Organic farming is a vital part of modern farming methods. Cultivation and raising of crops by keeping the soil healthy and alive by using only organic products such as animal and crop wastes is what we refer to as organic farming. It is so much more than not involving pesticides, fertilizers and genetically modified seeds for farming purposes.
Some of the advantages and disadvantages of organic farming are as follow:
Pros of organic farming:
- The nutrients to the plants are provided using only the biological products. Plants can absorb nutrients in slow and gradual manner from organic fertilizers. This increases the sustainability and the yield of the crops in an eco-friendly and pollution-free way. The crops are thus provided with high nutritional values. These organic fertilizers are considered as complete plant food.
- Organic farming instigates domestic animals use to increase the sustainability of the farm. The genetically modified plants and animals are kept far away from all the processes as organic farming aims at only using the natural ways thus abolishing the engineered plants and animals.
- In order for a food to be labelled as organic, the entire process of which is was created is thoroughly investigated. The organic food industry is internationally regulated, which means that organic means the same standards where followed, no matter where in the world it was made. This helps the consumers to know that they are truly getting what they think that they are.
- The cost of production has also decreased as there is no need to buy costly pesticides and fertilizers for the protection of the crops. The need for purchased inputs has decreased sufficiently. Also, not using them lets us have healthy farmers as they are no longer exposed to the harmful chemicals.
- It involves ecological management strategies to maintain the soil and enhancing the soil fertility and preventing soil erosions and soil crusting. The soil is in more optimal condition due to the organic manures thus resulting in higher yield and good quality crops. More and more plants and animals can now live at the same place in a natural way. This is called biodiversity. It promotes the ecological balance and conserves biodiversity.
- There is an increasing demand of organic food and consumers are willing to pay more for it. There are fewer residues in the food. The food is poison free, it tastes better and lasts much longer.
- The use of food additives, processing aids (substances used during processing, but not added directly to food) and fortifying agents commonly used in non-organic foods, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, and monosodium glutamate are banned or severely restricted.
- Organic pesticides made for the protection of plants are of low cost, easy degradable and can be rapidly decomposed by the sunlight itself.
- It can also play a major role in slowing down global warming.
Cons of organic farming:
- The yield productivity is real less in organic farming as compared to the normal methods. Thus, the cost of the food produced by this technique is comparatively higher. Thus, the farming practices gets more expensive for organic farming. Also, as the farmers do not get as much out of their lands as he conventional farmers do, organic products may cost up to 40% more.
- Organic farming calls in for a whole lot of work. There is a high amount of time needed for interaction between the farmers and the crops. From ensuring that the plants are pesticide free to preventing the growth of weeds, the time and hard work required is significantly more than compared to the plants and crops grown industrially. Also, the production costs get higher due to the need of more workers. But, these workers need to be more skilled and willing to learn new techniques as compared to the conventional workers.
- Organic foods in the supermarket are infamously higher than others. This is one of the biggest reasons that people do not fully support the use of organic farming, and not nearly enough people are enjoying the great benefits that it could bring.
- The amounts of yield and production is significantly low that the conventional crops. Thus, marketing and distribution of the crops is not efficient enough because the organic food is produced in smaller amounts. Also, the genetically modified crops are more convenient and easier to find.
- The quantity of food produced by organic farming is not enough to provide enough food to the huge population of the world at the moment. Thus, this could lead to starvation in many countries that are producing just enough food today.
