 |
Organic agriculture enhances soil structures, conserves water, mitigates climate change, and ensures sustained biodiversity. Through its holistic nature, organic farming integrates wild
biodiversity, agro-biodiversity and soil conservation, and takes
low-intensity farming one step further by eliminating the
use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified
organisms (GMOs), which is not only an improvement for human health (food quality) and agrobiodiversity,
but also for the associated off farm biotic communities.
Read the IFOAM Definition of Organic Agriculture
Read the IFOAM Principles of Organic Agriculture
Organic agriculture dramatically reduces external inputs by controlling pests and diseases naturally, with both traditional and modern methods, increasing
both agricultural yields and disease resistance. Organic agriculture
adheres to globally accepted principles (Principles of Organic Agriculture), for
local socio-economic, climatic and cultural settings. supporting the development of local and regional food-systems.
Alternatively, agricultural contaminants such as inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and
insecticides used in conventional agriculture are a major concern all over
the world. Eutrophication, the suffocation of aquatic plants and
animals due to rapid growth of algae, referred to as "algae blooms",
are literally killing lakes, rivers and other bodies of water.
Persistent herbicides and insecticides can extend beyond target weeds
and insects when introduced into aquatic environments. These chemicals
have accumulated up the food chain where top predators (e.g. humans) consume toxic dosages. Organic agriculture
restores the environmental balance and has none of these or other such deleterious
effects on the environment.(From Building Sustainable Organic Sectors)
Organic Agriculture and Biodiversity
IFOAM is constantly updating the information on this website. Comments or suggestions contact the Platform Coordinator
Back to the Arguments for Organic Page
Back to the Growing Organic page
|
|
