What organic farming is, how it is practised in Italy and where it is most widespread

Environment · Redazione · 2010-01-08

Working the land through organic farming means growing and producing food in a way that respects natural life cycles.

L'organic farming is a cultivation method that has been growing increasingly in recent years. A method of agriculture in which the farming ecosystem is regarded as a balanced model for the development of cultivated plants. It is therefore also fundamental in the fight against climate change.

agricoltura biologica — Organic farming respects human, animal and plant welfare.

Organic farming, the definition

Working the land through organic farming essentially means using a cultivation technique and a way of producing food that respects natural life cycles. The anthropogenic impact is minimised as much as possible, in accordance with the following principles:

crops are rotated so that on-site resources are used efficiently;
chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, antibiotics and other substances are subject to strict restrictions;
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are banned;
on-site resources are put to use, such as manure for fertiliser or feed produced on the farm;
plant and animal species that are disease-resistant and adapted to the local environment are used;
livestock are usually raised in the open air and fed on organic fodder;
animal husbandry practices are tailored to the various livestock species.

The other principles of organic farming

Techniques used include the protection of beneficial insects, which act as antagonists to pests; hardy plant varieties, which are more resistant, are chosen; mulching is practised, which involves covering the soil with hay or fresh grass to protect it from temperature fluctuations and hinder the growth of weeds; green manuring is used, whereby certain plants (clover, vetch, watercress, lamb's lettuce, spinach, rapeseed and so on) are sown and, once they have flowered, turned into the soil to fertilise it and protect it from erosion; crop rotation is practised, alternating the cultivation of plants that improve soil fertility — for example by enriching it with nitrogen — with plants that deplete it by removing nutrients; manure and organic fertilisers such as compost are used, a mixture of soil, plant residues, wood ash and whatever else exists on the farm that is biodegradable and uncontaminated.

Trifogli per agricoltura biologica — Clover plants grown to fertilise and protect the soil. This practice, known as green manuring, is characteristic of organic farming

Organic farming in businesses

The organic farm is generally a closed-cycle operation. The presence of livestock provides the manure to fertilise the soil which, in turn, will produce food for people and fodder for the animals. The organic farm maintains its relationship with the surrounding habitat, providing for the presence of uncultivated spaces such as hedgerows or small woodlands, to allow the survival of insects, birds and small mammals, which constitute an effective biological control mechanism against pests harmful to crops.

Organic farming can, in short, effectively combine productivity and environmental protection, whilst also providing food free of toxic residues and richer both in flavour and in nutrients.

Organic farming in Italy

Italy ranks among the top countries in Europe for the export of organic products. According to research carried out by Ispra, the figures speak of "overseas turnover in excess of 1 billion euros a year, an amount that represents more than a third of the total turnover of the Italian organic sector."

At the end of 2012, organic areas covered 37.5 million hectares, an increase of 5 per cent compared to 2011. The growth in land area is constant across the entire planet, from Africa (7 per cent) to the EU (6 per cent). Oceania is the region with the largest area of organic cultivation: 32 per cent. Followed by Europe.

Which regions have the most organic farming

According to the Sinab report on organic farming in Italy "Il Bio in cifre", drawn up in 2015, the cultivated area amounts to 1,387,913 hectares, reaching 11.2 per cent of the national agricultural surface area.

"The regions – the report states – with the greatest number of organic operators are Sicily (9,660), Calabria (8,787) and Puglia (6,599). More than 45 per cent of the total number of Italian operators is concentrated in these regions. The largest extent of organic land is also found in these three regions: 303,066 hectares in Sicily, 176,998 hectares in Puglia and 160,164 hectares in Calabria respectively. The organic land area of

these three regions accounts for 46% of the national organic land area.

What guarantees exist for organic produce

Since 1991, organic farming has been regulated by the European Union, which establishes the rules to be observed and the cultivation criteria. Under European directives, only products subject to rigorous controls are recognised as organic. For this purpose, control bodies have been established — private organisations tasked with verifying that producers are effectively applying EU directives. Organic produce is therefore monitored from seed to final product and, if everything has been carried out in compliance with the rules, the product bears the new European logo for organic products on its label.

The new European logo and regulations

The label that distinguishes and helps identify products of organic origin, also known as the "Euro-leaf", has been mandatory from 1 July 2010, thanks to EC Regulation no. 271/2010.

To receive the logo, the product must:

contain at least 95 per cent of ingredients produced from organic farming;
the product complies with the rules of the inspection and certification system;
the product bears the name of the producer, processor or seller and the code number of the certification body that carried out the inspection of the last operation prior to being placed on sale.