Organic and Sustainable Farming
“In 2000, organic farming has in fact developed into one of the most dynamic agricultural sectors in the European Union. The organic farm sector grew by about 25% a year between 1993 and 1998 and, since 1998, is estimated to have grown by around 30% a year.”
What is Organic Farming?
Organic farming differs from other conventional farming systems in a number of ways. It favors renewable resources and recycling — returning to the soil the nutrients found in waste products. Where livestock is concerned, meat and poultry production is regulated with particular concern for animal welfare and by using natural foodstuffs. Organic farming respects the environment’s own systems for controlling pests and disease in raising crops and livestock and avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Instead, organic farmers use a range of techniques that help sustain ecosystems and reduce pollution. In addition to the environmental advantages, these farming systems can bring social benefits to rural areas.
Case Study: Push-and-Pull: An innovative and low-tech solution to control stemborers in Africa
Can Organic Farming Methods Feed the World?
Often large corporations, particularly those who profit from the use of pesticides and genetically engineered seeds, ask whether organic farming methods can feed the world.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) affirms that food security is not only a question of the ability to produce food, but also of the ability to access food. Global food production is more than enough to feed the global population, the problem is getting it to the people who need it. In market-marginalized areas, organic farmers can increase food production by managing local resources without having to rely on external inputs or food distribution systems over which they have little control and/or access.
According to the FAO, the performance of organic agriculture on production depends on the previous agricultural management system. An over-simplification of the impact of conversion to organic agriculture on yields indicates that:
- In industrial countries, organic systems decrease yields; the range depends on the intensity of external input use before conversion;
- In the so-called Green Revolution areas (irrigated lands), conversion to organic agriculture usually leads to almost identical yields;
- In traditional rain-fed agriculture (with low-input external inputs), organic agriculture has the potential to increase yields.
In fact, many multiple cropping systems, such as those developed by small holders and subsistence farmers, show higher yields in terms of total harvest per unit area. These yield advantages have been attributed to more efficient use of nutrients, water and light and a combination of other factors such as the introduction of new regenerative elements into the farm (e.g., legumes) and fewer losses to pests and diseases.
Resources
Visit the Sustainable Farming website for case studies around the world.
Information about state support and policy initiatives in Europe can be found in the country reports of the Organic Farming in Europe website.
Other Links
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
What You Can Do
Find out if your country supports and subsidizes the transition to organic agriculture by contacting the department that deals with organic agriculture. This might include the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture or Commerce (or their equivalents), regional, and/or local government or perhaps a specialized agency.
