- "Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming, is an agricultural system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting."
How to create healthy and fertile soil using natural methods such as composting and cover cropping.
Soil composition: Understanding what makes up the soil and how it affects plant growth and fertility. This includes the different types of soil particles, organic matter, nutrients, and pH levels.
Composting: Understanding the process of composting, different composting methods and techniques, and how it can enrich the soil.
Organic agriculture: Understanding the principles of organic agriculture and how it differs from conventional agriculture, including the importance of soil health in organic farming.
Soil testing: Understanding the importance of soil testing and the different methods for soil testing, including how to use the results to improve soil health and fertility.
Cover crops: Understanding the importance of cover crops, including their role in soil health, weed suppression, and biodiversity, and how to choose and manage them.
Crop rotation: Understanding the principles of crop rotation and how it can help maintain soil health and fertility.
Companion planting: Understanding how the placement of different plants can affect soil health and nutrient uptake, and which plants are beneficial to each other when planted together.
Mulching: Understanding the benefits of mulching, including moisture retention, erosion control, weed suppression, and improvement of soil structure.
Soil amendments: Understanding the different types of soil amendments, including organic and inorganic, and how to choose the right amendments for your soil.
Irrigation: Understanding the importance of proper irrigation techniques in maintaining soil health and fertility, including the use of drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting.
Pest management: Understanding the principles of integrated pest management and how it can help maintain soil health and fertility.
Soil erosion: Understanding the causes of soil erosion and how to prevent it, including the use of cover crops and conservation techniques.
Soil fertility management: Understanding how to manage soil fertility through crop rotation, soil testing, organic matter management, and other techniques.
Sustainable agriculture: Understanding the principles of sustainable agriculture, including crop diversity, soil conservation, and community involvement.
Regenerative agriculture: Understanding the principles of regenerative agriculture, including soil health, biodiversity, and supporting local ecosystems.
Biological diversity: Soil health is interconnected with the presence of a diverse range of beneficial microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, and insects, and plant roots that promote the breakdown and cycling of nutrients.
Composting: By creating organic materials through decomposition of waste, composting increases soil fertility and structure, as well as making it more resistant to degradation.
Cover crops: Sowing cover crops that work symbiotically with the soil and surrounding plants can enhance soil health, increasing organic matter content and rooting depth.
Crop rotation: Moving crops around periodically prevents depletion of key nutrients, leading to a healthier soil, fewer pests, and more productive harvests.
Mulching: By covering the soil with a layer of organic material, such as straw or leaves, and protecting it from erosion, mulching can regulate soil moisture, temperature, and fertility.
Soil testing: Measuring the nutrients and pH of your soil helps to determine which fertilizers or soil amendments are needed to optimize plant growth and promote soil health.
Polyculture: Growing multiple and diverse plant species within an ecosystem can promote soil health and biodiversity, thus leading to a more sustainable and resilient food supply.
Biochar: A form of charcoal produced by heating biomass in the absence of oxygen, biochar can increase soil health and fertility by retaining water, increasing nutrient retention, and promoting microbial growth.
Green manure: Adding green manure, or crops grown expressly for the purpose of adding nutrients to the soil, helps build organic matter, leading to improved soil structure, increased nutrient availability, and enhanced microbial activity.
Natural soil amendments: Natural soil amendments, such as rock dust, lime, and seaweed, can influence soil pH, nutrient availability, and micronutrient content, thus optimizing plant growth and soil health.
- "It originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices."
- "Certified organic agriculture accounts for 70 million hectares (170 million acres) globally."
- "Over half of that total [70 million hectares] is in Australia."
- "Biological pest control, mixed cropping, and the fostering of insect predators are encouraged."
- "Organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances."
- "For instance, naturally-occurring pesticides such as pyrethrin are permitted."
- "Synthetic substances that are allowed include, for example, copper sulfate, elemental sulfur, and ivermectin."
- "Genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials, human sewage sludge, plant growth regulators, hormones, and antibiotic use in livestock husbandry are prohibited."
- "Organic farming advocates claim advantages in sustainability, openness, self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence, health, food security, and food safety."
- "Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by transnational organizations and many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)."
- "reaching $63 billion worldwide in 2012."
- "As of 2020, approximately 75,000,000 hectares (190,000,000 acres) worldwide were farmed organically."
- "Organic farming can be beneficial on biodiversity and environmental protection at the local level."
- "Because organic farming has sometimes lower yields compared to intensive farming, additional agricultural land is needed elsewhere in the world, which means that natural and forest land has to be converted into agricultural land."
- "This can cause loss of biodiversity and negative climate effects that sometimes outweigh the local environmental gains achieved."
- "This lower yield does not include dry lands."
- "Food waste of industrial agriculture must be taken into account."
- "Organic agriculture can be defined as 'an integrated farming system that strives for sustainability, the enhancement of soil fertility and biological diversity while, with rare exceptions, prohibiting synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones'."
- "Organically managed farmland that grew from 2001 to 2011 at a compounding rate of 8.9% per year."