FOOD SECURITY AND ORGANIC PRODUCTION
Organic food products does not only imply the absence of pesticides and GMOs as well as the protection of animals and better soil quality, but it is also part of the solution to climate change and enhancing food security.
Food Security is “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”[1] That is why part of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 is to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”[2] And this is where Organic production methods play an important role in achieving this goal.
Goal 2 aims to increase sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 by achieving food security. This will entail promoting sustainable agriculture and improving the productivity and incomes of small-scale farmers by allowing access to land, technology, markets, sustainable food production systems, and resilient agricultural practices.
Whereas the use of increased pesticides has resulted in the decline of yields in many parts of the world, organic agriculture has proven to be effective in increasing and stabilizing yields, particularly in marginal lands. That is why it is crucial as part of a system to ensure farmers to restore and uphold food security.
Moreover, “organic agriculture can combat desertification by decreasing erosion and improving water uptake and retention”.[3] Organic farming also reduces pests and diseases, which in turn, promotes better agricultural practices.
Another very important aspect for farmers is that organic agriculture provides an effective return on investment. In other words, farmers do not have to invest heavily in chemical fertilizers and pesticides, reducing debts and increasing yields from the land. It is therefore a viable option for family farms and smallholders, supporting food sovereignty.[4]
Thanks to organizations like IFOAM – Organics International, and the European Commission, as well as the USDA in the USA the inclusion of organic agriculture in national governments’ policies, are pushed to the forefront to promote food security on a global scale.
Projects like Organicity are part of this global effort sustained by the European Union in order to induce consumers to buy organic, thus supporting organic producers and farmers and as a domino effect promoting international food security as a whole.
[1] https://www.organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2018/10/03/food-security/
[2] https://www.organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2018/10/03/food-security/
[3] https://www.organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2018/10/03/food-security/
[4] https://www.organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2018/10/03/food-security/
