Towards the organic agriculture development: a strategic analysis in Northern Iran

Organic agriculture is a potential approach to achieving a healthy and safe food system to reach sustainable agricultural development. This study's goal was to evaluate the strategic situation of organic farming development in Mazandaran province in the north of Iran. This inquiry is qualitative in terms of paradigm, is applied in terms of the type of research, and is descriptive in terms of research method, which was done using the classic Delphi technique in three stages. Data collection was done using a survey technique. The statistical population including organic agriculture experts were interviewed as a sample using the snowball sampling method until reaching theoretical saturation. Data analysis was done using the SWOT technique and QSPM method. The results of compiling the four strategies of development (SO), diversification (ST), review (WO), and defensive (WT) showed that organic agriculture is within the range of development strategies (SO) which, based on the results of the QSPM matrix, the most attractive SO's strategy was to "adopt suitable incentive policies for producers and exporters of organic products." The results of this research can be used for policymaking and appropriate decision-making in the development of organic agriculture.