Products grown according to the principles of sustainable and organic agriculture are good, have a positive impact on our bodies, and are profitable for those who grow them. Despite this, organically farmed land accounts for only one per cent of fields worldwide.

This is what emerged from recent research conducted by David Crowder and John Reganold of Washington State University; the researchers analysed 44 scientific studies on organic farming, based on 55 cultivated plants in 14 countries across five continents.

Economic sustainability

The data covers forty years of production, making the study a long-term analysis of the financial sustainability of organic farming. The research was conceived to verify the accuracy of the widespread axiom that organic farming yields lower economic returns than conventional farming. "This type of cultivation is indeed less productive," explained David Crowder, "but yield is only one of the aspects to consider when comparing the two agricultural models; one must also evaluate soil quality, impacts on biodiversity, and the quality of food production." The organic sector grew by 170 per cent between 2002 and 2011 and generates an annual turnover of approximately 63 billion dollars worldwide. Organic farming can be up to 35 per cent more profitable than conventional farming when farmers charge a premium that attests to the quality and certification of the product. According to the authors of the research, the earnings derived from this agricultural model are set to surpass those produced by conventional farming, which is responsible, among other things, for numerous environmental harms such as the conversion of large areas of forest into cultivated fields, the destruction of habitats that are precious to biodiversity, and the ecological impacts of pesticides.

Revitalising rural economies

The cost-benefit analysis of the various factors that can influence the profitability of organic farming led the authors to conclude that it is more profitable than conventional farming. The production of organic food also requires a larger workforce, given that pest control is carried out mechanically; on the one hand this represents a cost, but on the other it contributes to revitalising rural economies, providing an added economic benefit.

Environmental sustainability

Organic farming, unlike conventional farming, has a low impact on the planet. This type of cultivation, in addition to consuming less energy and emitting fewer greenhouse gases, acts as a carbon sink: every hectare farmed in this way absorbs one and a half tonnes of CO2. "The strengths of organic farming are its independence from fossil fuels and its reliance on locally available means of production. By working with natural processes, organic farming increases the resilience of ecosystems in the face of difficult climatic conditions," reads the Fao report "Agricoltura biologica e sicurezza alimentare".

Organic farming against climate change

The agricultural sector is one of the main contributors to pollutant emissions into the atmosphere. Organic farming, by contrast, is one of the greatest allies in the fight against global warming; greenhouse gas emissions are more than halved compared to so-called conventional agricultural practices. Research conducted from 2003 to 2007 by Paola Migliorini, associate professor at the University of Pisa and vice-president of AgriBioMediterraneo, demonstrated that, thanks to long crop rotations capable of enriching the soil with organic matter, land farmed using organic methods increased its capacity to absorb CO2 (compared to conventionally farmed land). The reduction in emissions recorded reached peaks of 58 per cent per cultivated hectare and of over 60 per cent per kilogram of harvest.