Most people have heard that it is healthier to eat organic than conventionally grown food. By conventional we mean food produced on a large scale, using synthetic fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides. This production model became big after the Second World War, because of the great demand for food in many parts of the world. Which coincided with the development of synthetic chemicals (products used for other purposes during the war and were left over), and the increase in the use of agricultural machinery.
Today the conventional model is still the most popular for most crops in the world, with the use of transgenic species (GMOs) and mono-crops. The use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, not only favours desertification, pollutes the soils, groundwater, rivers and seas, but can be found in the very products we consume. We are not talking only about food, but also in cotton (used in clothing, feminine hygiene and cleaning products), in meat and other derivatives of live stock, and even in rainwater. It has already been shown that many of these chemicals are harmful to people’s health (it is paradoxical to have to prove that a poison is harmful), the use of these gradually accumulates in our bodies as in the ecosystems, and can generate autoimmune diseases, cancer, embryonic deformations and even mutations transmissible to the next generations.
Organic
In response to this total madness, some producers transitioned to the “organic” way of farming, which is basically growing crops as it was done in the past, without chemicals or hybrid seeds. For the consumer to be certain that a product is organic, certifications were created, where a private or governmental organisation is in charge of advising organic producers and controlling that they don’t use chemicals. This organisation gives the producer a certification that assures the product is organic, and thus the consumer remains satisfied in knowing the purchase is chemical free. In several cases the product is then packaged in plastic and styrofoam to not confuse it with non-organic produce, creating more garbage. For these and other reasons, organic foods tend to be more expensive than conventional ones. In other words, the organic producer and the consumer must pay more money to obtain or produce healthier food. On the other hand, some of the most harmful foods go unnoticed, they do not have stamps that indicate their potential toxicity, they are cheaper, and they are much easier to find and are usually fed to livestock.
Generally, organic producers are more aware of the environment and lean towards sustainability, but they are still a minority, and at the same time many multinational companies produce both organic and conventional produce, making us understand that for them, it is more about generating greater economic wealth than improving quality of life. So you could say that the problem did not change that much. The conventional model still rules, and organic produce exists for the few people who can afford it. Depending on the crops that are grown, the producers that follow these models are most likely subsidised by the state, which shows that their way of producing is not viable, and their soils lose quality, vitality, and the ecosystems continue to disappear to make way for more farmland, which consequently generates huge biological, climatic and social imbalances.
The solution lies elsewhere. We must turn from the current model of greed, which only extracts water and the few essential nutrients that remain in the soil, to a re-generative model, where techniques are used to restore the lost balance. The aim is to be able to produce food at the same time as regenerate ecosystems, revive soils, and thus reduce atmospheric carbon and obtain health as a consequence. Reducing our footprint is not enough, we must make our social impact on nature positive.
Ecological and re-generative agriculture
The great demand for food in the world can only be sustained long term by using a re-generative agro-ecology production model. The main focus is on caring for the soil, the fundamental basis of any healthy ecosystem. This can be achieved by replenishing life within the soil, which can be achieved by a combination of different techniques, including sowing seeds directly into the soil (no plowing), never exposing bare soil: leaving crops, grasses, herbs, or weeds to grow throughout the year to protect it, nourish it, and keep it hydrated. You can also increase the amount of microorganisms in the soil by leaving in live roots, or with natural fertilisers from herbivorous animals, as well as different types of compost, thus creating synergy between crops and other species, and supporting biodiversity in the area.
The bio-diversity of the cultivated species, combined with natural spaces that serve as a refuge for wild animal species, are essential for creating and maintaining a dynamic balance. Philosophies such as Permaculture and Anthroposophy (Biodynamics) use these agricultural principles combined with other techniques with excellent results in terms of the quantity and the variety that can be produced, its nutritional value, the balance of the ecosystem and their own social well-being.
Some of the benefits of ecological and re-generative agriculture are: a greater variety of flora and fauna, therefore greater resilience of the ecosystem; rich soils free of toxicity; the soil’s capacity of storing more water, making it resistant to drought, helping it avoid both desertification and flooding. A great variety of plant and animal species can be produced all year long, meaning they have produce to sell all year round, and therefore allowing producers economic independence.
On the other hand, a diet consisting of a greater variety of plant products, richer in nutrients and with no harmful toxins, generates greater long-term health and well-being in the consumers. Another benefit is that prices are not more expensive, especially if there is a direct exchange between producers and consumers, or with the least amount of intermediaries (go to your local farmer’s market!!).
In addition to supporting biodiversity, allowing indigenous species to grow, improving the economy and achieving sustainability, agro-ecology also supports animal welfare. This respectful model also supports the worker, with decent wages and good working conditions. In the conventional model the working environment can become abusive, subjecting employees to long term contact with poisons, using illegal foreign labor with few options for very little pay, sometimes reaching levels of slavery (such is the case in many crops such as banana, cotton or cacao, and fishing, among others).
Where do we start?
The transition from a conventional, or even organic-conventional models to one of re-generative agriculture may seem difficult at first but the benefits can be seen within a few months of making the switch. You can get professional advise to make this transition as smooth and efficient as possible.
Consumers can start by buying more agro-ecological products. Increasing the demand will inspire the change in the supply/ production. This does not only apply to food markets, but clothing, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, toys, technology, construction material, among many. Starting to care, investigating and knowing where things we buy come from and under what conditions they were produced can change the world. Greater knowledge leads to greater awareness, inspiring the strong change that we urgently need. With our voice and our choices we are making a real change.