Organic Agriculture and Climate Change

Climate change is a critical issue for agriculture and world food security and the international organic movement has an important role to play in helping farmers both to adapt to increasingly erratic and extreme weather and to reduce emissions and capture carbon. Organic agriculture’s avoidance of chemical nitrogen fertilizers and effectiveness in sequestering high levels of carbon in the soil is a major advantage over conventional agriculture. Based on nearly 30 years of soil carbon data, as outlined in their recent research report, the Rodale Institute estimates that organic farms could sequester 39% of global annual carbon emissions if the world’s cropland utilized organic agricultural practices including nitrogen-fixing cover crops and intensive compost inputs as promoted in their climate change campaign video. Rodale is one of a number of affiliates that has been very active in advocating for the climate benefits of organic agriculture. More information is available in this impressive interview with CEO Timothy LaSalle, as well as from LaSalle's contribution in the upcoming issue of Ecology and Farming, which is focused on organic farming research.

The mitigation potential of organic agriculture has also been investigated in a recent F AO (Food & Agriculture Organizations of the UN) publication led by FiBL (The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture). The report, available here (ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/ai781e/ai781e00.pdf), estimates that global greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent of up to 85% of total current agricultural emissions, could be mitigated if agriculture was converted to organic production. This figure is achieved without intensive compost application.

Source: iFOAM Newsletter

N. Kaushik, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Dabari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Rd., New Delhi 110003, INDIA. Kaushikn@teri.res.in.
Fax: 91-11-246-82144. Voice: 91-11-246-82100.

“ORGO” proves beneficial to farmers.
An article as appeared in the daily newspaper DAINIK BHASKAR Pali edition Rajasthan 5th January 2009.

(English Translation)
Blended fertiliser improves yields
Farmers are reaping the benefits from the use of “ORGO”. They are enthusiastic about their increased profits and yield with reduced irrigation . Castor, wheat mustard and tomatoes could be harvested earlier with the use of “ORGO”.The high quality of yield brought in higher profits.

How ORGO is made
According to Gujarat based farmer Kanubhai Vyas, castor cake, karanj cake, neem cake, mustard cake, and denicotinised tobacco dust are blended to make this fertiliser. Its use reduces crop disease and it helps in nitrification inhibition and therefore improves fertiliser use efficiency when used with UREA.

Benefits to the farmer
The use of “ORGO” is very beneficial. According to the farmers, its use greatly reduces the need for chemical fertiliser. It reduces wastage in crop cultivation.