What is organic?
Organic refers to food produced without the use of chemicals and processes that can introduce toxic ingredients to food such as pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering, and radiation.
Read more about what organic means.
What is wrong with chemical fertilizers and pesticides?
While chemical fertilizers and pesticides can keep pests away and make plants and animals grow bigger, they have harmful effects on your health. These can affect the central nervous system and internal organs like the liver and lungs and can cause illnesses like cancer and depression in the long term. Studies show that pesticides can cause cancers like leukemia. Also, babies born in homes near farms using chemicals are often born with birth defects and brain damage. Learn more about the effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on health.
In fact, seven of the discovered most toxic chemical compounds have been approved as ingredients in pesticides for food production by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In addition, these chemicals are known as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), because they cannot be removed easily from the environment. Know more about different kinds of pesticides and their effects.
Does natural = organic?
There is a world of difference between natural and organic. Natural simply means that the product is derived from plants, animals or from anything in nature. It does not discount the use of chemicals. So potato chips that contain a chock full of chemicals can actually put “natural” in its packaging since the product is made from potatoes.
Organic, on the other hand, means the food was produced without the use of harmful chemicals. Read more about the difference between natural and organic.
What’s up with certification for organic?
While many products can be loosely labeled as natural, a product marketed as organic means it has complied with standards for certification set by government food authorities. The standards for certification may differ from country to country.
For example, in the Philippines, in addition to the absence of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in food production, the Organic Certification Center promotes environmental care through means like soil and water conservation, improvement of soil quality, among others. Find out more about organic standards and certification in the Philippines.
Is organic healthier?
Aside from being safer as it has no chemicals compared to conventional food, studies show that organic food has more nutrients and antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables grown organically generally have more iron, Vitamin C, phosphorus and magnesium. Take a look at the summary of some of the studies showing that organic is indeed the healthier option.
Can organic farming feed the world?
The answer is a big, resounding yes. Food produced organically can top the volume of food produced conventionally in the world.
A study from the University of Michigan showed that in developed countries, yield from organic farms is almost equal to the yield from conventional farms. In developing countries, though, the yield from organic farms can double and even triple the yield of conventional farms. This is good news, especially for food shortage problems in developing countries. Read more about the findings of the Michigan study.
Can organic farming ensure food security?
A higher yield through organic farming may translate to better food security. Also, since organic farming keeps the soil healthy, the soil will not be depleted and can still yield good produce, unlike with conventional farming.
According to researchers and as shown by higher yields in different areas in the Philippines, organic farming is a cost-effective way to yield higher produce, especially for poor farmers with not enough resources to buy equipment for industrial farming. For example, in Negros Occidental, a farmer yields 7 tons of organic rice per hectare as opposed to 6.3 tons for conventional rice. (See full article here). Also, according to a study by MASIPAG, a nationwide network of farmers, NGOs and scientists promoting sustainable agriculture, 88 percent of organic farmers are experiencing food security compared to only 44 percent of conventional farmers. Also, the poorest organic farmers have 1.5 times higher income than the poorest conventional farmers. The study was conducted among 840 farmers in the Philippines, with a representation of organic, partially organic, and conventional farmers. (View an excerpt from the study here.)
In addition, Oxfam Great Britain CEO Dame Barbara Stocking said that local, small-scale farms can help reduce vulnerability to threats like climate change and food crises. Oxfam International was formed to address the food crisis after World War II and is now warning of an impending food crisis. Read more about Oxfam’s view on small-scale farms.
Compiled by Claire Madarang and Kaks Alampay
