Why Organic Farming Alone Is Not Sustainable
Sustainability is a primary concern for many around the world today, but we’re still working on getting things right in the agricultural industry. While some important changes have been made, there is still a long way to go. Some in the industry have pinned their hopes on organic farming as the answer that will help us feed the growing population well into the future, but is it?
What is organic farming? Is organic farming better for the environment than conventional agriculture? Is it enough? If organic agriculture isn’t enough on its own, is there another option available that will help the agriculture industry become more sustainable? We’ll answer these questions and more below.
What Is Organic Farming?
When considering organic farming and its place in a more sustainable world, it’s first important to define the term. We must know what organic agriculture is and what it isn’t.
“Organic “ has become a bit of a buzzword in today’s grocery stores. Most people see certified organic products and think it means something like “healthy,” “sustainable,” or “clean,” but that’s not actually the case. In truth, the term denotes a certification from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). Here are the details that apply to organic produce:
Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In instances when a grower has to use a synthetic substance to achieve a specific purpose, the substance must first be approved according to criteria that examine its effects on human health and the environment (see other considerations in “Organic 101: Allowed and Prohibited Substances”).
While this does cover many sustainability concerns, it’s not comprehensive. And it completely ignores sustainable farming practices such as hydroponics or aeroponics as these crops aren’t grown in soil at all.
Is Organic Farming Better for the Environment?
As mentioned above, there are some ways that organic farming is, indeed, more sustainable than other conventional farming methods like crop rotations.
Organic farms produce less pollution. Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other farming chemicals are harmful to the soil and can run off into the water supply. By eliminating these dangerous chemicals, organic farms release less pollution into the environment.
Organic farming supports pollinators like honey bees. Because organic farmers don’t use chemical pesticides, they’re far less harmful to bees and other beneficial insects.
Organic farming promotes biodiversity. Because organic farms produce far less polluted runoff, the areas around them are more hospitable to any number of plants, animals, insects, and microorganisms. Wild flora and fauna create a healthier and more diverse ecosystem in these areas, which may also boost soil fertility.
Why Isn’t Organic Farming Enough?
Despite the noble gains above, many argue that transitioning to organic farming is not enough and may be just as destructive as other traditional farming methods.
Because they can’t use synthetic fertilizers, organic farms must use far more space to grow the same amount of produce. With a need for more acres adapted to crops, deforestation is nearly inevitable. Deforestation, in turn, reduces the storage capacity for carbon in the soil, releasing more harmful greenhouse gasses into the air.
Not only that, topsoil is depleting rapidly worldwide, meaning fewer and fewer areas are suitable for organic farming in the first place. Regions in Europe, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world already face difficulties because of degrading soil.
Combine the problem of less food produced per acre with the dangers of fewer available acres for farming. It’s easy to do the math and see how organic farming will likely not be enough to feed the world’s growing population into future generations.
A Sustainable Alternative
What can be done to combat these problems? Fortunately, Eden Green Technology has a solution that can produce 500 tons of healthy, leafy green vegetables in an acre and a half. Our vertical greenhouses can be built even in areas where the soil has been depleted, or the climate has made most growing impossible. They’re built on a hydroponic growing system that means no soil is needed, and they feature controlled environments, meaning that climate, seasons, and weather conditions have no effect. We need more local and sustainable controlled environment agriculture (CEA) solutions within our food supply; so everyone can have accessible to affordable and safe food.
