Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"
The contribution of Farmers’ Organizations to the Sustainability of Agricultural Practices in Less Developed Countries
An assessment in the Department of Boyacá, Colombia.
Abstract
This project overcomes the often lacking link between social issues and sustainability assessment of agricultural practices by including a comparison between organized and non-organized farmers. A set of sustainability indicators is developed, sustainability ranges for the indicators are defined and the real values of the indicators are assessed with 20 structured interviews. The comparison between the two groups delivers then information on the influence of organization on sustainability of agricultural practices.
Earlier research projects in the Central Colombian study area have shown that agricultural practices in the region are characterized by high rates of fertilizer and pesticide application combined with lacking protection implements and knowledge of basic ecological coherences. The agricultural practices in the study area are identified to be unsustainable.
It can be shown that organized farmers are within the deduced indicator set in most of the cases more sustainable than non-organized farmers. The receiving of agriculture relevant monthly capacitating units is considered to help inducing transition towards sustainable development. Organized farmers show higher ecological consciousness and make several efforts to overcome ecological economical problems. Thus, a strengthening of farmer organizations is within this thesis confirmed to help to induce transition towards more sustainable development in agriculture.
Research Partners:
Prof. Dr. Claudia R. Binder |
Giuseppe Feola |
Ing. Jaime Diaz |
Jonas Oehler
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Image 1: Crop shortfall caused by pests. At the back of the image the normal crop-density can be seen. Despite excessive pesticide application the pest has in this case not been controlled.
Image 2: Water reservoir pollution caused by fertilizer and pesticides. Minimum security distance has not been observed.
Image 3: Pest control. Protective clothing for the application of the high toxic substances is deficient and dosages are often too high. Toxic substances are often stored within the living area where children and pregnant women are around. Most of the farmers enter the households after crop spraying without changing clothes and without taking a shower.