**1. Introduction**

Clarifying exactly what a concept represents provides the information needed for identifying its constituent elements and distinguishing it from other concepts. Description of an object or thing provides insight into the nature of what that thing is and what it can do. Since what a thing can do depends on what it is, insights into its nature enables us to hypothesize about potential courses of action regarding that thing. Or, to be more specific, insights developed from clarifying the definition of organic agriculture or, more broadly, a sustainable agricultural production system, enables us to design courses of action that lead to a more enduring and fruitful

relationship with our food system. Organic agriculture is inextricably linked to a sustainable food production system; simply because the ultimate motive for adopting organic production practices in agriculture is to achieve a more sustainable food production system.

In earlier work [1] synthesized the work of [2, 3] in proposing this definition of sustainable agriculture as: *the practice of agriculture to produce food and fiber that meets the needs of the current population without compromising the capacity of the ecological capital, on which it depends, to support the needs of future populations.*

And organic agriculture following Codex Alimentarius Commission as *"Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystems health including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, cultural, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system."* (Quoted in [4], p. 6)

Given the definitions and the arguments presented above, it can be deduced that organic agriculture is the instrument through which people working within the limits of the overarching ecological system can achieve a sustainable food production system. It is generally agreed that the current conventional methods of food production are unsustainable at current levels of resource consumption [2, 5]. The need for a sustainable system of food production becomes even more urgent if the aspirations of the millions of people in developing countries for a first world lifestyle is taken into account. Many scholars believe that a first world lifestyle for everyone is not possible given our current endowment of resources, for example [5]. Therefore, our survival depends on more than just innovation in markets and science. If all this is true, our relationship with each other and the environment is central to progress toward sustainable food production system and ultimately our survival.

One indispensable aspect of progress in advancing a sustainable production system is the development and implementation of standards of production and marketing of organic food and fiber. The development of these essential standards is a political process as revealed by the interaction of multiple stakeholders in the USDA's design and promulgation of standard in the organic food and fiber production system [6]. As [6] argued, markets can work to weaken or strengthen standards. Whether this happens in a positive or negative direction will depend on the relative political strength of the committed stakeholders and the noncommitted stakeholders. For example, [6] points out that stricter standards can act as a barrier to uncommitted farmers, in which case, well-established committed organic farmers might have an incentive to push for stricter standards in order to safeguard their market share. On the other hand, if farm businesses not committed to the organic philosophy and practice are able to exert influence in the market and related regulating agencies, there will be pressure to weaken the standards that may encourage a large number of uncommitted businesses to enter the marketplace. Then the possibility exists that we could end up with a quasi-organic/sustainable food production system, which would put in peril any hope of attaining levels of sustainability that would ensure future food security. Another crucial aspect is overcoming the usual delay and resistance associated with changing deeply held values and or the adoption of innovations [5]. Societies often cling stubbornly to the values that have served them well in the past, even when these same values are demonstrably inappropriate for the present [5, 7].

Corporate industrial agriculture with deep vested interest in conventional food and fiber production models, and their lobbying power buttressed by their deep seated belief in the power of the free market may hinder or slow the rate of change

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rooted in local communities.

*Accounting for the Impact of Sustainable Agriculture: The Role of Community Based…*

social groups will foster pro-environmental behavior [10].

collective impact instead of isolated impact.

toward the adoption of a organic/sustainable food and fiber production system. Thus, in a capitalist system, the tendency to focus on markets and profits can derail or impede progress toward the ideal by confusing organic production for its own sake with achieving the ultimate goal of a sustainable food system. This is where CBOs can play a really critical and pivotal role in exerting bottom up pressure to maintain standards and promote organic/sustainable values. CBOs are pivotal for creating and sustaining a collective impact because they provide a platform through which strategies can be applied to overcome ancestral tendencies that tend to discourage sustainable behavior [8]. Research suggests that strong community ties and group identity tend to promote sustainable behavior [9] and small interdependent

