Organics
Agriculture is one of humankind’s most basic activities because all people need to nourish themselves daily.
It is therefore also the biggest way we as humans affect the world around us. Agriculture however, poorly executed, is one of the largest contributors to climate change and is the greatest immediate threat to species and ecosystems around the world. Agriculture can also involve the unethical mistreatment and exploitation of both people and animals.
The Principles of Organic Agriculture, established by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), serve to inspire the organic movement in its full diversity, presented with a vision of their world-wide adoption.
The Soil & Health Association supports IFOAM’s four principles of organic agriculture which are:
- Health – organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible
- Ecology – organic agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them
- Fairness – organic agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities
- Care – organic agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.
Read our recent discussion of organics – Safe Food & Healthy Families
Photo credit: Nick Holmes
