The story of organic farming is one of an underdog industry that has been growing steadily each year. Organic farming may not be mainstream yet, but it has rapidly grown in stature in the last two decades, according to recent surveys.
There has been a steady increase in area under organic cultivation over the years. In 2018, the last year for which the survey collated data, organic farming reported a 2.9 percent increase suggesting that more and more organic products have found their way into the arms of consumers
Consumer behavior is a huge reason why organic farming is the future. Consumer behavior is ever-changing. As we come to be more and more knowledgeable of the consequences of our actions, we continue to look for more sustainable ways to live our lives. For instance, According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 4% of all food sold globally is organic, amounting to US$95 billion annually. Several studies have suggested the immense environmental benefits of growing food organically. It can improve biodiversity, protect wildlife habitats, and prevent the emission of vast amounts of toxic chemicals into our water, air, and soils. Some research has even indicated that the soil building process in organic farming stores significantly higher levels of carbon dioxide, thus providing a way to help reduce global warming. The reason why organic farming and other related aspects of it are becoming so famous is that although it doesn’t produce the same aesthetically pleasing outcomes as chemical fertilizers do, it reaps its own rewards that may be considered far better than conventional farming.
Organic farming is more focused on long-term sustainability, and how our actions today impact the future of the earth. For this reason, there have been rising calls for parliaments all around the world to do more to promote organic and sustainable farming through new initiatives and programs. For example, In May 2020, The European Commission recommended a new mission for increasing the organic farming scenario in European Union to at least 25% by the year 2030.
The bottom line is quite simple, organic farming is here to stay. One cannot deny that it is doing a lot of good in helping prolong the life of our home planet. The huge benefits and untapped prospect makes it the clear choice for feeding a growing population and becoming the future of farming.
