Risk Management in Organic Agriculture

Agriculture is a branch of the economy that faces particularly high risks, generated mainly by natural factors, independent of the control of farmers. Aspects such as risk vulnerability, risk identification, probability of risk occurrence, risk analysis and prevention, are addressed at national and international levels through risk management strategies, standards and sectoral plans on organic farming. The paper addresses risk management in organic farming as a major task in the development and management of the sector at the farmer level. The approach is based on farmers’ responses to a survey designed to identify the range of risks involved in organic farming, management strategies and the need for farmers to assist in risk management. Thus, a series of qualitative and quantitative information was collected. Many of the farmers were concerned about the exposure of agricultural workers and their families to chemicals and outlined proposals for the development of new programs in this direction.