Organic Farming and Rural Development: Some Evidence from Austria

Organic farming is often considered beneficial for rural development through its role in alternative food chains, positive impact on landscapes and as an environmentally friendly production method. However, these need not be the only routes through which it can contribute to rural development. Results from an Austrian case study indicate that farmers also view organic farming as a way to disengage from commoditisation through a reorganization of on-farm resources. This allows farmers to move beyond the sole focus on production of raw materials for the food industry and undertake a wider variety of on-and off-farm activities. Conversion to organic farming could thus be a way of overcoming the shortcomings of the agricultural modernisation model, and implementing the rural development model proposed by the Wageningen School.