Alternative to Conventional Industrial Agriculture - Essay Example

? inserts His/her inserts inserts Grade   Organic Revolution In the context of myriad emerging environmental issues, new and peculiar concerns continue to crop up in the present world. Indeed the world is not static and in a way, it was never meant to be. Ours is a time dominated and completely taken over by issues after issues that come up on a daily basis courtesy of the activities of the human race. Amid the hue and cry that characterizes the concern for the climate crisis, another fundamental issue continues to take shape and seeks attention and address across the world. Here is the concept of organic food, a new revolutionary wave that characterizes modern farming and ranching. Inasmuch as the climate change campaigners, policy advisors and politicians continue to drag their feet on such a fundamental issue, it is imperative to acknowledge the bare fact that business is not as usual at all. Not at a time when organic revolution continues to spread its tentacles and roots into the tissues that define our posterity. Across the world, thousands of organic farmers and conservationists are on a constant plea to inform the world that we can indeed create a very safe and healthy alternative to the conventional industrial agriculture (Ableman 89). The whole trouble however lies in convincing the masses and the skeptics out there that this is a very real and feasible process devoid of any harm hitherto known. Well, the cynics will normally have their way and their say but the fundamental realization to acknowledge is that as the world’s population surges amid diminishing resources, it is imperative that radical measures be put in place to ensure that this generation and the posterity will have food to eat and resources to use. That, in essence, is the fundamental issue that has to be addressed. It is in light of such emerging realities that the concept of organic revolution continues to take shape and be accepted as a solution to the food crisis in the world (Avery 78). However, this should never be accepted with doubts and skepticism. It should be after an understanding of the facts, realities and the imperatives of such a revolution. On the positive aspect, the goal in the organic revolution process is not only limited to feeding the world’s population. It is also about reversing the effects of global warming which is indeed a nightmare in the world. Organic farming helps in capturing millions of the greenhouse gasses that destabilize the ecosystem (Gettelman 45-8). This is enhanced through a combination of activities such as reforestation, composting, photosynthesis and the preservation of wetlands all which contribute positively toward reversing the effects of global warming. Indeed, climate change in a global concern that continues to elicit hot debates both on its causes and effects amid the thoughts that certain countries should be more responsible for addressing its consequences given that they contribute more toward the challenge. On that account, any positive process that can effectively curb the effects of global warming should be a welcome story by all and sundry. At least for those concerned with environmental issues. The conventional farming methods practiced across the world are basically energy intensive and involves the application of a lot of chemicals in the farmlands (Guthman 109). The deliberating effects of such industrial agriculture include a release of millions of tons of carbon dioxide gas into the environment. All this becomes a foregone story with the adoption of organic farming. In this case, healthy soils can be nurtured, while plants and trees that are resistant to drought and pests can flourish effectively. Indeed, nothing is better than that. Not at a time when hunger and famines continue to consume millions across the world. Moreover, organic farming produces food that is basically more nutritious with more vitamins and minerals to address the malnutrition that is also a concern in most parts of the world. In any case, the concern of most people today is the effects of the Genetically Modified foods (GMOs) and how to ensure such foods do not find access into the food stores. The products of organic farming ate totally safe and free from any GMOs. It is estimated that the carbon dioxide pollution from the fossil fuels consumed in the United States accounts for over 25% of the world’s total production (OECD 67). The figure is around 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year much of which is attributed to industrial agriculture. Well, in whatever respect, that figure has to be reduced. The effects of such amounts of carbon release are very disastrous to health and contribute greatly to global warming in the world. On the contrary, an application of organic farming in all the agricultural states in the United States can drastically mitigate this amount of carbon dioxide released to 1.5 billion tons per year (Lampkin and Padel 90-101). In the same vein, if most ranches and pastures were to adopt organic practices, we shall certainly reverse the effects of global warming and make the world a better place to live in. It is glad to realize that most people across the world are beginning to realize the importance of such an imperative environmental concern (Brown 103). In villages and small towns in many countries across the world, both developed and developing, the concept of organic farming is not news. It is being adopted on the wide scale in areas where much light has been shade on its effectiveness and benefits. The goal of the whole revolution is to inundate the masses across all countries to adopt organic farming so that such issues as climate change become stories to be told to the future generations (Perkins 273). It is even more interesting to realize that the global organic revolution is not just fronted by governments and great environmentalists. On the contrary, the whole agenda is made possible through a global network of grassroots movements and policy advisors who have made great efforts to ensure that the program is not adopted as a short-term alternative but as a lasting solution to the problems of climate change, energy-usage reduction and famine. The whole idea is sold and fronted under the banner of a green economy in which case it becomes simpler to comprehend (Kuepper 90). Even though most politicians and utilities industries claim that the sequestration of emissions of carbon dioxide gas in mostly on the horizon, the evidence to support such claims on scientific grounds is very limited or unavailable at all. As more and more governments continue to embrace the concept of organic farming and are riding into the revolutionary bandwagon, the central concern that arises, amid the climate change concern, is how to move organic farming from being an alternative to being the norm. In the United States, the miracle of moving organic farms from the current 4% to 100% is basically food for thought to organic farming advocates (Lotter 67-9). In any case, the revolution is real and active albeit slow in adoption. The answer to these concerns is nothing short of sounding the alarm louder and louder so that the public opinion and consciousness is shaped with a view of cultivating the idea further and further into the minds of the masses. However, the realization of such a dream is never an easy task. Myriad constraints and challenges certainly abound. It boils down to the public and the general users of the food produced. People must stop buying the chemically produced and GMO foods and switch to the healthy organic foods that are produced locally through simple means. This has to be done in a way that epitomizes any political movement to completely change and revolutionize public policy toward the adoption of organic foods. Nevertheless, it also implies stocking much organic food into the food stores that can feed the whole populations. This however is not a big issue considering the simple economics that demand creates supply. In the same vein, the whole idea has to be forced down the throat of politicians and corporations that seem to benefit from the status quo. It has to be made clear that business is not as usual in the move to counter the effects of climate change and in addressing issues of public health. In whichever respect, the concept of organic farming is scientifically and ethically grounded and should not therefore face any antipathy from any quarter. In a nutshell, it has to be emphasized that organic farming is becoming more of a necessity in the present world given the state of affairs in environmental change and food policy. It is a revolution that has to be embraced by all and sundry in a way to realize not only a better tomorrow but today as well. Works cited Ableman, Michael. From the Good Earth: A Celebration of Growing Around the World. Seattle: HNA Books, 2008. Avery, Arthur. The Truth About Organic Foods. New York: Handerson Books, 2007. Brown, Richard. "The imperatives of Organic Farming." Aspects of Applied Biology Vol.3.No 6 (2001): 203-207. Gettelman, Elizabeth. From Farmworkers to Farmers. Washington, DC: National Academic Press, 2010. Guthman, James. Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California. Berkeley: California University Press, 2008. Kuepper, George. Organic Crop Production Overwiew. Austin: National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, 2007. Lampkin & Padel. The Economics of Organic Farming. Guilford: CAB International, 2009. Lotter, David. Organic Agriculture. New York: Bantam Books, 2008. OECD. Organic Agriculture: Sustainability,Markets and Policies. New York: CABI International, 2005. Perkins, Dominic. "Soil organic matter and soil quality indicators after 21 years o organic and conventional farming." Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment Vol 6.No 4 (2010): 276-9. Read More