The main goal of my diploma thesis is to analyze the offers of organic food in chosen retail chains operating in the Czech market. At the beginning there are defined retail and retailing and there is briefly outlined the development of retail in the Czech Republic. In the second chapter there is introduced organic farming, its definition, goals and its current position in the world and in the Czech Republic. In this chapter is defined what is organic food, how is organic food labeled and which organizations do this business in the Czech Republic. The third chapter analyses the situation in the organic food market in the Czech Republic and there are introduced certain marketing activities and projects to promote organic food. The next chapter analyses the current retail net in the Czech Republic and in the following chapter there are introduced the retail chains chosen for the analysis of their assortment of organic food. The last chapter deals with analysis of assortment of organic food in chosen retail chains.

In the Northern Great Plains (NGP), weed management within organic systems remains a challenge. Experiments were conducted at two distinct sites in North Dakota to investigate effects of deep mulch no-till (NT) on soil quality indices, weed densities, and weed seedbank densities. We hypothesized that alfalfa mulch no-till and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant would be associated with reductions in weed densities and improvements to soil quality and vegetable yield. NT treatments were associated with reductions in weed densities and time required for weeding, with improvements in soil quality, such as increased AMF biomass, and yield for snap pea, onion, beet, and butternut squash compared to tilled treatments. Our findings suggest deep mulch no-till using alfalfa residue may be a viable option for small-scale organic vegetable producers in the NGP. Additional research is required to determine costs associated with sowing, harvesting, baling, and applying alfalfa mulch compared to tilling.

To date, research on organic farming and certification has focused on the production and trade possibilities of the industry. Farmers‟ opinions are underrepresented and this study endeavours to capture their opinions. In this study, the economic problem is to investigate the low participation of farmers in certified organic farming, highlight the economic benefits which are normally not clearly defined, as well as study the often complicated and frustrating certification process. The main objective is to investigate the determinants, which affect the smallholder farmer‟s participation, and to analyse farmers‟ perceptions of certified organic farming in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The specific focus was on the participation of smallholder farmers in certified organic farming. The dependent variable was participation as measured by a farmer‟s decision to either certify their farm or not. The independent variables included factors that make up farmer and farm characteristics, certification and market related characteristics. The study used a standard questionnaire to obtain information from farmers. The research methodology, analysis and the presentation of the study was quantitative. The study used descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviations, Chi-squares and significance intervals) to evaluate the significance of the variables. These were analysed and described quantitatively by making use of EVIEWS and IBM AMOS software. In estimating the influential factors, a probit model was adopted, and in analysing farmer perception, structural equation modelling was used. v Descriptive statistics indicated that among farmers interviewed, the majority (61%) were female farmers and 39 per cent were male farmers. Among the female respondents, 46% participated in certified organic farming and 15 per cent of female farmers were not certified organic farmers. From the male group, 29 per cent were certified organic farmers and 7% were not. In determining factors influencing farmer participation, three of the variables were positively associated with the probability of participating in certified organic farming, these being: the age of the farmer, membership to a farmer organisation and market premium prices for certified commodities. The other five significant factors were negatively associated with the probability of participating in certified organic production. These factors were: the gender of the farmer, the farmers‟ income, farming experience, information access and certification costs. All these factors tended to decrease the likelihood of participating. With the exception of the farmers‟ income and farming experience, all the significant variables had the expected signs. Farmers‟ perceptions of certified organic farming were analysed and the results showed that a high percentage of farmers had a positive view of certified organic farming. In other words, the perceived benefits of certified organic farming meet farmers‟ expectations. The perceived premium price of certified organic products is the most important factor affecting farmer perception. This is not unusual because South Africa‟s organic production is mainly focused on exportation and targets high value markets. As hypothesized, the costs associated with the certification process, that is: inspection costs (-0.578) and annual certification costs (-0.719), negatively affect farmer perception. In conclusion, a combination of factors influence a farmer‟s decision as to whether or not to participate in certified organic farming. One cannot rely only on specific factors to determine farmers‟ participation in certified organic farming. Farmer perception of certified organic farming is also an important aspect. The more farmers positively perceive the farming enterprise, the higher the rate of participation will be. The same applies to the perceived costs, which have a negative impact on participation. The study finally recommends that government complete and put into practice the South African organic regulations, which may motivate farmers to get involved in certified organic farming and encourage local capacity building in certified organic farming. However, in the meantime, government should place an vi emphasis on self-regulation within farmer groups and cooperatives for organic production, and set up a regulator to monitor the current activities. This would enhance interest from potential farmers, and strengthen consumer confidence. The study further recommends that information on organic farming should be improved by encouraging more research in this area, which will enable farmers, consumers and regulators to access data on socio-economic, production and trade in the industry. Government should support or create a partnership between farmers and processors to establish cost effective processing of organic products and to increase the availability of processed products for market. Government should assist non-certified smallholder organic farmers to become certified, potentially resulting in a price premium for their products and enhancing export capabilities. / Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

This thesis deals with performance of a company Horňácká Farma s.r.o. processing and marketing organic beef meat. The goal is to find ways to increase the performance of the farm. Based on the analysis of the current state recommendations to remove bottlenecks in the process have been made. These recommendations generally contribute to higher business performance.

