Prospects and problems of organic farming and its environmental impacts

Organic agriculture is a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agroecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycle and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion off all synthetic off-farm inputs. Organic farming is the best choice we can make for our environment, animals and our own health. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Soil building practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic practices. These encourage soil fauna and flora, improving soil formation and structure and creating more stable systems. In turn, nutrient and energy cycling is increased and the retentive abilities of the soil for nutrients and water are enhanced, compensating for the non-use of mineral fertilizers. Well managed organic systems with better nutrient retentive abilities, greatly reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. Organic agriculture reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs. Organic agriculture contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil. The impact of organic agriculture on natural resources favors interactions within the agro-ecosystem those are vital for both agricultural production and nature conservation. Ecological services derived include soil forming and conditioning, soil stabilization, waste recycling, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling, predation, pollination and habitats.

کلیدواژه ها:

Organic agriculture ، problems ، prospects and environmental issues