Organic Farming and Sustainability - Term Paper Example

Organic Farming and Sustainability Introduction The simplest description of the term sustainability is the overall capacity to endure (Harris, 2000). In the human perspective, sustainability can be explained as the maintenance of long-term well being which has social, economic and environmental dimensions that all encompass the responsible management and use of resources (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). In an ecological perspective, sustainability refers to the ability of biological systems to remain productive and diverse over time, which is a precondition for the well being of humans (Chertow & Esty, 1997). Sustainability is concerned with improving the quality of life for all population while ensuring that the use of resources does not go beyond the level that they can be supplied by the environment (Ingram, 2007). Sustainability is therefore applied to concepts that integrate nature and humanity with the aim of regulating the impacts of human activities towards the environment. Through education on sustainability, people are given the opportunity to critically reflect about the impacts that their activities have on the environment that they expect to support them (Huckle & Sterling, 1996). Environmental and social issues are usually surrounded by a lot of complexities that are brought out in sustainability education (Orr, 1996). That is why sustainability education is considered important and it should incorporate various ethical issues including the roles of humans in protecting the environment (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). Organic farming is closely linked to sustainability. It can be described as a form of agriculture that heavily relies on the use of techniques such as compost, biological pest control, green manure and crop rotation to maintain the productivity of the soil as well as control pests in the farm (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). In organic farming, the use of manufactured pesticides, genetically modified organisms, plant growth regulators, fertilizers and livestock additives, food, hormones or antibiotics is strictly excluded or limited (Stanhill, 1990). The history of modern organic farming dates back to 1920s when a group of consumers and farmers from Europe sought an alternative to the common industrialization of agriculture (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). These consumers and farmers were mainly concerned about caring for the soil and the natural processes that agriculture depended on. They were keen not to use inputs such as synthetic chemicals and artificial fertilizers so as to protect the environment and the soil (Wheeler, 2008). This essay will link organic farming to sustainability with the aim of finding out its role in ensuring sustainability. The paper will also discuss various perspectives of sustainability in regard to organic farming so as to discover the role of organic farming in promoting sustainability. This paper will do this by focusing on the green house emporium, an organization that is in the fore front in promoting organic farming by selling organic products to be used in farming. Perspectives of Sustainability The concept of sustainability is usually known to embody three important perspectives that form the basis of any discussion on sustainability. These are: 1. Economic Sustainability A system that ensures economic sustainability is one that has the capability of continually generating services and goods which have the ability to maintain a level that a government can manage economically. Such a system is one which is free from any debts and it always steers away from the imbalances of extreme economic sectors. The green house emporium is one company that has managed to promote economic sustainability through the use of earth friendly solutions and products for businesses and homes (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). These range from organic skin care products, new solar lighting, green cleaning products, eco friendly office supplies, LED lights, garden equipment and so much more. In the context of this report, the green house emporium specializes in organic farming products that are economical viable and sustainable such as compost, garden beds, garden fertilizers, synthetic grass, worm farms and many other organic garden products (Gillman, 2008). Most of these organic gardening products are economically viable because they are right for the environment and right for the users. To ensure economic sustainability, the company has invested heavily in understanding the latest research on sustainability (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). This enables the company to provide users with the most current and relevant information that will allow them to make the best informed purchasing decisions that take care of the environment without compromising the modern lifestyles that they live (Huckle & Sterling, 1996). Many communities and consumers have come up in support of organic farming because of the economic sustainability that it creates (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). When the environment and soil are protected from harm through the use of artificial chemicals and manufactured fertilizers, the effects of agriculture on the environment become very little and are quite easy to manage. This means that a very small amount of money will go into caring for the environment because there are systems that have been put in place, through organic farming, to sustain the environment (Huckle & Sterling, 1996). Organic farming is being used as a system of ensuring that money that would have otherwise been used to reclaim the environment is used for other useful purposes because the environment is being sustained through organic farming. This ensures economic sustainability to a very large extent (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). This is one value that the green house emporium seeks to promote (Gillman, 2008). Economic sustainability therefore requires that the system uses up renewable resources only up to a level where they can be easily replaced by using the available economic resources without strain (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). 