Organic principles and research: What implications the new IFOAM principles of organic agriculture?

Summary

This paper examines some of the implications of the recently approved IFOAM principles of organic agriculture for organic research programmes. In examining the four principles we ask what types of research processes are likely to be in keeping with the principles, who should have the power to defi ne research agendas, and ultimately who should control the output from research programmes. We argue that participatory research programmes incorporating the values and experiences of wider stakeholder groups (including researchers, farmers and consumers) should be regarded as equally important as other research approaches as they are likely to meet many of the underlying intentions of the principles. We are also led to ask whether organic research is increasingly coming to be regarded as an end in itself, almost something apart from the principles, increasingly remote from the end users and consumers, rather than as part of an on-going process aiming to support and promote the organic movement.