The following statistics on a few key indicators provide a glimpse of the global impact of organic agriculture: As of 2016, the number of hectares (in millions) under organic production worldwide: Oceana 27.3, Europe 13.5, Latin America 7.1, Asia 4.9, North America 3.1, Africa 1.8. In 2016, 57.8 million hectares were under organic production compared to 11 million hectares in 1999, even though the 57.8 million hectares represent just 1.2% of total crop land worldwide. The number of producers engaged in organic production was 2.7 million in 2016 up from 200,000 in 1999, and total sales amounted to 89.7 billion US dollars up from 17.9 billion in 2000. A reasonable inference to be drawn is that 57.8 million hectares under production represent this many acres of increased soil fertility, farm and field diversity. Even more significant, in terms of impact, is the increase in the number of farms producing higher added value and the increased income that flows from this value [11]. These statistics indicate movement in the right direction, even though slow, if progress is judged by just the percentage of crop land under organic cultivation. To achieve faster and sustained progress requires applying an approach that leads to

It is difficult to achieve progress in the wide adoption of organic/sustainable food production system without achieving collective impact. More generally, impact for the purpose of this chapter is defined as a change in condition that supports a desirable change in behavior. And where appropriate supporting values become infused in the value system of the individual or group from which it operates to reinforce the desired behavior. For the purpose of this chapter we distinguish between isolated and collective impact. In isolated impact, a single organization is assumed to have the solution to the problem, and works in isolation to address one aspect of the problem. Further, it is often assumed that the solution can be scaled up and applied to address the problem in disparate contexts. On the other hand, collective impact assumes that the problem is complex and cannot be solved by any single organization working in isolation. Here, multiple organizations learn, share and act together from the same perspective and agenda [12] to produce system wide

and emergent solutions instead of localized solutions with narrow impacts.

CBOs facilitate the development of the type of social community infrastructure that supports collective impact, hence their potential for promoting organic/sustainable food production system. Additionally, because of their cohesiveness and strict commitment to core values, community-based organizations can check the tendency of the market to water down standards, and serve as a source of steadfast support and champions of the organic/sustainable food production philosophy. [13– 16] have argued convincingly in support of the capacity of alternative agricultural models (referred to as, community supported agriculture (CSA), community-based agriculture, civic agriculture and farmers markets) to support holistic community development and food production in an environmentally sustainable manner. CBOs have played a pivotal role in promoting and supporting these production models

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84385*

#### *Accounting for the Impact of Sustainable Agriculture: The Role of Community Based… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84385*

toward the adoption of a organic/sustainable food and fiber production system. Thus, in a capitalist system, the tendency to focus on markets and profits can derail or impede progress toward the ideal by confusing organic production for its own sake with achieving the ultimate goal of a sustainable food system. This is where CBOs can play a really critical and pivotal role in exerting bottom up pressure to maintain standards and promote organic/sustainable values. CBOs are pivotal for creating and sustaining a collective impact because they provide a platform through which strategies can be applied to overcome ancestral tendencies that tend to discourage sustainable behavior [8]. Research suggests that strong community ties and group identity tend to promote sustainable behavior [9] and small interdependent social groups will foster pro-environmental behavior [10].

The following statistics on a few key indicators provide a glimpse of the global impact of organic agriculture: As of 2016, the number of hectares (in millions) under organic production worldwide: Oceana 27.3, Europe 13.5, Latin America 7.1, Asia 4.9, North America 3.1, Africa 1.8. In 2016, 57.8 million hectares were under organic production compared to 11 million hectares in 1999, even though the 57.8 million hectares represent just 1.2% of total crop land worldwide. The number of producers engaged in organic production was 2.7 million in 2016 up from 200,000 in 1999, and total sales amounted to 89.7 billion US dollars up from 17.9 billion in 2000. A reasonable inference to be drawn is that 57.8 million hectares under production represent this many acres of increased soil fertility, farm and field diversity. Even more significant, in terms of impact, is the increase in the number of farms producing higher added value and the increased income that flows from this value [11]. These statistics indicate movement in the right direction, even though slow, if progress is judged by just the percentage of crop land under organic cultivation. To achieve faster and sustained progress requires applying an approach that leads to collective impact instead of isolated impact.