2. Environmental Sustainability An environmentally sustainable system is one that has the ability to least exploit renewable environmental resources but still maintain a constant resource base (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). Environmental sustainability only allows renewable resources to be depleted only to such an extent that they can be easily replaced by some environmental factors, and not necessarily economic or social factors, without strain (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). In this system, the environment is able to return to its original state without having to put so much pressure on other aspects (Chertow & Esty, 1997). In regard to the green house emporium, environmental sustainability is promoted by having products that put the needs of the environment first (Ingram, 2007). The company has a wide range of eco friendly organic gardening products that it sells so as to ensure that the environment is protected from harm (Stanhill, 1990). This will give the environment the ability to sustain itself even when there is a strain on the renewable resources (Chertow & Esty, 1997). Recent reports indicate that in many regions of the world such as the United States of America and Australia, more and more consumers are increasingly demanding for alternative foods and farm products that are organic in nature. For example, in 2008 alone, the sales for organic foods in the United States of America reached US $ 21.1 billion and these figures further climbed to US $ 23.0 billion during the next year, 2009 (Wheeler, 2008). This shows that many people have realized the importance of making the environment more sustainable than it is today and are opting for alternatives that are aimed at doing so. That is why the rate at which organic foods are becoming popular is steadily rising over the years (Orr, 1996). Awareness on environmental sustainability has been created to such an extent that consumers today are becoming attracted to products and services that are environmentally conscious (Ingram, 2007). Production and consumption patterns and trends of foods show that the need to ensure a sustainable environment has been embraced by many individuals. That is why many people today prefer to grow their own local foods using organic means because of the economic advantages and also the environmental advantages that come with doing this (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). A keen analysis of many peer reviewed journal articles today shows that the consumption of organic food is becoming very popular. Consumers are not only concerned about protecting their health of their finances, but also their environment through organic farming (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). 3. Social Sustainability Social sustainability has to do with the ability to ensure that the provision and distribution of services and products to the society is adequate and can go on without straining the sources of these products or services (Chertow & Esty, 1997). Social sustainability also involves the participation of different members of the society in ensuring that they have continuous access to crucial goods and services available in the environment (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). This will entail individuals taking up their social and political responsibilities and obligations. Many people today are taking up their social and political responsibility of ensuring sustainability in one way or the other (Ingram, 2007). One way to prove this is the growing interest that people seem to have in organic farming (Wheeler, 2008). Companies are taking up their corporate social responsibility and engaging in activities that are aimed at protecting the environment (Orr, 1996). Having understood the concepts of sustainability and organic farming, it is important to note that integrating these three perspectives is one sure way of ensuring overall sustainability in all sectors of human life (Ingram, 2007). When the three perspectives are integrated and dealt with together, social, economic and environmental sustainability can be ensured (Chertow & Esty, 1997). However, it must also be noted that the three perspectives are unique and different in their own ways and must first be dealt with individually before they can be made to work together (Watson, Atkinson, Gosling, Jackson & Rayns, 2002). Governments are also continuously realizing the need to educate their citizens on sustainability as this is one sure way of wiping out ignorance on this pertinent issue (Bengtsston, Ahnstrom & Weibull, 2005). That is why many education systems are being changed to at least focus on these issues that need to be known so as to promote the general well being of every individual (Wheeler, 2008). The green house emporium is playing its role in the promotion of organic farming by providing farmers with the necessary organic farming requirement such as compost, worm farms, garden beds, synthetic grass and garden fertilizers among many other organic farming products (Huckle & Sterling, 1996). This enhances the capacity of the farmers to promote sustainability and in also protect their environment while producing food and making profit at the same time (Ingram, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, organic farming is seen to have very many economic, social, health and environmental advantages. The quality and safety of organic food has also made it to be embraced by many. That is why organic gardening is a very common practice today. While non-organic