Abstract
Aim: This paper tends to put a different perspective for the reasons that had contributed to the drop in interest for further development of organic farming in Macedonia. Anno Domini 2001 is the year considered as official beginning of organic farming in the Republic of Macedonia. Trainings were conducted, farmers associations were established and an umbrella National Association was established too. In 2005, organic farming got under the national subsidy program, but the very next 2006 was abandoned. But since then without interruptions organic farming enjoys steady and increasing governmental support. Since 2007, two National Programs were developed while the area under organic and number of organic growers recorded steady growth. Up to 2012, when first signs of losing the pace is recorded by having a drop in number of ha under organic was recorded and the number of organic growers too. The next year, 2013 was another disappointment for the sector, since the government had reduced the volume of support from € 2113000 in 2012 to € 1089430 in 2013. Reasons for the drop in interest are naturally various but one of the most significant is insufficient competent support farmers were receiving. Unfortunately, the national advisory service has very limited human capacity on this matter, and private advisors are much too small in number to cover the demand for advice. Methodology: In order to obtain real-case data number of farms were interviewed for the practice they apply in their daily operations, in order to check their understanding of what organic farming is all about. The area of intervention was the East Planning Region in Macedonia. Then, subject of analysis were the advisors at the National Extension Agency who were asked to express their opinions on answers listed in a carefully designed questionnaire, which needed to provide answers on the level of knowledge advisors possess on organic farming. Results: the results analysis on both of the surveys are driving to a conclusion that Ministry’s opinion for the drop in interest has little value, since the amount of subsidies is quite high, yet farmers are giving up. Conclusion: Specially designed program for introducing the principles of organic farming to the farmers is imperative before they would be invited to join this kind of agricultural production. Furthermore, in order to provide best possible competent support, advisors need to go through a carefully designed training procedure in order to increase their knowledge in the principles of organic farming.
Highlights
At the beginning of the organic movement in Macedonia it was believed that this long tradition in farming and depending on low use of inputs would be enough to obtain self-sustainable organic farming, or it could be used as a turning point for ‘new beginning’
Among various things that were point of interest some them were aimed focused in finding if farmers understand the principles of organic farming, what is their educational level, gender, average age?
On the question ‘which fertilizer do you apply?’ vast majority gave wrong answer stating that they apply NPK fertilizers. Asked if they have any professional assistance, 86% of them gave negative answer, meaning advisory service did not reach them; 6% answered that they consider the advices given by National Extension Agency (NEA)’s subject matter specialist; 3% were using input suppliers as a source for information and 3% were using Ministry of Agriculture’s employees as a source [1]
Summary
Given the fact that the western half of the country is mostly of mountainous character, it is an imperative to make most of the use of the available resources i.e. to develop cultivation of crops that would make most of country’s long tradition in farming. At the beginning of the organic movement in Macedonia it was believed that this long tradition in farming and depending on low use of inputs would be enough to obtain self-sustainable organic farming, or it could be used as a turning point for ‘new beginning’. A beginning which was depending on the assumption that long-time cultivated crops would be most easy to be converted for production under organic principles.
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