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New studies support benefits of organic farming
photo by Leigh Wolf (46137 on Flickr CC)
Can a world with a growing, increasingly industrialized population be fed by organic farming?
As the world population approaches 7 billion, there are rising uncertainties about the Earth’s capacity to sustain this unprecedented amount of humanity. Conventional approaches on international and national governmental levels have been along the lines of the Green Revolution, which increased food production in some developing countries like Mexico, India and the Philippines, with the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and other technological advances in agriculture. Criticisms of the Green Revolution include concerns about pollution caused by pesticides and industrial fertilizers, as well as a belief that it can cause populations to grow to even more unsustainable levels.
In short – industrialized, monoculture farming both yields more and damages the environment more. Financially, since it is more industrial than subsistence-based, its potential gains and risks are both more pronounced than traditional agriculture or organic farming.
A new book by Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein, head of head of Germany’s Association for Organic Food (BÖLW) argues for the advantages of organic farming over industrialized agriculture, especially in African countries where the Green Revolution has met with less success.
The book cites a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to back up its argument. During a development project in Ethiopia, the group found that farms using natural fertilizers had 40 percent higher yields than those using chemical fertilizers.
–Deutsche Welle
For arguments both for and against the ideas of organic, sustainable farming practices dealt with in Löwenstein’s book, see this article in Deutsche Welle.
Is the answer organic, industrial/technological or somewhere in between?
In related news, a new report by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, based in Santa Cruz, California has also bolstered the effectiveness of organic farming in the United States. The study is a review of scientific literature from and concerning the US.
Read more in the Santa Cruz Sentinal.
Tags: agriculture, Germany, Green Revolution, industrial, industrialized, Löwenstein, organic farming
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hahahahahhahhaahahhahhhhahahahahhhh I am not promoting to be a maggot friendly consumer here hahahahahahahahah omg!
I choose the fruit and veg with the most maggots
well talking about organic, It’s funny how people misunderstand the real organic from not…ex. when we purchase veggies it’s quite normal to choose the greener,leafier and of course no signs of maggot…wrong! have you ever thought why the maggot did not take a bite of that veggie? maggots declined , people ate !!!!!!!!
Organic farming is great!
[...] Originally posted here: New studies support benefits of organic farming – Greenfudge.org [...]