Organic Agriculture

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Recommended: Literature review of comparative benefits of conventional and organic farming

The origins of organic agriculture can be traced back to northern Europe in the 1920’s, however it was not until recently that the movement gained attention and the debate between organic verses conventional agriculture began. The organic movement started because of increasing concern about the environment and food quality which are still the two main topics of the debate today. Unfortunately, in terms of food quality, it is difficult to prove that organic products are healthier than conventionally grown products. This is not because of a lack of information since there have been many studies conducted about: the health effects of eating genetectly modified produce, consumption of chemical residue and the nutritional value of organically versus conventionally grown food. The results of these studies however are either contradicting or not comparable because there are too many variables that affect the nutritional quality of a product (Wunderlich et al. 35). With an inconclusive verdict about the quality of food, the debate turns to the environmental factor. Agriculture has a substantial impact on the environment so it is imperative to use the processes that are most beneficial to the environment. Organic agriculture is more ecologically friendly because it depends on stable agro-ecosystems and ecological balances. Therefore, implementing organic agriculture promotes biodiversity, maintains healthy soil and is more energy efficient.

Organic farming produces more fertile soil that is better for the environment than conventional farming. One of the main problems with conventional agriculture is that it leaves the soil uncovered for long periods of time and is tilled often making it susceptible to soil erosion. Erosion is d...

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...r the larger yields and energy consumption on conventional farms but are extremely inefficient because they consume a lot of energy to produce and transport. According to Gomiero, the use of N-fertilizers alone “can account for more than 50% of the total energy input” of conventional systems (244).

Organic techniques do not include the use of synthetic materials. This means that there are healthier more diverse agro-ecosystems on organic farms. Having more biodiversity can increase the farms performance while staying in harmony with nature. Better ecosystems also promote sturdier more fertile topsoil that can retain more water and reduce the risk of erosion. Detrimental environmental effects are reduced greatly without the use of harsh chemicals. For all of these reasons, organic agriculture is more beneficial to the environment than conventional agriculture.

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