THE GAUDI PROJECT
Name: Brianna Muwaga
Tutor group: 11EML
ORGANIC FARMING:
d) ‘All farming should be organic.’ To what extent is this a viable statement.
Organic farming is an alternative technique as it mainly emphasizes the use of
plants and animals instead of using practices such synthetic substances. Organic
farming is able to preserve the nutrients with the soil and reduce waste and
pollution. However, this may be a problem for a population that is constantly
growing day by day and possibly insufficient of supporting such development. The
main reason organic farming is even a consideration is because the world has been
suffering immensely due to greenhouse gases and pollution. Organic farming will
restrict the use of chemical products such as fertilizers and pesticides which
originate from burning fossil fuels. There are always disadvantages and advantages
to any situation and organic farming has several benefits and impediments. The
main advantage is that it will help conserve that planet and keep it clean and safe,
however, it can also be very economically straining to make “all farming organic”
as it may not be able to be sustainable for a long period of time. Natural foods are
more environmentally friendly, however, in terms of financial availability it is not
as affordable as non-organic food as they do not go through the same thorough
process as organic foods lowering the price.
How is organic farming beneficial to the environment and humanity?
Several options point at how beneficial organic farming is to the environment as it
uses fewer pesticides which will then enhance the plants biodiversity, hence
increasing the quality if the soil due to the decrease in pollution from fertilizers. By
using natural products as methods for farming; this will stimulate the soils plant life
and in return improve the building up structure of the soil and making the
processes more reliable to use for mankind. As a result, the soil will be able to
retain nutrients and water. This will then replace the role of fertilizers when absent.
Organic farming is also beneficial to the air as the soil is able to absorb more
carbon in the atmosphere in larger quantities, which helps reduce the global
warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Several agricultural employed in
sustainable farming such as minimum tillage encourages the soil’s ability to hold
carbon, increasing the efficiency and growth of products. The overall use of natural
foods will essentially increase the average life expectancy as the food available will
be free from chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. Organic foods may not be
aesthetically pleasing; however, it shows the rawness of nature and tastes fresher.
The general atmosphere is dependent on whether there is a use of organic or nonorganic farming. The environment for farmers and their families could be affected
due to the use of pesticides and fertilizers. When directly exposed to pesticides it
could harm the communities around the crops as there could be skin irritation and
erosion of individuals clothing. If pregnant women are working around toxic
pesticides this could cause harm to the unborn baby and underlying problems
when they are born. According to a report done by the Fields of Poison 2002:
California Farmworkers and Pesticides there were about 475 cases who suffered from
farmworker poisonings. However, this was an estimated number of people who
were affected in fact it was “probably drastically underestimated.” This is one of
many examples of why organic farming is important for the environment as it
affects humanity in the process.
What are some of the defects of organic farming?
The organic farming industry have evident disadvantages as they are unable to get
the right support and infrastructure, therefore making farming very hard if it were
to be done organically. Organic farming also makes it challenging for farmers to
make a profit out of their products as it is already too expensive to produce. The
initial expense of investing in organic farming is extremely expensive. According to
aplustopper.com it is advised that the minimum investment of $50,000 must be
made in order to have a strong quick-start into the industry. Even though a farmer
is gaining more money out the organic business and can invest in farming supplies,
the price of the organic pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals are too expensive
decreasing the profit of the farmer. Hence the farmer cannot afford to maintain
such expenses and keep the health of the crops to a certain standard. Organic
farming is undoubtably a much better option than non-organic farming in terms of
the positive effects on the environment and the lack of pesticides and GMOs. The
fact that governments do not grant any support to organic farms, means that they
must rely on alternative methods to compensate up for their loss of income, such
as raising prices which in turn, will discourage the consumers from purchasing their
products. The complete stop of the use of pesticides and other chemicals in highly
unlikely as farmers will use then when it is necessary for financial benefits (this is
because they risk losing their property owing to lost investments and income
and they can no longer afford to keep their crops in production).
Is organic farming able to deliver the right amount of produce to supply a
growing population?
Despite the many benefits organic farming provides, the main question is if
organic farming will be enough. Majority argue that organic farming should be in
the same position as other conventional farming techniques. It is much harder for
organic farmers as they must work three times harder in order to match the same
output as conventional farmers do. This is mainly because in order to produce the
same amount of output, local farmers need a lot more land than commercial farms
do. There is a high demand for land that needs to be used for crops and makes
deforestation unavoidable. Deforestation, in exchange, decrease the amount of
carbon soil is able to store, increasing the amount of greenhouse gases that are
released into the atmosphere. Due to the growing population, farmers cannot
afford to use large margins of land as this is not sustainable and economically
realistic. The fertility of their soil and the amount of area available to make it
expressly for organic farmers are particularly poor in western regions. Combining
the risks of having fewer agriculturally productive acres with the issue of less food
being supplied per acre. It is simple to calculate how organic farming will probably
not be the shrewdest alternative as it may not be as sufficient to feed the world's
rising population in the near future and use this only method of farming. One of
the most terrifying issues to come to terms with is the question of whether
humanity is able to produce more than enough food for a population that easily
reach 10 billion by 2050. This is difficult as the land available must not be
tampered with and cause any harm to the environment. However, according to
theguardian.com organic farming only takes up 1% of the world’s agricultural land,
as it is not largely known about nor supported. Maximizing assets is vital in a world
where there is limited farmland and a need to feed a population that is constantly
expanding. The increased demand for agricultural land can lead to issues such as
deforestation, which in turn lowers carbon productivity levels; endangering the
habitats of animals living in the area.
