Impact of organic farming as a biotechnological strategy on agricultural productivity and emissions in Latin America: panel data evidence for Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru (2015–2023)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i3.1075Keywords:
Latin America, Agriculture, Productivity, Sustainable development, Environmental conservationAbstract
Latin American agriculture faces the challenge of increasing food production without exacerbating environmental pressures stemming from agricultural activities. In this context, organic farming has gained prominence as a strategy to strengthen the sector's sustainability; however, uncertainties persist regarding its ability to improve productivity while simultaneously contributing to the reduction of agricultural emissions. The objective was to analyze the impact of organic farming on productivity and agricultural emissions in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru during the 2015–2023 period. A quantitative study using a panel data approach was conducted for these six Latin American countries; the analysis incorporated data on agricultural productivity, organic farming area, agricultural emissions, fertilizer use, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), utilizing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and econometric models. Agricultural productivity showed a positive association with organic farming area, fertilizers, and GDP; econometric models demonstrated that the expansion of organic farming had a significant positive effect on productivity. In contrast, there was insufficient statistical evidence to claim that such expansion reduced agricultural emissions; fertilizers showed no significant effects on either productivity or emissions. Organic farming supports the agricultural sector's productivity, but its contribution to reducing emissions could not be confirmed; the findings suggest that environmental sustainability depends on additional factors beyond the expansion of organic farming area.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Cristian German Freire Ordóñez, Juan Carlos Ceron Vinueza, Luis Pauro Flores, Yeison Efrén Martínez Ducon, Nora Ortiz Calcina
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