Biologisch-dynamisches Wirtschaften in Niederösterreich: Motive und Werthaltungen als zentrale Aspekte der Umstellungsentscheidung

Summary

Compared with the total number of farmers engaged in organic farming in Austria, the number of people concerned with biodynamic farming is rather small. – So, what are the underlying motives and values of farmers for biodynamic cultivation? What is the farmers’ anthroposophical approach to the method? And how do these farmers assess the present situation as well as future developments in the field of organic farming?
On the basis of qualitative research a number of semi-structured interviews with countrymen and -women from ten different farms located in Lower Austria were conducted. The interviews were carried out by means of an interview guide and exclusively addressed people engaged in biodynamic farming. As to the motives for biodynamic farming for example, ecological aspects, internal advancement and the effective implementation of the method were in the foreground. As regards personal values, independence and self-determination, family and personal advancement as well as taking on responsibility seem to be important.