In September 2003, the Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming (DARCOF) presented a strategy proposal for 2005-2010 entitled "International research cooperation and organic integrity". In the strategy, organic agriculture in a global perspective is described as a new research area. Now, DARCOF's Board of Directors has decided to initiate a so-called knowledge synthesis1 and the present paper is a proposal for this work.
This knowledge synthesis shall provide an overview of the role of organic agriculture in a global perspective, and a basis for initiating new research in this area. With food production as the point of departure and the growing globalisation as a necessary context, the work must include sustainability and fair trade as important considerations and discuss major aspects such as
o organic values and principles as guides for development
o communication and networks between producers and users
o power relations and barriers in form of economic, political and social structures.
Key questions in the work can be:
a) Can organic production in development countries contribute to a sustainable development? How?
b) Can organic certification protect natural resources, improve work conditions, etc.? How?
c) Can a fair global trade with organic products be realized? How?
d) Can the world be fed with organic production? How?
e) Can organic research in high-income countries benefit organic agriculture in low-income countries? How?
The answers to these questions should not just be descriptive on the basis of the present organic food systems, but also outline a development perspective for these systems. The work should not be sharply delimited with regard to the present standards for organic farming, but take guidance from the basic organic ideas and principles and related idea