Organic farming vs. Conventional farming:
The main distinction between conventional and organic farming is that the
conventional farming uses chemical treatment to kill weeds, pests, and to nourish
the plants. That refers to artificial fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides. Instead,
sustainable agriculture depends on ecological concepts like the surrounding
environment and recycling to generate a plentiful supply of nutritious foods and
produce. There are clearly more benefits of organic farming than they are for nonorganic farming. The objectives of organic farming help improve the overall
environment in terms of the soil quality and the nutrition of the crops and keeping
a safe environment for the people living in within those areas. There are always
going to be two sides of any situation, both negative and positive consequences. As
much as conventional farming has its defects it is easily more possible for nonorganic farming to produce greater amounts of food and use less area per acre,
with less physical/human work. Due to the difficulties in the world’s economy,
there has been a rise in the costs of food and 47% of the world’s population is
going through a world hunger crisis. Therefore, it is the responsibility as humans to
use methods of farming that have been serving us for thousands of years and come
at a reasonable and affordable price and the output of foods is in large amounts.
Experimenting with such delicate matters could ruin the system of the world. The
ongoing use of pesticides, radiation, and GMOs may be regarded as reckless given
the lack of knowledge about their potential adverse effects.
According to the survey I carried out, 85% of the people I asked would prefer to
be an organic farmer as they would be helping the environment. If they correctly
organize their business and production, and find a reliable target market; they will
be able to make a lot more money than the normal conventional farmer. This will
only be really successful if they have the right business objectives, as the farming
industry is quite delicate and complicated. Meaning that if a farmer were to take a
risk it must be realistic.
Is it economically friendly for both the country and the farmer?
If a conventional farmer were to switch to organic farming it could save them costs
by over 25%. Through the absence of the need for costly chemical fertilizers and
pesticides, soil erosion will be reduced by up to 50%, and agricultural production
will rise by a factor of five. Organic farming won’t just benefit farmers but will help
the dairy product industry. The healthier the grass and crops are on organic fields,
the cows will then produce better and healthier milk, as the cows are healthier and
less likely to have any diseases. This in turn will help the economy as businesses
will be flourishing and are then able to pay taxes. The healthier the products are
the healthier the consumers will be, this will help businesses such as hospitals, as
they will not be overwhelmed with patients that are battling diseases such as
bacterial infections.
Research has found that organic agriculture is useful and much better for the
environment. Secondly, it benefits farmers in general. This shows that yes organic
farming is helping the environment, however, it only takes up 1% of the total
farmland in the world. This is not globally advancing the world as that is a minor
advantage to the many situations the world has to face. Why should governments
spend such a significant amount of money on start-ups and unproven enterprises
that are not even growing financially? The primary issue is the reduced outputs that
organic farmers can only guarantee. Larger cultivable fields are necessary for
farmers (non-organic farmers) who want to increase their income. However, it is
not always the case. Using synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides has
helped traditional agriculture produce more and more quickly. Organic farming is
more expensive, according to study, but future research should also concentrate on
how to teach farmers about the benefits of both forms of farming, instead of
limiting this information and focusing on the negatives.
Is organic farming the most realistic choice in years to come?
When compared to typical inorganic / synthetic inputs produced, agricultural
production remains far from becoming reality, despite being beneficial to soil
health and environmental health. Conventional farming has been around for
hundreds of years and introducing a new form of farming will be very difficult
especially if it is supposed to be the only form of farming. It will create doubt
within the population, especially for the older generations as they have not been
educated on what this will bring for them. Despite the fact that organic farming is
not able to meet the demands for a growing population in today’s world, it simply
means that the natural agricultural industry has a promising future; it is just not
now.
