Comparative analysis of organic farmers’ experiences and conventional farmers’ assumed concerns regarding conversion to organic farming in 4 European countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia)

This study presents a comparative analysis of the barriers, motivations, and social implications of conversion to organic farming in four European countries: Germany (Thuringia), the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. Conducted within the ETICOF project (Education, Training and Innovations in Conversion to Organic Farming), the research draws on 80 in-depth interviews with 40 organic and 40 conventional farmers (10 from each country). It explores perceived and experienced obstacles to organic conversion, identifies transnational patterns, and examines the role of social engagement in this process. Both conventional and organic farmers identified bureaucratic complexity, insecure markets, limited processing capacity, and knowledge gaps as key barriers. Conventional farmers often emphasized yield decline, profitability risks, and saturated markets, frequently overestimating challenges compared to the actual experiences of organic farmers. Organic farmers reported administrative burdens and initial capacity constraints but highlighted adaptive strategies such as cooperation, diversification, and direct marketing to overcome obstacles. Climate change emerged as a growing concern in Hungary and Slovakia, where droughts and extreme weather exacerbate production risks. Cross-country comparison revealed that Germany’s mature institutional framework and advisory services reduced perceived risks, while in Hungary, volatile markets and climate conditions were major deterrents. Czech farmers stressed administrative burdens and yield decline, whereas Slovak farmers found that long-term marketing strategies and consumer demand mitigate challenges. Here we show, for the first time, how the concerns and motivations of conventional farmers diverge from the lived experiences of organic farmers, revealing new insights into how farmers perceive and navigate the transition process across diverse institutional and climatic contexts. The findings demonstrate that supporting knowledge exchange, simplifying administrative procedures, and investing in infrastructure and climate resilience are essential to facilitate conversion. Overall, this study confirms that organic conversion is not only an economic and technical process but also a socially embedded transformation towards sustainability.