1 of 7

Write now Article Tools

How organic sustainable farming can stop world hunger

Our grandfathers before World War II were natural farmers. Natural farming is organic farming. Organic farming is sustainable. Pesticide farming began with Post World War II. Pesticides were used during World War II to get rid of underbrush in the jungles. Men who used these pesticides came home with a new method of farming fueled by the commercial corporate industry that sought to profit through the use of pesticides.

Pesticide farming pollutes our groundwater and the air we breathe; and is used by large corporate farms rather than small organic family farms.

Pesticide farming also feeds into the system of transporting produce from country to country; and further aggravates existing environmental conditions. Transportion used for pesticide/corporate farming contributes to CO2 emissions of greenhouse gases causing air pollution and global warming.

Organic farming doesn't use pesticides, herbicides, or any unnatural farming methods. Organic sustainable farming relies on composting, rotation of crops, and natural fertilizers. Yields are lower at first but then over time cap out as higher, which contributes to the argument that corporate farms make for profitability.

However, recent evidence according to Professor Jules Pretty, director of the Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex is that "More than 2 million farmers in 20 countries are farming sustainably. This has happened in the past 5-10 years. These improvements are occurring in remote and resource-poor areas that have been assumed to be incapable of producing food surpluses."

Organic sustainable farming is also increasing crop yields on poor farms around the world by more than 70%. http://jakarta.indymedia.org/n ewswire.php?story_id=429

World Vision linked poor farmers in Makuyu, Kenya with the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming (KIOF)). All principles of organic farming were used including compost making, organic care of livestock, and using safe natural ways to remove pests.

Their organic crops produced yields 60% higher than pesticide farming methods.

Sustainably they also have a surplus of food, which they can sell and are now organizing food cooperatives for the organized distribution and sale of their product. The profits are going back into the community and new farmers are training more new farmers.

Advantages of organic farming for poor farmers around the world

1) Food is grown and produced close to home. Producing food close to home eliminates the transportation of food at long distances by food grown in other countries. Less transportation means less CO2 emissions and less global warming.

2) Lower input costs and lower production costs. Organic farmers do not have to buy expensive fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. All farming is done sustainably and naturally.

3) Labor Intensive Activities. There is more employment available for local people. Employment gives money to laborers, who do not own farms or land, the ability to pay for their food and other necessities. www.rain.org/~gals/my.html

Acco rding to information at www.signonsandiego.com/news/wo rld/20070505-1351_in_organicfo od.html "The United Nations defines organic agriculture as a "holistic" food system that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, minimizes pollution and optimizes the health of plants, animals, and people. It is commercially practiced in 120 countries and represented a $40 billion market last year..."

Clearly there is a great amount of evidence that organic farming can indeed stop world hunger. Therefore it is very important for all farmers everywhere to stop pesticide farming and go back to the old ways of organic farming.

Let's stop the mass transport of foods and begin growing our own foods. In so doing we not only feed the poor, but eliminate the growing greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming.

Poor farmers in developing countries can stop starvation in their countries by learning and using organic and sustainable farming practices.

We all need to stop growing food that is making people sick and causing the starvation of millions of people worldwide. Eating organic foods keeps us healthier and supports the local organic family farm rather than the huge conglomerate farm corporations that are trying to rule the world by starving and polluting it.

For more information read "Can Organic Farming Feed the World" by Christos Vasilikiotis, PhD at www.cnr.berkeley.edu/~christos /articles/cn_organic_farming.h tml.

For more information about Organic Farming and Sustainable Agriculture go to www.rain.org/~sals/my.html.

Learn more about this author, Colette Georgii.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Organic farming and world hunger?
We want to hear your view. Write now!