"International Journal of Geography, Geology and Environment"

Author(s): Jaha Mulema

Abstract: Organic farming is widely promoted in East Africa as a pathway to improve smallholder livelihoods and environmental sustainability. This synthesis compares certified and non-certified organic systems across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, examining socio-economic outcomes and adoption dynamics. Evidence shows that certification linked to reliable markets can reduce multidimensional poverty and raise net farm income and gross margins through price premiums and lower input costs. By contrast, “organic-by-default” subsistence farmers - who avoid synthetic inputs without market access or technical support - often remain in low-productivity traps. Food-security effects are mixed: diversified, whole-farm organic systems can support dietary diversity, but export-oriented specialization may create trade-offs if cash earnings fail to offset reduced food-crop production. Adoption intensity is highest among younger, better-educated, better-connected farmers with access to training, livestock (for manure), and assured buyers; key constraints include knowledge gaps, labor demands, and market uncertainty. Environmental co-benefits - such as enhanced soil biota and improved soil structure - reinforce long-term resilience. Researcher conclude that organic farming can deliver meaningful socio-economic gains when embedded in supportive ecosystems: farmer training and extension on agroecology, group or participatory certification, balanced whole-farm planning that safeguards food crops, facilitated market linkages, and policies that lower entry costs and reward ecosystem services.

DOI: 10.22271/27067483.2025.v7.i11a.441

Pages: 24-32 | Views: 137 | Downloads: 81

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