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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
1:What is organic agriculture?
It is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. It is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. These are replaced with appropriate site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pest and diseases. Three different driving forces can be identified for organic agriculture:
The label. An organic label indicates that a product has been certified against specific organic standards. The label carries the name of the certification body and the standards with which it complies. To the informed consumer, this label can function as a guide. Certification bodies evaluate operations according to different organic standards and can be formally recognized by more than one authoritative body. The label of a given certification body, therefore, informs the consumer on the type of standards complied with during production and processing as well as on the type of recognition granted to the certification body. Many certification bodies operate worldwide, most of which are private and originate in developed countries.
4. Does the consumption of organic food increase exposure to biological contaminants? Food safety standards. There have been many claims that eating organic foods increases exposure to micro-biological contaminants. Studies investigating these claims have found no evidence to support them. It is important to realize that all organic foods must meet the same quality and safety standards applied to conventional foods. These include the CODEX General Principles of Food Hygiene and food safety programmes based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, where required by national regulations. Often, however, the standards of the individual organic certification body are even stricter. Manure. One of the suggested sources of micro-biological contamination is manure. The use of manure is common in both conventional and organic systems, the potential for contamination is therefore applicable to both. It is well known that manure is a carrier of human pathogens, but properly treated (e.g. composted), it is both a safe form of organic fertilizer and more efficient nutrient source to crops. Furthermore, certified organic farmers are restricted from using untreated manure less than 60 days before the harvest of a crop and are inspected to make sure these standards and restrictions are met. E. coli. Another stated source of worry is that of E.coli, especially virulent strains such as 0157:H7. The main source of human infection has been identified by the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) through meat contaminated at slaughter. Evidence suggests that such virulent strains develop in the digestive tract of cattle mainly fed with starchy grains. Cattle fed with hay produce less than 1% the E.coli found in the faeces of those fed with grain. As organic cattle are fed with diets containing a higher proportion of hay, grass and silage, reducing the dependency on fodder sources off-farm, organic agriculture invariably reduces the potential risk of exposure. Mycotoxins. As fungicides are not permitted anywhere in the production and processing of organic foods, concerns have been raised about contamination with mycotoxins due to moulds. If ingested in low doses over long periods of time, aflatoxins, the most toxic of these substances, can cause liver cancer. It is therefore important to have good agricultural, handling and processing practices, as required by both organic and conventional agriculture, in order to minimize the potential for mould growth. Studies have not shown that consuming organic products leads to a greater risk of mycotoxin contamination. Post-harvest handling. Packaging, processing, transportation and storage is another point along the path that food travels where contamination could occur, but likewise, this is an argument equally relevant to both organic and conventional foods. The main aim of packaging is to ensure food is microbiologically stable for a defined period, and this is achieved by organic foods. Ingredients of non-agricultural origin are limited during processing and the use of irradiation for the control of pests and deteriorative changes is not permitted, but this does not mean they are necessarily less safe. It is important to note that irradiation itself is a technology that is not accepted by some consumer groups and organic foods therefore provide the consumer with an alternative. Although the organic label is not a health or safety claim, the way food is produced does affect its quality.
Certified organic food. Certified organic products are generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts (for which prices have been declining) for a number of reasons:
Our Company is introducing
technological innovations and economies of scale which should reduce
costs of production, processing, distribution and marketing for
organic produce.
Non-certified organic food. In many developing countries, there are agricultural systems that fully meet the requirements of organic agriculture but which are not certified. Non-certified organic agriculture refers to organic agricultural practices by intent and not by default; this excludes non-sustainable systems which do not use synthetic inputs but which degrade soils due to lack of soil building practices. It is difficult to quantify the extent of these agricultural systems as they exist outside the certification and formal market systems. The produce of these systems is usually consumed by households or sold locally (e.g. urban and village markets) at the same price as their conventional counterparts. Although the uncertified produce does not benefit from price premiums, some cases have been documented where non-certified organic agriculture increases productivity of the total farm agro-ecosystem, and saves on purchasing external inputs. In developed countries, non-certified organic food is often sold directly to consumers through local community support programmes such as box schemes, farmers markets and at the farm gate. These allow the producer to know exactly what the consumer wants, while the consumer knows where the produce comes from and in the case of box schemes, saves on transport costs through delivery of produce to their homes. In developed countries, non-certified organic produce usually carries a higher price than its conventional counterpart, in accordance with the specific consumer willingness to pay.
