Nowadays, there is much discussion regarding organic versus conventional farming because there is a shift toward it on a global scale. Each way of routinely giving others fresh food uses various systems and procedures. The issue is which of these two food types is healthier for a person to eat and how they affect the environment. Non-organic foods are produced using chemicals and pesticides created by humans, whereas organic foods are made using conventional farming and natural pesticides. This essay will be structured to explain why eating organic food is better for human health than eating non-organic food.
Chemical-free farming is known as organic farming. The organic farming method can be applied in a variety of ways. One would spread crop debris on the soil’s surface to allow nutrients to accumulate over time. This method will assist in bringing in the nutrients that the crops lack. The various crop outputs are, however, impacted by organic farming. The amount of a crop gathered on an acre of land is known as a yield in agriculture. Because farmers’ salaries depend on how much food they produce, the outcome is significant. Therefore, a farmer will profit more if their crop output is high. Because it functions successfully in some situations, organic farming does have a part to play.
Strawberries are only one of the many fruit varieties with a higher yield than traditional farming. Soybeans, an oilseed crop, have a lower product. Farmers can increase their output even when they currently have a softer result. It would therefore be possible to generate proportional outcomes. One method would be to grow them in rotation with leguminous crops that fix nitrogen into the soil or use other land-management techniques. According to Montgomery & Biklé, the effects of farming practices on soil health are a better lens for measuring their influence on nutrient density since agronomic effects on nutritional profiles do not simply fall out along the conventional versus organic divide (2021). The farmers in various regions who might be having a hard time making a profit from their crops will benefit from this. When farmers employ chemical fertilizers to fertilize fields while the crops are still developing and supplying essential nutrients, this is known as conventional farming. The majority of crops grown conventionally are cereals like wheat. Farmers’ attempts to grow these crops using organic methods did not succeed. Vegetables and other cereal crops, including wheat, do poorly under organic farming. Because a significant portion of the population consumes grains like wheat, this significantly impacts consumers. Nitrogen storages cause this problem of organic agriculture, which is necessary for the growth of cereals and vegetables.
Specific various farming methods impact customers and farmers. Not only do farmers not receive the necessary financial support from these crops. This setback is made worse by the low yield rate. Farmers must consider the yield percentages when estimating how much money they will make. This will ultimately have a cascading effect. Farmers will have to close down their operations if they can no longer maintain their farms due to a lack of income. As a result, one less farm would provide vegetables to the retailers. However, if a crop has a high yield, there will be more of it because more crops can be grown on each acre of land. According to Cristache et al., an increase of 1% in organic farming areas will result in a contraction of 0.278% in agricultural output; still, an increase of 1% in fertilizer production will result in a rise of 0.260% (2018). More would imply more produce in the grocery stores. Since there are so many options, consumers like us will be more willing to buy. Because the yields are smaller and it takes longer, farming without fertilizers may have adverse effects, causing the development of alternative methods for producing food for the populace.
Organic foods often meet the same quality and safety criteria as non-organic foods and typically have equal nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. How organic food is grown, handled, and processed differs from conventional food, and there is no scientific proof that organic food is healthier or higher in nutrients. Some people purchase organic food because it is healthier and much better for the environment than non-organic food. Organic meals are entirely natural and devoid of any poisonous or chemical substances that, when digested, would pass to the organism in the same way as they were present in the food’s body is highlighted as one of their benefits. Foods that include artificial processing are more expensive since they take longer to make and are produced on a smaller scale, which eventually leads to a higher price when the item is delivered to the client.
Organic farming has two primary goals: first is to lessen the negative environmental impact, and second, to strengthen overall sustainability. This indicates that agricultural operations look after the land to ensure its long-term usefulness, as more people were employed per acre on organic farms, according to Finley et al. (2017, p. 556). Animals raised in natural habitats must provide meat and organic animal products. Using antibiotics or growth hormones, farmers must give them access to the outdoors, organic food, and clean housing. Animals that are not organic are frequently given these items. Organic agriculture’s benefits are natural resource conservation, pollution reduction, and soil erosion reduction. Organic farmers avoid using pesticides that could harm both plants and animals. Food, in particular agricultural items, might degrade more quickly. Given the higher costs of organic cultivation and the constrained supply, some people may have recognized that organic goods are more expensive than non-organic items. Prices tend to go down as more individuals consume organic products.
In conclusion, evaluating which strategies would work when the world economy develops more efficient ways to produce food more quickly for our expanding population is crucial. Although organic farming is beneficial for the environment and does aid in the growth of some crops, most people consume vegetables and grain-based crops. Although it would take longer and result in a smaller yield of those essential crops, farmers might also utilize other organic approaches to increase profits. The yield percentage is the first of many issues that must be solved as the globe develops more organic production systems for organic farming to catch up with the expanding population.
References
Cristache, S. E., Vuță, M., Marin, E., Cioacă, S. I., & Vuţă, M. (2018). Organic versus conventional farming—A paradigm for the sustainable development of the European countries. Sustainability, 10(11), 4279.
Finley, L., Chappell, M. J., Thiers, P., & Moore, J. R. (2018). Does organic farming present greater opportunities for employment and community development than conventional farming? A survey-based investigation in California and Washington. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 42(5), 552-572.
Montgomery, D. R., & Biklé, A. (2021). Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.