Challenges and Way-Forward of Non-Organic Agriculture to Organic Agriculture: A Comparative Study between China and Sri Lanka

Abstract

The agriculture around the world is still heavily associated with chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc. and being inorganic. Although, a positive trend has been developing for organic agriculture around the world due to the benefits it delivers. Since the comparative studies related to organic agriculture on China and Sri Lanka are hardly found, the objectives of the study to perform a comparative analysis between China and Sri Lanka. Further, study examines benefits and challenges of both contexts. The research applies qualitative purposive sampling method and collect data using interview technique. Further study expects to use secondary data sources to achieve its objectives. The primary data is analysed using the thematic analysis. Moreover, the study focuses to examine the secondary sources related to China and Sri Lanka. The results of the study revealed that, although the China has remarkable progress in organic agriculture, there are deficiencies such excessive supply of organic products, disparities in organic production and consumption, Inadequacy of trust of consumers on organic foods, low educational status of organic farmers and deficiencies in technology used for organic agriculture and expensiveness in organic products compared with inorganic resulted in low demand. Also, results of the study further revealed that, the rapid transformation from inorganic agriculture to organic committed by the government of Sri Lanka created certain issues in the country resulting a threat to the food security of the country. Further, there are many deficiencies noted in the process such lack of proper mechanism to supply organic inputs to bridge the country’s requirement, no proper mechanism in place to monitor the organic agriculture process, difficulties in obtaining of organic certification, lack of local certification bodies, deficiencies in alternatives to replace chemical inputs such pesticides, weedicides etc., lack of government support to farmers to bear the income loss incurring due to the loss of yield during the transition period etc. Further, results of the study highlight the comparative differences between two countries. Moreover, challenges, benefits, strengths, weaknesses, and threats in the organic agriculture of these countries are objectively evaluated.