methods such as the use of commercial and artificial fertilizers are known to produce large amounts of food, the effects of such methods of production to the environment, society and economy are very deadly. This has been agreed upon by very many agronomists, ecologists and nutritionists who seem to sing the same song in support of organic farming because of the advantages it has to the environment. These calls seem to be working because the efforts by different stakeholders to create awareness on the importance of protecting the environment, ensuring food security and taking care of our health are beginning to bear fruits. Many people are now taking the necessary actions in regard to protecting the environment through organic farming. Companies and organizations are also being created to help in the protection of the environment. The green house emporium is an example of such a company that invests heavily in the production of organic products ranging from farming products, solar products, water products, beauty products, cleaning products, stationary, LED lights and other home solutions. It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that sustainability is promoted for the general well being of all human beings. References Bengtsston, J., Ahnstrom, J. & Weibull, A. (2005). The effects of organic agriculture on biodiversity and abundance: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42 (2), 261-269. Chertow, M. & Esty, D. (eds) (1997). Thinking ecologically: The next generation of environmental policy. London: Yale University Press. Gillman, J. (2008). The truth about organic gardening: benefits, drawbacks, and the bottom line. Michigan: Timber Press. Harris, J. M. (2000). Basic principles of sustainable development. USA: Tufts University Press. Huckle, J. & Sterling, S. (1996). Education for sustainability. London: Earth scan Publications. Ingram, M. (2007). Biology and Beyond: The Science of ‘‘Back to Nature’’ Farming in the United States.  Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 97 (2), 298-312. Orr, D. W. (1996). Educating for the environment: Higher education’s challenge of the next century. The Journal of Environmental Education, 27, 7-10. Stanhill, G. (1990). The comparative productivity of organic agriculture. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment, 30(1-2), 1-26. Watson, C. A., Atkinson, D., Gosling, P., Jackson, L. R & Rayns, F. W. (2002). Managing soil fertility in organic farming systems. Soil Use and Management, 18, 239-247. Wheeler, S. A. (2008). What influences agricultural professionals' views towards organic agriculture? Ecological Economics, 65, 145-154. Organic Farming Pictures showing my involvement in the organic farming project Here, a sample of how to use organic manure to plant a seedling was shown so as to enable the participants to know how to use organic manure effectively. This was meant to encourage the correct practices when uses organic manure so as to achieve optimum results. Things were done practically so that we could all see how to get thing done. Organic manure is natural and needs to be nurtured for some time before being used on the farm. We were encouraged to get our hands ‘dirty’ if we want to get any meaningful work done with organic manure. A visit to this woman’s farm proved to us that organic farming is indeed taking over. We could see the tomatoes thriving and being harvested by the owner who plants them with only organic manure and compost. She says it is much cheaper and has very little effects on the soil and the environment in general. The farm is fairly big but the woman has managed to use organic manure and compost all over the farm to produce these great results. These were just some of the few organic produce that were being displayed in an open air market for people to have a chance to buy organic foods. The varieties of foods in the picture are all grown organically by the same farmer who then sells them to earn a living and uses some for his family’s subsistence needs. This farmer is proud of the fact that he is able to produce very healthy food products and protect the environment from harm while farming. Organic farming has become so popular that during the project, a few lessons on sustainability were given to different groups of people. Here, these children are being taught how to practice organic farming so as to enhance sustainability. Sustainability education is effective when given from an early age so that children can grow up having understood its importance. We also visited various large scale farms that practice organic farming such as this one on the picture called ‘Organics’. Here, we were able to get a lot of insight on how to practice organic farming on large scale. We were taught different techniques of using compost and organic manure and how to make the products in large scale for use in farms. These are also part of the organic food produce that were on display at some of the markets that we visited. More and more people are turning to natural means of growing food and stands at the market that had been labeled ‘organic produce’ got overwhelming customers. The project extended to other areas where we were involved in training different groups of people on how to practice organic farming for sustainability. This was a way of promoting organic farming and encouraging consumers to make use of organic foods. Part of organic farming training that the project was involved in. After visiting the green emporium which was the main area of focus, we also got to learn a lot about organic farming products. This is the company’s compost maker that is used as a compost pit to make compost. This is the company’s garden fertilizer that has been made from purely natural products. This is an organic garden kit also being sold by the green house emporium These are packed worms to be used in organic farms. They are also being sold by the green house emporium. Read More