Successful Organic Production Practices in the Southern Cone

CESPEDES-LEON, CECILIA; BALZARINI, MONICA GRACIELA; ZOPPOLO, ROBERTO JOSE; ZARZA, HUGO ALBERTO; RODRIGUEZ, ELSA MARGARITA; GRANVAL, NELIDA ISABEL; TORRICO, IVAN AMADO

Sustainable Agriculture Research

Canadian Center of Science and Education

Año: 2017 vol. 6

1927-050X

he growth of demand of organic products has increased the interest of growers all around the World. To reach a sustainable organic production system, growers have to go through a long and difficult process. Eighty-one successful organic production systems in the Southern Cone of America were evaluated regarding management practices, such as disease control, soil fertility, and biodiversity management. The aim of the study was to determine associations between production techniques, farmer training, experience in organic agriculture, yields obtained, and the contribution of organic production to the profitability of farmers. A multivariate analysis was performed to characterize the variability between systems, correlate the management variables and explain economic sustainability. The economic sustainability of farmers was highly correlated with self-production of fungicides and insecticides, use of permitted commercial fertilizers, organic matter application, the use of natural enemie