ORGANIC FARMING OPENS DOORS
Organic farming methods could double or triple food production in developing countries.Researchers from Michigan University have found that in developed countries yields were almost equal on organic and conventional farms. However, in developing countries organic farming can yield up to three times as much food on individual farms as low-intensive methods on the same land. In addition to greater yields, researchers discovered that those yields could be accomplished using existing quantities of organic fertilizers, without putting more farmland into production.
Although it seems counterintuitive, in developing countries many farmers still do not have access to expensive fertilizers and pesticides available in developed countries, to produce those high yields. Apart from the belief that organic farming produces low yields, the other main objection to organic farming was the lack of organically acceptable nitrogen sources. Researchers looked at nitrogen availability by multiplying the current farm land area by the average amount of nitrogen available for production crops if so-called 'green manures' were planted between growing seasons. Green manures are cover crops which are plowed into the soil to provide natural soil amendments. They discovered that planting green manures between growing seasons provided enough nitrogen to replace synthetic fertilizers, and confirmed that organic farming is less environmentally harmful that conventional farming methods yet can potentially produce more than enough food.
Organic farming is important because conventional agriculture (involving high-yielding plants, mechanized tillage, synthetic fertilizers and biocides) is detrimental to the environment. Conventional farming causes soil erosion, greenhouse gas emission, increased pest resistance, and loss of biodiversity. Fertilizer runoff from conventional agriculture is also the chief culprit in creating dead zones - low oxygen areas where marine life cannot survive.
If you have any opinions you'd like to share on this article or would like to share your organic farming experiences please click on the "comments" link below!
This article used and cited information from the following source. Visit this website for more information: http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=5936
(Article 'Organic Farming Can Feed The World'. University of Michigan website - School of Natural Resources and Environment )
Organic farming methods could double or triple food production in developing countries.Researchers from Michigan University have found that in developed countries yields were almost equal on organic and conventional farms. However, in developing countries organic farming can yield up to three times as much food on individual farms as low-intensive methods on the same land. In addition to greater yields, researchers discovered that those yields could be accomplished using existing quantities of organic fertilizers, without putting more farmland into production.
Although it seems counterintuitive, in developing countries many farmers still do not have access to expensive fertilizers and pesticides available in developed countries, to produce those high yields. Apart from the belief that organic farming produces low yields, the other main objection to organic farming was the lack of organically acceptable nitrogen sources. Researchers looked at nitrogen availability by multiplying the current farm land area by the average amount of nitrogen available for production crops if so-called 'green manures' were planted between growing seasons. Green manures are cover crops which are plowed into the soil to provide natural soil amendments. They discovered that planting green manures between growing seasons provided enough nitrogen to replace synthetic fertilizers, and confirmed that organic farming is less environmentally harmful that conventional farming methods yet can potentially produce more than enough food.
Organic farming is important because conventional agriculture (involving high-yielding plants, mechanized tillage, synthetic fertilizers and biocides) is detrimental to the environment. Conventional farming causes soil erosion, greenhouse gas emission, increased pest resistance, and loss of biodiversity. Fertilizer runoff from conventional agriculture is also the chief culprit in creating dead zones - low oxygen areas where marine life cannot survive.
If you have any opinions you'd like to share on this article or would like to share your organic farming experiences please click on the "comments" link below!
This article used and cited information from the following source. Visit this website for more information: http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=5936
(Article 'Organic Farming Can Feed The World'. University of Michigan website - School of Natural Resources and Environment )
posted by teachamantofish at
3:56 AM
3 Comments
