DEFINITION OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE ( IFOAM )

A PRODUCTION SYSTEM RELIES ON ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BIODIVERSITY AND CYCLES COMBINES TRADITION, INNOVATION, AND SCIENCE

SUSTAINABILITY AIMS

ECONOMIC AIMS
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SOCIAL AIMS ECOLOGICAL
AIMS

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
ECONOMIC SECURITY

ECONOMICALLY VIABLE ADDED VALUE GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS FAIR TRADE ENSURE FOOD SUPPLY SATISFY LOCAL NEEDS

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
GENDER BALANCE RESPECT THE LOCAL CULTURE GOOD TASTE AND QUALITY SAFE PRODUCTS LOW INVESTMENTS GOOD AND CONSTANT YIELD LOW EXTERNAL INPUTS

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE.
MAKE BEST USE OF LOCAL RESOURCES ECOSYSTEM BALANCE NO CHEMICAL POLLUTION

HIGH SOIL FERTILITY

CLEAN WATER

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
ANIMAL FRIENDLY HUSBANDRY CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES

DEVELOPMENT AND DEFINITION OF SOME FARMING SYSTEMS

TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE - FARMING METHODS BEFORE AGRO-CHEMICALS, HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES, AND MACHINES WERE INTRODUCED

CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE GREEN REVOLUTION AGRICULTURE : MONOCULTURES OF HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES (HYVs), USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, ETC.

THE GREEN REVOLUTION - WAS IT GREEN ? THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE:

MONO CROPPING

HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES MECHANIZATION HERBICIDES PESTICIDES CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

Effects of chemical fertilization (Lupa,1992)

o o o o

Decline on farm productivity Escalating food production costs Destruction of valuable agricultural lands The enunciated policies and programs are highly supportive of the business interests and profit motivations of multinational agrochemical grants.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE - A GROUP OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS WHICH ARE NOT CLEARLY DEFINED, AIMING ON SUSTAINABLE LAND USE

INTEGRATED PRODUCTION - IMPROVED CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE, USING REDUCED AMOUNTS OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES.

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE BASED ON AGRO-ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES, FOCUS ON SOIL FERTILITY AND PLANT HEALTH, NO USE OF AGRO-CHEMICALS

TRADITIONAL FARMING AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

WHAT TRADITIONAL AND ORGANIC FARMING HAVE IN COMMON:

NO USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, INSECTICIDES,

FUNGICIDES, HERBICIDES, GROWTH PROMOTERS, ETC. NO USE OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PLANTS AND ANIMALS USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

ORGANIC METHODS WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN TRADITIONAL FARMING:

CLOSED NUTRIENT CYCLES, LOW EXTERNAL INPUT RECYCLING OF BIOMASS THROUGH MULCHING OR COMPOSTING MIXED CROPPING AND/OR CROP ROTATIONS SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES: SOIL, ENERGY, WATER MAINTENANCE OF SOIL FERTILITY, PREVENTION OF SOIL EROSION ANIMAL FRIENDLY HUSBANDRY PRACTICES

WHAT IS SPECIFIC TO ORGANIC FARMING:

USE OF MICROBIAL PREPARATIONS FOR PEST

MANAGEMENT RELEASE OR EFFICIENT ATTRACTION OF BENEFICIAL INSECTS USE OF HIGH YIELDING , BUT DISEASE RESISTANT BREEDS OF CROPS AND ANIMALS INTRODUCTION OF EFFICIENT GREEN MANURES, COVER CROPS, AND NITROGEN FIXING TREES USE OF IMPROVED TOOLS FOR SOIL CULTIVATION, WEEDING , ETC APPLICATION OF IMPROVED COMPOST METHODS AND BIO FERTILIZERS

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

ON A GENERAL LEVEL:
IMPROVES AND MAINTAINS THE NATURAL

LANDSCAPE AND AGRO-ECOSYTEM AVOIDS POLLUTION AND OVER-EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES MINIMIZES CONSUMPTION OF NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RESOURCES

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

PRODUCES SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES OF NUTRITIOUS WHOLESOME AND HIGH QUALITY FOOD

PROVIDES ADEQUATE RETURNS, WITHIN A SAFE, SECURE AND HEALTHY WORKING ENVIRONMENT ACKNOWLEDGES INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND TRADITIONAL FARMING SYSTEMS

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

ON PRACTICAL LEVEL:
MAINTAINS AND INCREASES THE LONG TERM

FERTILITY OF THE SOIL

ENHANCES BIOLOGICAL CYCLES WITHIN THE FARM, ESPECIALLY NUTRIENT CYCLES

PROVIDES NITROGEN SUPPLY BY INTENSIVE USE OF NITROGEN FIXING PLANTS

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

PROTECTS THE BIOLOGICAL PLANT INSTEAD OF

CURING
DIVERSIFIES CROP VARIETIES AND ANIMAL SPECIES APPROPRIATE TO THE LOCAL CONDITIONS ADOPTS ANIMAL HUSBANDRY TECHNIQUES APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS OF ANIMALS

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

BANS THE USE OF SYNTHETIC CHEMICAL

FERTILIZERS, PLANT PROTECTION, HORMONES, AND GROWTH REGULATORS PROHIBITS THE USE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING AND ITS PRODUCTS BANS THE USE OF SYNTHETIC OR HARMFUL METHODS, PROCESSING AIDS AND INGREDIENTS IN FOOD PROCESSING

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IS BASED ON:
THE PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH

THE PRINCIPLE OF ECOLOGY THE PRINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS THE PRINCIPLE OF CARE

PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SHOULD SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE THE HEALTH OF SOIL, PLANT , ANIMAL, HUMAN, AND PLANET AS ONE AND INDIVISIBLE

PRINCIPLE OF ECOLOGY
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SHOULD BE BASED ON LIVING ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND CYCLES, WORK WITH THEM, EMULATE THEM AND HELP SUSTAIN THEM.

PINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SHOULD BUILD ON RELATIONSHIPS THAT ENSURE FAIRNESS WITH REGARD TO THE COMMON ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE OPPORTUNITIES.

PRINCIPLE OF CARE
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SHOULD MANAGED IN A PRECAUTIONARY RESPONSIBLE MANNER TO PROTECT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CURRENT FUTURE GENERATIONS AND ENVIRONMENT

BE AND THE AND THE

BENEFITS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

ENVIRONMENT, SOCIO-CULTURAL, ECONOMIC
INCREASED FOOD SECURITY LEADS TO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT STRENGTHENED SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NORMS FOR MANAGING COLLECTIVE NATURAL RESOURCES INCREASED FARMER AND HOUSEHOLD INCOMES

Organic production reduces health risks

Approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.

Organic farms respect our water resources

The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources

 Organic farmers build a healthy soil

Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils.

Organic farmers work in harmony with nature

Organic agriculture respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows, wetlands, and other natural areas.

Organic producers are leaders in innovative

research

Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agricultures impact on the environment

Source:
OCCP