It is difficult to achieve progress in the wide adoption of organic/sustainable food production system without achieving collective impact. More generally, impact for the purpose of this chapter is defined as a change in condition that supports a desirable change in behavior. And where appropriate supporting values become infused in the value system of the individual or group from which it operates to reinforce the desired behavior. For the purpose of this chapter we distinguish between isolated and collective impact. In isolated impact, a single organization is assumed to have the solution to the problem, and works in isolation to address one aspect of the problem. Further, it is often assumed that the solution can be scaled up and applied to address the problem in disparate contexts. On the other hand, collective impact assumes that the problem is complex and cannot be solved by any single organization working in isolation. Here, multiple organizations learn, share and act together from the same perspective and agenda [12] to produce system wide and emergent solutions instead of localized solutions with narrow impacts.

CBOs facilitate the development of the type of social community infrastructure that supports collective impact, hence their potential for promoting organic/sustainable food production system. Additionally, because of their cohesiveness and strict commitment to core values, community-based organizations can check the tendency of the market to water down standards, and serve as a source of steadfast support and champions of the organic/sustainable food production philosophy. [13– 16] have argued convincingly in support of the capacity of alternative agricultural models (referred to as, community supported agriculture (CSA), community-based agriculture, civic agriculture and farmers markets) to support holistic community development and food production in an environmentally sustainable manner. CBOs have played a pivotal role in promoting and supporting these production models rooted in local communities.

*Multifunctionality and Impacts of Organic and Conventional Agriculture*

production system.

(Quoted in [4], p. 6)

relationship with our food system. Organic agriculture is inextricably linked to a sustainable food production system; simply because the ultimate motive for adopting organic production practices in agriculture is to achieve a more sustainable food

In earlier work [1] synthesized the work of [2, 3] in proposing this definition of sustainable agriculture as: *the practice of agriculture to produce food and fiber that meets the needs of the current population without compromising the capacity of the ecological capital, on which it depends, to support the needs of future populations.*

And organic agriculture following Codex Alimentarius Commission as *"Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystems health including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, cultural, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system."*

Given the definitions and the arguments presented above, it can be deduced that organic agriculture is the instrument through which people working within the limits of the overarching ecological system can achieve a sustainable food production system. It is generally agreed that the current conventional methods of food production are unsustainable at current levels of resource consumption [2, 5]. The need for a sustainable system of food production becomes even more urgent if the aspirations of the millions of people in developing countries for a first world lifestyle is taken into account. Many scholars believe that a first world lifestyle for everyone is not possible given our current endowment of resources, for example [5]. Therefore, our survival depends on more than just innovation in markets and science. If all this is true, our relationship with each other and the environment is central to progress

toward sustainable food production system and ultimately our survival.

demonstrably inappropriate for the present [5, 7].

One indispensable aspect of progress in advancing a sustainable production system is the development and implementation of standards of production and marketing of organic food and fiber. The development of these essential standards is a political process as revealed by the interaction of multiple stakeholders in the USDA's design and promulgation of standard in the organic food and fiber production system [6]. As [6] argued, markets can work to weaken or strengthen standards. Whether this happens in a positive or negative direction will depend on the relative political strength of the committed stakeholders and the noncommitted stakeholders. For example, [6] points out that stricter standards can act as a barrier to uncommitted farmers, in which case, well-established committed organic farmers might have an incentive to push for stricter standards in order to safeguard their market share. On the other hand, if farm businesses not committed to the organic philosophy and practice are able to exert influence in the market and related regulating agencies, there will be pressure to weaken the standards that may encourage a large number of uncommitted businesses to enter the marketplace. Then the possibility exists that we could end up with a quasi-organic/sustainable food production system, which would put in peril any hope of attaining levels of sustainability that would ensure future food security. Another crucial aspect is overcoming the usual delay and resistance associated with changing deeply held values and or the adoption of innovations [5]. Societies often cling stubbornly to the values that have served them well in the past, even when these same values are

Corporate industrial agriculture with deep vested interest in conventional food and fiber production models, and their lobbying power buttressed by their deep seated belief in the power of the free market may hinder or slow the rate of change

**84**
