The Costs of Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through Adopting Organic Agriculture
Anil Markandya, Sununtar Setboonsarng, Qiao Yu Hui, Rachanee Songkranok and Adam Stefan

This paper provides estimates of the costs of organic agriculture (OA) programs, and sets them in the context of the costs of attaining the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It analyzes the costs of OA programs in four case studies: Wanzai, PRC; Wuyuan, PRC; Kandy, Sri Lanka; and Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. The results show considerable variation across the case studies, suggesting that there is no clear structure to the costs of adopting OA. Costs do depend on the efficiency with which the OA adoption programs are run. The lowest cost programs were more than ten times less expensive than the highest cost ones. A further analysis of the gains resulting from OA adoption reveals that the costs per person taken out of poverty was much lower than the World Bank's estimates, based on income growth in general or based on the detailed costs of meeting some of the more quantifiable MDGs (e.g., education, health, and environment).

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1. Prof. J. George
   (posted 19 February 2010 / 07:17:28 PM)
   
   The authors needs to be complimented for this study that is first of its kind particularly in so much as relating it to MDG. It is unfortunate that the UNESCAP-ADB-UNDP trio did not take cognisance of it while reviewing MDGs recession during the recent global financial crisis. The study is timely as it indicates the way out for rationalizing inclusive growth strategy in a region that is characterised by not only a larger proportion but also growing numbers of hungry and poor people in the world.
   Secondly, the paper completely compliments the UNEP-UNCTAD's path breaking longitudinal study in African and the Central American continents as well as trade and environment review of 2006 and and 2009.
   Thirdly, The study is also contemporary as it is a one shot answer to the the vexing question of climate change related mitigation and adaptation strategies.
   
   Fourthly, the study does reinforce that food security as enshrined in MDGs 1C is fully attainable at a cost effective manner. ADB need to take conscious decisions to explicitly reinforce it as its thrust area given that the strategy 2020 sounds hallo in the absence of a credible alternative. The paper provides a good indication to that pathway. The strategic economic management initiative as defined necessarily must be based on inclusiveness and organic agriculture restores that power in the hands of the producers for a number of opportunities for autonomous income enhancement amongst the poorer segments of the population, among other associated reform measures.