Conceptual framework addressing OA

Agricultural sustainability is defined/limited by the effects of conventional or intensive agriculture. The ^{Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (1991)} conceptualizes sustainable agriculture as:

“The management and conservation of natural resources and the orientation of technological and institutional changes in order to ensure the continuous satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. Such sustainable development conserves soil, water, and animal and plant genetic resources; does not degrade the environment; and is technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.”

Thus, sustainability is an interaction between society and nature over time, including social progress towards agroecosystem sustainability ⁴.

In a three-dimensional approach considering broad agroecology, ^{Toledo (2012)} emphasized the relationship between scientific research, new practices, and social movements in Latin America (including the Caribbean), describing the five regional kernels of agroecology: Brazil, the Andean Region, Central America, Mexico, and Cuba. He found a tripartite and interrelated innovation process (knowledge, technology, and sociopolitics) interacting with recent political and cultural events ( e.g. the emergence of governments with social perspective, and indigenous and peasant resistance). Contemporary agroecology encompasses the relationship between scientific paradigms and technological changes with social and political movements, providing important transformational gains toward building sustainable societies ²⁷. Agroecology enhances perspectives for researchers, growers, and industries seeking more environmentally friendly production practices to protect soil, flora, fauna, and ecosystems.

Among management methods for improving agroecosystems, OA (which focuses on agroecology) uses efficient technologies combined with ecological knowledge to reduce negative environmental impact ³⁰. ^{Niggli (2015)} states that OA is a practical way of developing sustainable agriculture.

There are four fundamental pillars in agroecology ²⁸. The first pillar is “to build biodiverse agroecosystems such that the composition (species richness, with high genetic variability) and structure (abundance and spatial/temporal distribution of species) acquire complexity, achieving the objectives sought by farmers to maintain ecosystem functionality…” The second pillar consists of “capturing as much solar energy as possible through photosynthesis. This energy supports a complex food chain and agroecosystemic productivity”. The third pillar refers to “promoting the greatest recycling of materials introduced into the production process, the incorporation of organic fertilizers compensating for harvest output, the least physical soil intervention, and the use of green manures and ground cover for erosion prevention...” The fourth pillar states the “efficient use of water, a scarce resource”. These pillars help build resilient, sustainable, and socially accepted agroecosystems for communities internationally.

According to IFOAM basic standards ¹³, “Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and good quality of life for all involved.”

In Mexico, the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development defined OA as an activity prescinding from agrochemicals and developed using natural inputs (no artificial fertilizers or pesticides) aiming to obtain vegetables and animal products or subproducts free of toxic residues ²³. According to ^{Niggli (2015)}, the objective is to support farm ecological and social quality, increasing food production. OA development can be characterized by comprehensive social, ecological, and technological innovations, where dynamic interactions among farmers and scientists are included. According to ^{Kodirekkala (2017)}, social internal factors interact with external factors, affecting traditional ecological knowledge. Internal factors include socioeconomic and environmental conditions determining decision-making processes, which together with external factors, such as local economy and society, are affected by markets and regulations.

Our research studied the transition degree of Valencia orange orchards towards OA in northern Veracruz State. To this end, the approach described by ^{Niggli (2015)} was complemented by the internal and external factors proposed by ^{Kodirekkala (2017)}. Our research also followed the principles and practices of OA promoted by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture ^13,22, considering production vs. environment ¹⁶. This included the law and regulations of organic products ^15,20 and the Guidelines for the Organic Operation of agricultural activities ¹¹, describing all regulations for OA transition in Mexico.

The hypothesis stated that Valencia orange producers in northern Veracruz State are transitioning towards organic production, resulting from the dynamic temporal interactions between farmers and institutions strengthening this producing model. Therefore, the objective was to determine the degree of transition towards organic production and management of Valencia orange in the municipalities of northern Veracruz State.

Sample collecting

Our investigation was performed in northern Veracruz State, in the municipalities of Álamo Temapache, Tantoyuca, Chalma, Chicontepec, and Ixhuatlán de Madero, where Valencia orange producers are transitioning from conventional to organic management. To determine management transition, structured interviews were conducted on 106 organic producers of Valencia orange [( Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck (pro. sp.)]. These producers were grouped into four established civil associations ( Table 1).

Table 1: Number of interviewed producers per Association and Municipality in northern Veracruz State. Tabla 1: Número de productores entrevistados en cada asociación de cítricos orgánicos de municipios de la zona norte de Veracruz.  

In the absence of an official register of organic Valencia orange producers in northern Veracruz State, we implemented a non-probabilistic sampling protocol using the snowball method ⁵, carried out in March 2021.

Operationalization, variable weighting, and transition index construction

Table 2 (page 31) lists all variables and indicators.

Table 2: Variables and indicators contributing to the Transition Index. Tabla 2: Definición de variables e indicadores que componen el Índice de Transición.  

*According to the Guidelines for the Organic Operation of agricultural activities ¹¹, in the process and organic operation towards general conversion, “the machinery has to be different from that of conventional…”. ** The Organic integrity, that is, the quality of an organic product obtained in accordance with the Law, which must be maintained during production and handling until the final point of sale... ²⁰.

* De acuerdo con los Lineamientos para la Operación orgánica de las actividades agropecuarias ¹¹ en la operación orgánica y sus procesos hacia la conversión general, “la herramienta y maquinaria utilizada en la operación orgánica deberá diferenciarse de la utilizada en la actividad agropecuaria convencional…”. **La integridad orgánica es la cualidad de un producto orgánico obtenido de acuerdo con la Ley, la cual deberá ser mantenida durante la producción y manejo hasta el punto final de venta… ²⁰.

Based on the theoretical framework, the variables and indicators were defined and operationalized. The questionnaire comprised dichotomous answers. Variable and indicator weighting was carried out according to the professional experience of the researchers ²⁹. Relative weights were normalized by multiplying each indicator in the questionnaire with the corresponding weighted value. Then their sum was multiplied by the weighted value of each variable ²⁹. The sum of the normalized relative weights for all the indicators must equal 1 ( Table 3, page 32).

Table 3: Operationalization and weighting of variables and indicators for determining the Transition Index. Tabla 3: Operacionalización y ponderación de variables e indicadores para determinar el Índice de Transformación.  

Therefore, the transition index is the sum of the results of the weighted variables and indicators. Coded and tabulated data in an Excel® spreadsheet allowed variables and index calculation. Then, correlation analyses were carried out with all the variables dedicated to OA practice using Statistica software ⁹. Statistically different variables were classified into lower, intermediate, and upper by Line Plot. An ANOVA compared these values with the transition index. Although surveys started in different years with OA as an empirical division, they were divided into incipient, intermediate, advanced, and organic, from 1 to 6 years, 7 to 12 years, 13 to 18 years, and 19 to 26 years, respectively. The years dedicated to OA were plotted against the transition index.