Organic Agriculture's Quest for Legitimacy in Kenya

• In Event: Citizen Bureaucraft - II

Abstract

We use over 25 video-taped interviews with organic farming NGO officials and farmer to explore how organic NGOs use science in their quest for legitimacy in Kenya. First, organic NGOs seek to promote and encourage organic research in Kenya in support of their health and environmental claims. Second, NGOs use various claims about science when attempting to convince small holder and larger farmers to pursue organic methods. We show how scientists in Kenyan agricultural research universities and centers have responded to organic NGO claims. Finally, we explore a limited number of Kenyan farmers' perceptions about the claims of organic farming NGOs.

Authors

• Mark J Joseph Schafer, LSU AgCenter

• Wesley Shrum, Louisiana State University

• Matthew Harsh, Cal Poly