ORGANIC FARMING AND THE FUTURE

Organic Food versus Conventional Food

        

 You may find it difficult to notice any differences in appearance between an organically grown food and a non-organically grown one. Both provide vitamins and other nutrients and most of the time, the conventional food is priced cheaper than the organic one.

       However, knowing the difference between the two is vital for us to take advantages of these wonderful organic foods. The crux lies in the fact that conventional food might be giving you vitamins and other nutrients just as the organic one does, but on the other hand it is also including various other chemicals which can be detrimental to your health. The deterioration of your health far outweighs the gains achieved by the nutrients in the cheaper non-organic food.

Advantages of Conventional Food

       Conventional food farming is well practiced and is easily done throughout most of the world. Their production levels are huge and cannot be compared with organic farming. These conventional farms supply to the classes and the masses. However, the quick and ease of conventional farming has made vegetables and fruits readily affordable for the underprivileged as well. 

       Another major advantage which conventional food has over organic food is the price. Non-organic food is priced much lower in comparison to organic food. they are not as cultivation sensitive as organic farming and the use of artificial chemicals has allowed production in bulk resulting in lower costs and eventually lower prices in the marketplace.

Advantages of Organic Food

       Even with higher prices and typically less choices, organic grown foods offer many health benefits over conventional food. Organic foods can be blindly trusted for containing the best nutritional value for that particular item, plus it is void of any harmful chemical and pesticides.

        Organic food is also environment friendly, as it helps in preventing soil decay and water contamination. By preserving our natural resources we give ourselves an opportunity to live in a healthy environment while improving our own health from within.

       The benefits of organic food are no longer debated, as they are obvious and understood all over the world. The rate of growth of organic food consumption has been tremendous over the past few decades. It is only matter of time when there won’t be any separate stands for organic food in stores, as the future belongs to them only.

Latest Technology in Agriculture

 The agricultural sector is to most third world countries the main powerhouse of the economy. Relying on outdated agricultural practices will certainly not augur well for the guaranteed food supplement needs of the future generations.

Before the advent of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and modern mechanized farming methods, all agricultural products could have been considered organic. But with increased concerns about environmental and health effects, organic products are steadily gaining wider acceptance among mainstream consumers and producers.

Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments of the world agriculture. Some  producers are turning to certified organic farming systems as a potential way to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets and price premiums, and boost farm income. Organic farming systems rely on ecologically-based practices, such as cultural and biological pest management. They virtually exclude the use of synthetic chemicals in crop production and prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock production. Many producers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers specialize in growing, processing, and marketing an ever-widening array of organic food and fiber products.

As consumer demand for organic food and production increases, research and education can help support the sector. However, gaps in research, education, and information exist in all areas of the organic industry. 

However, organics still represent a minuscule fraction of the world's agricultural farmland. However, since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from nothing, reaching $51 billion in 2008. This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland. Approximately 35,200,000 hectares (87,000,000 acres) worldwide are now farmed organically, representing approximately 0.8 percent of total world farmland (2008). In addition, as of 2008 organic wild products are harvested on approximately 31 million hectares.