Scale and the Politics of the Organic Transition in Sikkim, India

David Meek; Colin Anderson

doi:10.1080/21683565.2019.1701171

Scale and the Politics of the Organic Transition in Sikkim, India

David Meek, Colin Anderson

University of Oregon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

242 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In 2016, Sikkim, an Indian Himalayan state announced that it had certified all agricultural production as organic. In this article, we explore how Sikkim’s organic policies are affecting agroecology transitions. Drawing upon 47 interviews with Sikkimese farmers, consumers, and government officials, we explore how questions of scale are central to the Sikkimese state’s organic vision. Our four-part analysis reveals how the state’s move to scale up organics reflects: 1) the state’s perception that areal scale and low yield are the major constraints to their organic vision. To address this perceived constraint, the state is attempting to: 2) re-scale farm production to increase yield in single commodity crops, and 3) re-scale social processes to collectivize production and marketing. 4) Education is a primary pathway through which the state seeks to reorient farmers to engage in scaled up production and a yield oriented vision of cooperation. Our results show how these different scalar processes intersect, shedding new light on debates about the role of the state in agroecology transitions. List of Acronyms: APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority; ATMA: Agricultural Technical Management Authority; CEO: Chief Executive Officer; FPO: Farmer Producer Organization; MOVCD: Mission Organic Value Chain Development.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	653-672
Number of pages	20
Journal	Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
Volume	44
Issue number	5
Early online date	8 Dec 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2019.1701171
Publication status	Published - 27 May 2020

Bibliographical note

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems on 08/12/2019 , available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/21683565.2019.1701171

Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

Keywords

Agroecology
India
Sikkim
organic agriculture
state

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Development
Agronomy and Crop Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1080/21683565.2019.1701171

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Cite this

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abstract = "In 2016, Sikkim, an Indian Himalayan state announced that it had certified all agricultural production as organic. In this article, we explore how Sikkim{\textquoteright}s organic policies are affecting agroecology transitions. Drawing upon 47 interviews with Sikkimese farmers, consumers, and government officials, we explore how questions of scale are central to the Sikkimese state{\textquoteright}s organic vision. Our four-part analysis reveals how the state{\textquoteright}s move to scale up organics reflects: 1) the state{\textquoteright}s perception that areal scale and low yield are the major constraints to their organic vision. To address this perceived constraint, the state is attempting to: 2) re-scale farm production to increase yield in single commodity crops, and 3) re-scale social processes to collectivize production and marketing. 4) Education is a primary pathway through which the state seeks to reorient farmers to engage in scaled up production and a yield oriented vision of cooperation. Our results show how these different scalar processes intersect, shedding new light on debates about the role of the state in agroecology transitions. List of Acronyms: APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority; ATMA: Agricultural Technical Management Authority; CEO: Chief Executive Officer; FPO: Farmer Producer Organization; MOVCD: Mission Organic Value Chain Development.",

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Scale and the Politics of the Organic Transition in Sikkim, India

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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