Organic agriculture: a global perspective

Organic agriculture is a tangible effort toward a more sustainable food production.However, modern European organic agriculture is faced with growing globalisation and it is undergoing a continuous technological and structural modernisation.And, even though there are large differences, the same is to some degree true for agriculture in developing countries.This chapter is the first step in an investigation of the role that organic agriculture may play in relation to sustainable development and global food security.We outline a global perspective on the development of organic food systems in consideration of different understandings of globalisation and sustainable development, as found in market liberalism, ecological economy and political ecology.This involves issues such as the place of non-certified organic agriculture, pros and cons of free trade, the possibilities for fair global trade with organic products, commons and ecological justice, and the need for a cooperative dialogue between North and South.1.