How organic farmers view their own practice: results from the Czech Republic

This paper addresses the development of organic agriculture in the Czech Republic, which is seen as a success story among post-communist countries. The relatively short history of organic farming and specific contextual factors raises questions about the nature and meaning of Czech organic farming. The goal of this study was to find out how farmers view their own practice, interpret its symbolic value, and construct its content. This empirical study uses Q methodology aimed at the identification of the collectively-shared perspectives belonging engaged actors. Data were gathered through semi-standardized interviews with Czech farmers registered in official organic scheme. The analysis emphasized three components, which are considered as three distinct perspectives possessed by organic farmers; that is, (1) organic farming as a way of life, (2) as an occupation, and (3) as a production of food of an alternative quality compared to conventional food. Each viewpoint entails a different understanding of what organic farming means; each then—when considered together—comprises the meaning of organic agriculture in the Czech Republic. The presented classification of the farmers holding the viewpoints contributes to the ongoing theoretical discussion regarding the nature of the current organic sector, its development and potential conventionalization

New transitional pathways in direct marketing of food: Case study on farmers' markets in the Czech Republic

The paper focuses on the phenomenon farmers‘ markets in the Czech Republic. Boom of the farmers’ markets is used as an illustration for ongoing transition process within agrofood regime. The paper provides information about the incumbent regime (based on sale of food via large retail chain store) and the alternative initiative and its logic. The farmer’s markets have developed from previous marginal activities framed by the alternative food networks. Using the secondary sources and empirical material (16 interviews) there is in details described the mechanisms of anchorage that enables the initiative to gain new position in the regime. The analysis shows that the success of the initiative has been conditioned by several factors that have aligned and created a stable structure in the regime

The "missing actor”: Alternative Agri-Food Networks facing resistances of key regime actor

International audienceà veni