**4. Organic farming today on global, EU, and Slovenian level**

### **4.1 Organic farming on the global level**

At the end of 2017, nearly 70 million hectares of agricultural land were involved in organic farming on a global scale. Comparing to the end of 2016, there is a growth of 20% [29]. The largest organic agricultural area was recorded in Australia with 35.6 million hectares; the second in Argentina with 3.4 million hectares and the third in China with 3 million hectares. Europe together had the second largest area in 2017 (14.6 million hectares). Organic-managed agricultural area increased globally in all continents and in 2017 presented 1.4% of total global agricultural land. Shares of organic agricultural area compared to total agricultural area differ between the countries and were the highest in 2017 in Liechtenstein (37.9%), Samoa (37.6%), and Austria (24%). The global market for organic food in 2017 based on estimations reached around 97 billion US dollars (approximately 90 billion euros). The leading market with organic products were in the USA (40 billion euros),

*Multifunctionality and Impacts of Organic and Conventional Agriculture*

(yield loss, decreasing prices, natural catastrophes, etc.).

to convert to organic farming.

Organic farms in general usually diversify their activities to reduce all kinds of risks

The results of the Norwegian study [18] did not differ much. Organic farmers in Norway, compared with conventional farmers, mostly have larger farms, are mostly oriented to crop production, are more educated, and are located closer to urban centers. Farmers have different goals for their farms that can differ between conventional farmers, organic farmers, and farmers that are planning to convert. In Norway, main goals of conventional farmers were economic: to "achieve stable and reliable income," to "maximize profit," and to "improve the farm for next generation." Organic farmers rank "sustainable and environmental-friendly farming" in the first place, while conventional farmers put this goal after economic goals. After environmental goals, organic farmers ranked "producing high quality food" and "reliable and stable income." Suitable income was one of the three most important goals by all three groups of investigated farmers (conventional, organic, and farmers that are planning to convert), and it is also seen as a strategy for risk avoidance. All three groups of Norwegian farmers as least important goals ranked "higher private consumption," "increasing equity," and "social contacts." Among the motives for the decision for organic farming, organic farmers choose as most important to "produce high quality food," "higher soil fertility and less pollution problems" as second, and "professional challenges" as third. As least important motives, they defined "natural conditions" and "more stable income." Farmers that are planning to convert to organic farming ranked motives little different; for them, financial motives ("profitability" and "organic farming payments") are most important, while "production of high quality food" and "ideological and philosophic reasons" were less important for them as compared to certified organic farmers. Main goals and motives for organic farmers in Norway are therefore still traditional environment, food quality, and philosophical concerns. On the other hand, financial considerations ("profitability" and "income stability") are important for conventional farmers as well as important motives for conversion for the potential converters. Studies in other European countries found higher density of organic farms in regions less favorable to agricultural production (e.g., in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany). Results of a study in Germany [26] show that the number of organic farms and higher percentage of organically managed land are negatively correlated

to soil quality and positively influenced by organic grassland payments.

Darnhofer et al. [27] studied the reasons and constraints of farmers for converting to organic farming in Austria. They identified five types of farmers: "committed conventional," the "pragmatic conventional," the "environment-conscious but not organic," the "pragmatic organic," and the "committed organic." For "committed conventional" farmers, conventional approach to agriculture is the only sensible way. Their focus is maximizing outputs and profit per hectare, minimizing production costs, intensive use of external inputs, the introduction of the new technologies that make this possible, specialization of the farm, etc. Organic farming for them is not more environmentally friendly than conventional farming and they do not see organic farming as technically and/or economically feasible. They do not even think to convert to organic farming. "Pragmatic conventional" farmers can be seen as potential converters. They are generally not against organic farming, but a conversion is too risky for them, and without tangible benefit of the conversion, they will

Older farmers are less willing to convert [15, 17, 20, 25], are mostly less educated, and are not so ambitious anymore. It is understandable that they are not so ready anymore for adjustments and changes, new learning, investments, new risks, etc. Their decisions are mainly based on economic variables, while the importance of the environmental over the economic considerations is a basic factor in the decision

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followed by Germany (10 billion euros), France (7.9 billion euros), and China (7.6 billion euros). Organic markets in 2017 showed a growth, in France for example by 18%. Country with the highest amount spent on organic food in 2017 was Switzerland (288 euros per capita), while Denmark had the highest organic market share (13.3% of the total food market). Countries differ also by numbers of organic producers. The total number of organic producers in 2017 has been estimated at 2.9 million. The highest number had India, followed by Uganda and Mexico. The number of producers between 2016 and 2017 increased by almost 5%. Organic land use structure in 2017 was the following: over two-thirds presented grassland or grazing areas (almost 48.2 million hectares), 17% (over 12 million hectares) arable land, and 7% permanent crops (nearly 4.9 million hectares). Arable land use had highest share for cereals and rice production (almost 38% of all), production of green fodder on arable land (over 23%), oilseed production (10%), and vegetables and dry pulses on the rest. Among permanent crops, the largest share belongs to coffee and olives (each with almost 20% of the organic permanent cropland), followed by nuts, grapes, and tropical and subtropical fruits.
