New Ph.D. thesis at FiBL shows organic farming can be an economically efficient instrument for achieving environmental policy targets

Christian SchaderoftheFiBLSocio-economicsgrouprecentlycompletedhis Ph.D. thesisoncost-effectivenessoforganicfarmingforachievingenvironmentalpolicytargets in Switzerland.

Thequestionwhetheritiseconomicallyefficienttopursueenvironmentalpolicytargetsusingareasupportpaymentsfororganicfarmingishighly relevant forpolicy-making.

Using a sectorrepresentativeeconomicfarmgroupmodelandlifecycleassessmentdata, the Ph.D. thesiscalculatedtheimpactoforganicfarmingon fossil energyuse, biodiversity, nitrogenandphosphoruseutrophicationforSwitzerland.

These environmentalimpactsaredirectlyrelatedtotheamountofpublicexpenditure (directpayments) given to organic farms in Switzerland. This cost-effectiveness figure was then compared to targeted agri-environmental instruments.

The thesis concluded that supporting organic farming via direct payments can be an efficient means for achieving environmental targets.

More information

Contact

• Christian Schader

Dissertation

• Schader, Christian (2009) Cost-effectiveness of organic farming for achieving environmental policy targets in Switzerland. Dissertation, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth University, Wales. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland

Link

• OrgPrints.org: FiBL publications on agripolicy (selection)