Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture through Innovation Policy– The Case of Organic Agriculture in Negros Occidental, Philippines

Abstract

This paper highlights the innovation policies that facilitated the growth of the organic movement in Negros Occidental. The research is an intrinsic case study that employed in-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information. Organic agriculture started with the civil society because of the desire to produce healthy food and ensure environmental integrity. Health conscious businessmen saw the opportunity of a business built on the pillars of environmental integrity, health, partnership with the grassroots and the growing movement of organic agriculture supporters. In response, the provincial governments of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental crafted a policy that envisioned the whole Negros Island as the “Organic Bowl in Asia”. Innovative responses of the provincial government included the development of ordinances, organizational adjustments and budget allocations. The innovations of the government legitimized the movement and facilitated the mainstreaming of organic agriculture. The collaboration model results from the active participation of the key stakeholders that was reinforced by forces such as increasing health and environmental consciousness of the populace. While the movement is now mainstreamed, the actors have to forward the movement to another level by increasing the market share of organic products. Keywords - Innovation policy, organizational innovation, organic agriculture, case study, Philippines