Sustainable development assistance organizations (SDAOs) are designed to help interested producers conduct market research, identify clients and more effectively manage the process of moving products to market. Producers of sustainable products are often small business owners and grassroots entrepreneurs that produce and sell natural resource-based goods and services. The broad research question this dissertation explored was whether the decision-making processes employed by producers, staff and board members in an SDAO hold implications for their collective achievement of sustainability. Data collection focused on understanding the various frames through which producers, staff and board members approach their work with, and decision making within, the SDAO as well as how they conceptualize sustainability. This research employed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with growers, staff members and board members involved in one SDAO. The analysis found that producers, staff and board members held a number of competing frames regarding the purposes and objectives of the SDAO as well as concerning the meaning of sustainability. Frames influence the ways that each stakeholder group perceived and participated in decision-making and lead to the institutionalization of tacitly supported decision-making practices. These routines, when viewed through an efficiency lens, lead to quick decision-making, avoided conflict and allowed the SDAO to make decisions with consistency and clarity. When viewed through an environmental justice lens, however, these practices proved exclusionary, favored some elements of sustainability rather than others, and supported some participants more than others. Taken together, the decision-making practices used by Blue Mountain Organic Vegetables limited the organization's capacity to develop a learning culture, created divisions among stakeholders and did not empower stakeholders with commitment to, and responsibility for SDAO decision-making. Consequently, Blue Mountain Organic Vegetables now faces organizational challenges related to the development of commitment, trust and ultimately, resilience, within the organization. The analysis concludes these concerns are potentially critical as these elements are essential for achieving sustainability, as they are also central to the organization's ability to respond to, and overcome, challenges. / Ph. D.

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There is growing evidence that the way that the world produces and consumes food needs to change. There is growing public awareness of serious environmental threats (e.g. global warming, loss of biodiversity and pollution) as well as social concerns (e.g. poverty, inequality and food security). It is necessary for global agriculture to rethink its approach to food production and to find new ways of producing food that can meet the demands of the growing world population and at the same time reduce the environmental degradation caused by farming. So called green revolution technologies, resulting in high intensity, high input agriculture are damaging the very resources on which agriculture depends; soil and water. Research reveals current conventional practices to be unsustainable. There is a growing recognition, arising from the creation of new knowledge and the development of deeper understanding, that this change is necessary and urgent. Organic (or ecological) farming has emerged as a more beneficial way of producing food from a social and environmental perspective. Demand for, and production of, organic food grew steadily in the second half of the twentieth century and has increased dramatically in the twenty first century. This can largely be ascribed to social learning processes. This growth is not yet reflected in South African agriculture. Given the advantages of organic agriculture, it is necessary to consider how to accelerate its expansion. Understanding the social learning processes of organic farmers and using learning histories are useful tools to create a better understanding of how this can be achieved. The objective of this dissertation is to make use of four social learning frameworks to enhance the understanding of the social learning dynamic of organic farmers by: • Using existing baseline data from a survey of the organic farming sector to draw out the learning histories. • Developing an understanding of four social learning frameworks. • Combining the learning histories and the understanding of social learning frameworks to form a deeper understanding of the social learning dynamics in the South African organic agricultural sector. A literature review of the organic sector and of four learning frameworks (profound change, conversion of knowledge, deeper learning, and the pedagogy of adult social learning) is used to develop an understanding of the essence of organic agriculture and how people learn. Information from a survey of organic farmers in South Africa, is used to impregnate the learning frameworks in order to develop an understanding of how organic farmers in South Africa are learning Open-ended questions from the survey are analysed and interpreted based on the understanding of learning frameworks. Selected statements that reflect social learning are highlighted, incorporated into the learning frameworks and discussed to better understand how organic farmers are learning. The analysis indicates that a high proportion of organic farmers are social learners. The four frameworks demonstrate that many organic farmers see their role as more than just providers of food. They also see themselves as custodians of the land with a deep concern for the environment. Fewer organic farmers demonstrate an understanding of social issues. Those that did showed a clear understanding of the need to integrate social considerations into food production. Networking and sharing of learning are important methods of knowledge creation among organic farmers as a result of the limited research and support for organic farmers in South Africa. Recommendations to accelerate and understand the learning by organic farmers and consumers are provided. Future research is suggested in order to investigate how to assist organic and conventional farmers to better understand learning, identify how learning can be enhanced or retarded, and actively engage in learning that facilitates knowledge creation. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2010. / Title from title page screen (viewed on July 20, 2010). Thesis advisor: Gary McCracken. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This diploma thesis aims to identify the main factors that affect farmers' decisions to convert from conventional farming to organic farming. Currently, organic farming and organic products are highly popularized because they represent one of the ways of achieving a sustainable development of human society and environment. Thus, many developed countries, including the Czech Republic, support the development of organic farming. On the demand side, this is achieved by information and promotional campaigns. On the supply side, developed countries create conditions for certified organic farming systems. Organic farming subsidies are used as a compensation of the increased expenditure resulting from organic farming as compared to conventional farming. In the Czech Republic, the numbers of organic farms are still increasing. However, many questions remain to be answered. What are the incentives influencing the farmers' choices for organic farming? Are organic farmers propelled by the desire to produce healthy food and to contribute to the protection of the environment? Or are they predominantly motivated by economic factors, namely by the subsidies? In order to answer these questions, the author of the diploma thesis conducted a questionnaire survey among Czech organic farmers. The analysis of the survey provided a number of interesting findings. In particular, it can be concluded that the subsidies as an economic motivation factor influenced the farmers' choices for the organic farming. Yet, the noneconomic factors played even more significant role in the farmers' motivations than the subsidies. The most indicated noneconomic factor are an effort to live more in harmony with nature, to personally contribute to the protection of the environment, to avoid the use of chemicals or to produce healthy and quality food.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture