Improving Food Security Through Organic Agriculture: Evidence from Serbia

Abstract

Organic agriculture is a production system based on the principles of complete sustainability, which guarantees health-safe food products. The chapter’s primary goal is to pinpoint all potentials and limitations that affect the development of organic farming in Serbia. To this end, the authors analyze the development of nationally available production capacities, normative framework, and organizational scheme of institutions responsible for the functioning of organic agriculture, avail­able sources of funding, market situation, and product placement. The results of the comprehensive analysis show that despite the minor participation in the world production and trade of organic products, extremely modest share of active farms in organic production, e.g., about 1% of the total number of farms in Serbia, and the negligible percentage of organic areas in the utilized agricultural area (UAA) (0.63%), Serbia could be, according to the growth rate of the mentioned agricultural sector, referred to as one of the regional leaders. Further development of organic production in Serbia is of considerable importance from the following aspects: preservation of the health of the nation, environmental protection and natural resources, employment of young people and women in rural areas, positive impact on slowing down migra­tion to urban areas, and strengthening of the competitiveness of national agriculture and economy, which rely on it, such as rural tourism.