6.2 Policy implications
A number of policy implications emerged from this study and may influence both farm and broader scales of activity.
6.2.1 Farm level considerations
- Communication with, and support of, organic farm units requires the recognition of these units as sites of social relations. For instance, producers may, or may not, be part of a nuclear family, and labour and decision making processes will be affected by a range of social factors such as gender, age, employment and additional commitments.
- Information management for the farm may well be organised by a woman in the household, and women’s multiple roles as farmers, family carers community participants, and managers of household consumption place them in important positions to learn, support and promote the significance of organic food and farming practices.
- Those responsible for extension activities and learning opportunities should recognise that:
i) Men and women on organic farms have limited time and finances to resource their reference needs. Printed material was found to be the most frequently used source of information.
ii) Men and women will access information differently. First, they will likely have different work and family commitments which affects their practical access to learning opportunities. Second, men are more frequently participating in formal public arenas while women are more frequently employing discussion based opportunities and informal networks.
iii) Learning will occur as part of an on-going process which involves personal, technical and social networking dimensions (see Figure 1).
6.2.2 Industry and community level considerations
- The organics industry operates as a network of stakeholders who benefit from the development of knowledge about organics. Support of industry and community networks is important to the increased understanding and viability of sustainable agricultural systems.
- The structure and operation of the Canterbury industry is socially constrained by the gender imbalance that currently exists. Proactive strategies to encourage greater participation and leadership by women would diversify the arenas and priorities tackled by the industry.
- Further adoption and expansion of organic farming practices are also dependent upon meeting the need for an integrated industrial framework which aids the development of domestic markets for a broader range of products which do not have an immediate export outlet but which would provide a full rotation sequence on farms. Consideration should be given to the merit of structures such as the commercial group of the Canterbury Organic City Trust in providing such a framework. Studies of alternative processes should also be made, such as the impact and role of the NFU in the UK organics industry.
Contact for Enquiries
Kay Brown
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0695
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0746
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