6. What are the environmental benefits of organic agriculture? Sustainability over the long term. Many changes observed in the environment are long term, occurring slowly over time. Organic agriculture considers the medium- and long-term effect of agricultural interventions on the agro-ecosystem. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Organic agriculture takes a proactive approach as opposed to treating problems after they emerge. Soil. Soil building practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic practices. These encourage soil fauna and flora, improving soil formation and structure and creating more stable systems. In turn, nutrient and energy cycling is increased and the retentive abilities of the soil for nutrients and water are enhanced, compensating for the non-use of mineral fertilizers. Such management techniques also play an important role in soil erosion control. The length of time that the soil is exposed to erosive forces is decreased, soil biodiversity is increased, and nutrient losses are reduced, helping to maintain and enhance soil productivity. Crop export of nutrients is usually compensated by farm-derived renewable resources but it is sometimes necessary to supplement organic soils with potassium, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and trace elements from external sources. Water. In many agriculture areas, pollution of groundwater courses with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is a major problem. As the use of these is prohibited in organic agriculture, they are replaced by organic fertilizers (e.g. compost, animal manure, green manure) and through the use of greater biodiversity (in terms of species cultivated and permanent vegetation), enhancing soil structure and water infiltration. Well managed organic systems with better nutrient retentive abilities, greatly reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. In some areas where pollution is a real problem, conversion to organic agriculture is highly encouraged as a restorative measure (e.g. by the Governments of France and Germany). Air. Organic agriculture reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced). Organic agriculture contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil. Many management practices used by organic agriculture (e.g. minimum tillage, returning crop residues to the soil, the use of cover crops and rotations, and the greater integration of nitrogen-fixing legumes), increase the return of carbon to the soil, raising productivity and favouring carbon storage. Biodiversity. Organic farmers are both custodians and users of biodiversity at all levels. At the gene level, traditional and adapted seeds and breeds are preferred for their greater resistance to diseases and their resilience to climatic stress. At the species level, diverse combinations of plants and animals optimize nutrient and energy cycling for agricultural production. At the ecosystem level, the maintenance of natural areas within and around organic fields and absence of chemical inputs create suitable habitats for wildlife. The frequent use of under-utilized species (often as rotation crops to build soil fertility) reduces erosion of agro-biodiversity, creating a healthier gene pool - the basis for future adaptation. The provision of structures providing food and shelter, and the lack of pesticide use, attract new or re-colonizing species to the organic area (both permanent and migratory), including wild flora and fauna (e.g. birds) and organisms beneficial to the organic system such as pollinators and pest predators. Genetically modified organisms. The use of GMOs within organic systems is not permitted during any stage of organic food production, processing or handling. As the potential impact of GMOs to both the environment and health is not entirely understood, organic agriculture is taking the precautionary approach and choosing to encourage natural biodiversity. The organic label therefore provides an assurance that GMOs have not been used intentionally in the production and processing of the organic products. This is something which cannot be guaranteed in conventional products as labelling the presence of GMOs in food products has not yet come into force in most countries. However, with increasing GMO use in conventional agriculture and due to the method of transmission of GMOs in the environment (e.g. through pollen), organic agriculture will not be able to ensure that organic products are completely GMO free in the future. Ecological services. The impact of organic agriculture on natural resources favours interactions within the agro-ecosystem that are vital for both agricultural production and nature conservation. Ecological services derived include soil forming and conditioning, soil stabilization, waste recycling, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling, predation, pollination and habitats. By opting for organic products, the consumer through his/her purchasing power promotes a less polluting agricultural system. The hidden costs of agriculture to the environment in terms of natural resource degradation are reduced.
7. Can organic farmers produce enough food for everybody? Food security.
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. It is to be noted that although external agricultural inputs
can be substituted by organic management of natural resources, land
tenure remains a main constraint to the labour investments needed
for organic agriculture. Organic farms grow a variety of crops and
livestock in order to optimize competition for nutrients and space
between species: this results in less chance of low production or
yield failure in all of these simultaneously. This can have an important
impact on local food security and resilience. In rain-fed systems,
organic agriculture has demonstrated to outperform conventional
agricultural systems under environmental stress conditions. Under
the right circumstances, the market returns from organic agriculture
can potentially contribute to local food security by increasing
family incomes. At the global level, however, and with the present
state of knowledge and technology, whether organic farmers can produce
enough food for everybody is debatable.
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. It can be concluded that increased yields on organic farms are more likely to be achieved if the departure point is a traditional system, even if it is degraded. Results will vary depending on management skills and ecological knowledge, but this can be expected to improve as human capital assets increase. However, it is important to have a good land tenure system because an individual is not likely to invest in improving the land if his/her future there is not secure. Organic agriculture and food security. Persisting world hunger has demonstrated that agriculture alone (be it conventional or not) cannot alone solve food insecurity. Still, many questions are asked with regards to the ability of organic agriculture to provide food - and many speculations are made, without any comprehensive data basis. No global evaluation on the contribution of organic agriculture to food security exists, essentially due to the small place it occupies within the agriculture sector as a whole. Projections are also difficult to make due to lack of data, lack of a common model for data collection and analysis, as well as rapid changes in agricultural technology and development policies.
The management system of an organic farm is the key to success. However, there are many information gaps and knowledge on technical details is often scarce, especially in developing countries. Technical information needs to be very location- and product-specific. Advancements to date have largely been due to private investment, including consumers' willingness to pay for organic products and farmers' creativity and desire to undertake on-farm experimentation. Research institutes are starting to pay attention to organic agricultural practices and approaches and improved understanding of natural resources process and interactions within organic systems are under investigation. The Links on this website will provide you with a good starting point from where to find the kind of information or help you need.
Many northern countries (e.g. EU member states and the USA) do provide financial help for the conversion to organic agriculture, as do a few developing countries (e.g. Tunisia). In India, the Government has programmes for infrastructural development but direct financial support to individual farmers during the conversion period is yet to be formulated. This can be very important for the farm economy as the period of conversion often leads to falling yields. It takes time for full biological activity of the agro-ecosystem to be restored. Governmental intervention must come in a variety of forms including compensation for losses (as during conversion products cannot be sold as organic), for bearing the extra costs (e.g. certification) or support for infrastructural developments at the farm (e.g. for the organization of farmers in to groups, for building competency, for the purchase of machinery or for restructuring rural buildings). This help may be made available not only during the conversion period, but also thereafter. These payments may be made as a specific sum per hectare, as tax reductions, as a grant for crop insurance or as preferential packages of crop/ key loans. Indirect financial help in the form of investment in research, rural extension and training for farmers, and organic market development (e.g. awareness campaigns). The premium prices paid by the consumer for the organic produce also form an economic incentive for the individual farmer.
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Organic agriculture is becoming of growing importance in the agriculture sector of a number of countries, irrespective of their stage of development.
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OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS |
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The demand for organic products has created new export opportunities for the developing world.
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