In the near future there are going to be customers that might think organic food is
superior, and farmers can charge more for being 100% organic, and the use
of pesticides and fertilisers will not be financially feasible for the future of organic
farming. If there is land available for cultivating crops that increase soil fertility,
sustainable agriculture can be a substantial source of food production in wealthy
nations that are food secure. It can further be a suitable fit in underdeveloped
nations where fertilizers tend to be more expensive and they might need a better
alternative, which in their case would be organic farming. Organic farming does
not tend to work best in areas that have a high population density as there is less
available land. For example, China. Natural agriculture tends to not work in China
as organic farming requires a large land mass, however, China has a high
population density making it difficult for them to even think of organic farming
becoming an option. Areas with high food demand like India cannot rely on just
organic farming to become the only form of farming as natural agriculture cannot
produce food at such fast rates like conventional farming can until organic farming
becomes a well-known industry and can eventually be funded by the country’s
government. Multiple African nations have deteriorated soils that rely on organic
material to supply nitrates to the soil. To boost soil fertility and ensure sustainable
food production, it is advisable to use both fertilizers and organic material as one
should not be the only form of farming to rely on.
I conducted this survey as part of my research about this topic and 60% of the
people I asked thought that organic farming will be realistic in the long run. This is
assuming that the global population will introduce organic farming as part of the
natural agricultural education. Therefore, the organic farming industry will expand
forcing the country’s government to invest in such businesses. This will inform
farmers on the both the benefits and defects and what decision they will make.
What are the human benefits of organic farming?
Organic products create a safe environment for farmers and their families, and
ensure customers that the organic products do not consist of any hazardous and
permanent chemicals in the food. Parents would not have to worry that their
children are playing with soil that could possibly irritate their skin. The air and the
environment will be much cleaner and fresher. Consuming organic food lowers the
risk of developing allergies, a propensity to put on weight, and obesity. This will
result in those using organic food leading healthier lifestyles. The organic pasture
fields will result in considerably healthier animal produce. Because the cows were
fed a clean food, the dairy products will be fresher. Organic farming strictly forbids
the use of pesticides, whereas conventional farming is the primary susceptibility to
these chemicals. The atmosphere would be considerably cleaner, breathing the air
would be more refreshing, drinking water wouldn't be full of pollutants, and
organic products would help protect firms in the public sector as people are less
likely to get sick.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, I do not agree with this statement to a certain extent, as the world has
been going through an economical turmoil due to several factors, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine increasing fuel prices and the pandemic that has been a dark
cloud luring over the world. Organic farming should not be the only mode of
farming will cause high rates of starvation as natural agriculture is not able to
produce numerous amounts of products at a fast rate. The world does not need
additional costs because of the form of farming the world should use. Organic
farming is way too expensive compared to conventional farming due to the
process it takes for foods to be classified as 100% organic. Both conventional and
organic farming are two extremes of farming as organic farming provides a safer
and fresher world but with a high expense, whereas, conventional farming is not
environmentally friendly, however, they are able to distribute their products at
faster rates and comes at a low expense. Therefore, I believe that organic farming
could not be viable just on its own as it has not yet been modified to be able to
satisfy consumer needs.
Reflection Section:
I made a few errors here and there with regard to my planning and time
management throughout the process of doing this project. I should have divided
my days up, in retrospect, to avoid being too busy at the end. I was granted a
lengthy period of time, and up until about a month ago, I had overestimated how
much time I actually had. Especially when given the opportunity to spread out my
work, I've come to the realization that procrastination is something I need to
improve on. Another realization I've had is that instead of generalizing my
research, I should have done so on the basis of a particular country. This could
easily affect the accuracy of my essay as not every country has the same statistics.
Bibliography:
APPENDIX:
RESEARCH LOG:
Date
6th May
What I did/Action
Comments
Include tutor lessons, meetings with your
tutor and advice given, research and
sources, writing sections of your project.
We had a discussion on what should be
included in the Gaudi Project with Ms.
Nightingale in the library.
What did I learn? How did this
influence my project? Did it change my
approach to my project?
I learnt how to structure my
paragraphs and how to make the essay
more informative by adding diagrams
and charts to prove of the information
I was producing. Plagiarism is not
tolerated therefore I have to approach
my project based on thorough
understanding.
9th May
I picked the question that I was going to do I learnt more on what the question
for the project.
was asking and tried to get a vague
understanding on what type of
information I needed in.
11th May
I ended up changing my question as I
found a question that I had more
understanding of.
15th July
I started typing my essay and I started with I learnt the benefits of using organic
my introduction and my first paragraph
farming, however, it does come with
some issues.
21st July
I wrote 2 paragraphs researching about
the defects of organic farming and how it
is able to be sustainable for a growing
population.
This influenced my project as I started
changing my perspective on organic
farming as I did not agree with the
statement fully. It changed my
approach as I started writing my essay
in a negative way.
1st August
I asked my dad on how he views organic
farming being the only mode of farming.
I learnt that both convention and
organic farming are both two extremes
and there must be a use of both as
both types of farming have
disadvantages.
I learnt what organic farming is and
how beneficial it is to the environment
and humanity and whether it is truly
sustainable for a growing population.
3rd August
I did my 5th and 6th subheading
I learnt the economical benefits of
organic farming and if organic farming
is realistic or not.
6th September
I finally finished my final paragraph and
my conclusion
I learnt how organic farming benefits
human beings and not just the
environments.