Why organic farming can help feed the world sustainably
By Surya Zeeb
Published: January 29, 2019
Category: Organic News, The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter
By Sarah Compson, Soil Association
Support for organic and other agroecological approaches to farming lies at the heart of some of the solutions to the second Sustainable Development Goal to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”
While the causes and solutions to the issues addressed by the Goal are complex and multifaceted, major global institutions, including the UN, have endorsed the role that organic can play; “research shows that organic agriculture is a good option for food security… and [is] more sustainable in the long term.”
Addressing the causes of food insecurity requires a more thoughtful approach than simply focusing on intensification of production; we already know that there are enough calories produced globally to feed nine billion. If we are to feed the world the barriers to address are political and structural, not agricultural.
So, how can organic farming help to address food security? It can do so both directly and indirectly. Organic is about more than farming without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Organic takes a systems-based approach, working with rather than against nature. This involves optimizing the use of natural resources and relying on holistic methods like crop-rotation, composting and growing nitrogen-fixing crops to build soil fertility and create a system that can increase yields and is more resilient in the face of climate change.
Source: Business Green
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