Evaluation of Short Organic Food Supply Chains with Special Reference to Climate Smartness - The Case of Direct Farmers’ Market, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka

Purpose: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and direct organic farmers’ markets (supply chains) with GAP and PGS for CSA are relatively new concepts and applications have not much studied. This study was carried out to evaluate the climate smartness of short organic food supply chains in a direct farmers’ market in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka.

Research Method: Data were collected from all farmer venders (50) of the direct organic farmers’ market using a structured interview schedule and from two venders through in-depth interviews and observations. The economic, social and environmental sustainability aspects were assessed as the components of CSA.

Findings: Results revealed that the income of farmer venders increased after joining the organic direct market and that was stable throughout the year achieving the economic sustainability. Involvement of small-scale farmers, adopting climate resilient production practices, access to information and markets, institutional support and collective actions were identified along the value chains as the elements of social sustainability. The average GHG emission along the two selected value chains of the direct market had reduced after joining the farmers market depicting the environmental sustainability. Therefore, the studied organic direct farmers’ market was climate smart.

Research Limitations: Only two value chains of the market was studied due to its’ complexity and time and resource limitation. The calculations of GHG emission were based on default values as there were no country specific values. Therefore, the calculated GHG emission values are approximate.

Originality/Value: The findings of the study are novel as most of the concepts studied are relatively new. Therefore, findings are important for understanding and future interventions.