INFORMATION NEEDS OF ORGANIC FARMERS

Information is a key input into all conventional and organic farming systems. Organic production systems are low-input and intensive, requiring a thorough and detailed knowledge of the farming system and of organic production methods. This paper compares the processes involved in information flow into organic and conventional farming systems and argues that the adoption-diffusion model of technology transfer is even less appropriate for organic producers than conventional. Models of a participatory or interdependent nature are likely to be more useful. It is argued that the viability of the industry is likely to depend on the development of methods of information flow which are appropriate for both producers and their systems