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Extent of organic farming

The growth of organic agriculture is continuing. The world acreage of certified organic agriculture is estimated to 25 million hectares.

There are probably another 20 million hectares of non-certified organic agriculture, mainly in developing countries, often referred as agro-ecology.

In some developing countries there are (still) large numbers of farmers that practice either traditional agriculture which doesn't rely on purchased inputs, or farmers that just can't afford to buy inputs. For example in Uganda and Tanzania the average use of chemical fertilisers is less than 1 kg per hectare and year: meaning that most land is never fertilised. Agro-business interests suggest that these farmers should adopt high-intensive agriculture, with increasing use of chemical ferlizers, pesticides and GMOs. But this has already been tried and failed. Organic agriculture offer an other route to increasing yields. A route based on bio-intensive management, care for the soil and all living.

Farming utilise around half of the surface of the planet. Therefore, how we farm is not only about production of food, it is about how we manage the earth, our home.

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