suppliers and vendors to purchase more organic products. This correlation is proved by the analysis of questionnaires collected at different food markets, and the findings showed that consumers tend to make decisions based on a trust in the organic label (Liang 2016).
It is a common case when farmers have doubts about engaging in organic farming because of the difficult and expensive certification process, a limited number of sales channels and restricted market. However, certification is seen by people as a guarantee of quality and safety, so it helps to promote organic products and make it worth the effort for farmers.
Finding original routes to potential consumers of organic products and raising awareness of its benefits are vital for successful promotion and further development of farmers. The study conducted by Kummer, Hirner and Milestad (2015) explores an example of growing clientele and establishing long-term cooperation with them with the help of subscription boxes. They were filled with different organic products, accompanied by leaflets with the information on the food and its producers, and eventually sent to the subscribers. This scheme satisfied both farmers and customers because it allowed flexibility, was easy to use and formed direct relations between producers and consumers.
Conclusion
Going organic for farmers means adopting certain social and political views because the idea is closely related to environmental politics and directly supports its causes. This is the reason for organic products to be viewed as a contribution to the ecology, and not as a way to a healthier diet, as there is no evidence for its nutritional superiority. An inventive approach to promotion and honesty in relationships with customers should help organic farmers to profit because this market still holds significant potential and interest for many people.
Reference List
Buder, F, Feldmann, C & Hamm, U 2014, ‘Why regular buyers of organic food still buy many conventional products: product-specific purchase barriers for organic food consumers’, British Food Journal, vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 390-404.
Fedigan, L 2015, 21st century homestead: organic farming, Lulu.com, Morisville, NC.
Fung, B 2015, ‘Organic food is worth the extra cost’, in A Francis (ed), Organic Food, Greenhaven Press, Farmington Hills, MI, pp. 10-14.
Kummer, S, Hirner, P & Milestad, R 2015, ‘How growth of a local organic box scheme influences supplying farmers’, Scientific Journal for Phytotechnics and Zootechnics, vol. 18, pp. 83-85.
Lee, H & Yun, Z 2015, ‘Consumers’ perceptions of organic food attributes and cognitive and affective attitudes as determinants of their purchase intentions toward organic food’, Food Quality and Preference, vol. 39, pp. 259-267.
Liang, RD 2016, ‘Predicting intentions to purchase organic food: the moderating effects of organic food prices’, British Food Journal, vol. 118, no. 1, pp.183-199.
Lotter, D 2015, ‘Facing food insecurity in Africa: why, after 30 years of work in organic agriculture, I am promoting the use of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides in small-scale staple crop production’, Agriculture and Human Values, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 111-118.
New York Post 2015, ‘Eating organic food isn’t that much healthier, study finds’, in A Francis (ed), Organic Food, Greenhaven Press, Farmington Hills, MI, pp. 14-18.
Rana, J & Paul J 2017, ‘Consumer behavior and purchase intention for organic food: a review and research agenda’, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 38 pp. 157-165.
Tiraieyari, N, Hamzar, A & Samah, BA 2014, ‘Organic farming and sustainable agriculture in Malaysia: organic farmers’ challenges towards adoption’, Asian Social Science, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 1-7.