In 2023, the average global temperature was 0.13C more than the average of eleven months in 2016. This is due to the various methods of global warming. The USA agricultural system alone is responsible for 20% of the CO2 emission of the state. While the Indian farming scene does way less than that, it is still not ignorable.
On the other hand, various farmers worldwide are trying their best to keep polluting the environment to the best of their capabilities. These methods are parts of organic farming that ensure that human food or other basic needs don’t impact the planet negatively.
We have discussed the various ways organic farming helps the environment in this article. You will find an in-depth explanation of the importance of this agricultural method here.
As its name sounds, organic farming represents the betterment of the biological or living parts of the environment. It believes that healing the planet means healing the living beings in it, which includes us.
By embracing this belief, organic farmers opt for various eco-friendly methods in their work that ensure as little carbon emission as possible.
They go for various traditional measures, rather than modern ones, to avoid harming the surroundings. However, that doesn’t mean that organic farming is all about rejecting science and technology.
Contradictorily, organic farmers use science to research and discover adequate measures that can promise maximum productivity with the minimum temperament of the living’s psychology and ecosystem.
In order to understand the objectives of organic farming, you have to learn its principles. If we put it simply, the following points are what organic farmers try to establish-
Organic farmers try to get great productivity from their crops, meat, fish, dairy, and other goods. However, they don’t act desperate in the end. If any method has a high chance of causing adverse effects on nature, they either try to alter it or reject it altogether.
Another critical objective of organic farming is that it tries to create an equal footing for all. As we mentioned before, organic farming wants to make sure that all parties on the farm get the same treatment.
Here, treatment means-
The agricultural field is notorious for its carbon footprint, which involves the emission of around 2 billion metric tonnes of CO2 yearly. One main reason behind this issue is the usage of measures, technology, or tools that don’t care about the environment and pollute the surroundings greatly.
However, organic farming actively tries to prevent this problem. The farmers here establish the following for this purpose-
These simple steps may seem insignificant in front of the massive amount of pollution happening worldwide from different industries. However, they are tested to negate global warming significantly.
On the one hand, organic farming doesn’t cause any carbon dioxide emissions. On the other hand, it removes CO2 from the air. A yearly amount of CO2 eliminated from the air and reverted to soil is 7,000 pounds per acre. When we combine that number with all the thousands of acres of organic farms in the world, it adds up to an incredible amount of CO2 elimination.
Another way organic farming helps here is by boosting local food systems. The way it works is simple: to enhance the popularity of the local food within the people of the said area. So, how does it help?
Well, transporting food and goods through various long-distance vehicles contributes highly to CO2 emissions. However, if the food is being grown close to the place, then there won’t be much necessity for transportation.
As such, helping people lean more towards their own cultural recipes, fruits, vegetables, and other goods is a part of the organic farming strategies.
A common myth about organic farming is the belief that it lessens productivity. However, a study by the Rodale Institute discovered that the truth is totally opposite.
When organic farming methods are used, crops and other plant lives produce way more harvests than most modern agriculture methods. There is a clear reason behind this phenomenon.
As organic agriculture halts carbon emissions, it stays within the soil. More carbon means more water in the soil, which helps the plant.
Moreover, when the soil gets wet, living beings in the ground can keep it balanced, allowing the proper growth of plants. It also helps get rid of erosion of the roots and lets crops grow strongly.
After observing how organic farming is contributing to the healing of the planet, it should be the future of agriculture. More states of India should accept it, given the amount of pollution still happening in the country.
One big step towards that goal will be to raise enough awareness about global warming among people. In addition, educating the common folks about the importance and scope of organic farming will help significantly in this endeavor.
If you have any questions, doubts, or simply want to explore the possibilities of holistic living, I invite you to reach out. Your journey to well-being starts with a conversation.