Publication
Title
Organic agriculture and undernourishment in developing countries : main potentials and challenges
Author
Abstract
While much has been published on the advantages of organic agriculture, less has addressed its potentials and challenges to fight undernourishment in developing countries. This article aims at reviewing the main potentials and challenges of this approach when dealing with undernourishment as a multifaceted concept in developing countries. Accordingly, 2 main issues of the concept which are food security and food safety are discussed in the context of both developed and developing countries to understand their different food policies priorities. Next, the main potentials, challenges and tradeoffs of the organic approach are analyzed to understand whether the approach is capable to provide a secure or a safe food-production system which can meet the food policy priorities in developing countries. With respect to food security, the article concludes that conventional and biotechnological approaches still produce higher yields than organic agriculture. However, considering the many advantages of organic agriculture, it can in a long run, be more conducive than now to meet food security. Thus, conventional approaches to feed the hungers in developing countries. Accordingly, the article emphasizes on the importance of providing farmers in developing countries with the possibility of implementing different approaches. Therefore, policy makers should be aware of a realistic and gradual transition from the other approaches to the organic that should be projected only in long run, and after conducting a series of risk assessment studies on the bases of both crop-case and region-case.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. - Boca Raton, Fla, 1980, currens
Publication
Boca Raton, Fla : CRC Press , 2013
ISSN
1040-8398 [print]
1549-7852 [online]
DOI
10.1080/10408398.2011.573886
Volume/pages
53 :9 (2013) , p. 917-928
ISI
000320692900005
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Project info
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 15.07.2013
Last edited 04.03.2024
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