• Farming Secrets
  • Free Resources
    • Blog
    • Webinar Replay
    • Recommended Books
    • Facebook Group
    • 7 Steps to Healthy Soils
    • Free Gifts
  • Members Access PRO
    • Pro Membership
    • Members Perks PRO
    • Farm Tours / Walk the TalkPRO
    • Gold Nuggets PRO
    • Mastermind Replays PRO
    • Regenerative Soil Mastermind CallPRO
  • Courses
    • All Courses
    • Featured Courses
    • Animal Health
    • Biodynamics
    • Compost and Compost Teas
    • Farming Systems
    • Human Health
    • Soil Health
  • My Courses
  • Farming Secrets
  • Free Resources
    • Blog
    • Webinar Replay
    • Recommended Books
    • Facebook Group
    • 7 Steps to Healthy Soils
    • Free Gifts
  • Members Access PRO
    • Pro Membership
    • Members Perks PRO
    • Farm Tours / Walk the TalkPRO
    • Gold Nuggets PRO
    • Mastermind Replays PRO
    • Regenerative Soil Mastermind CallPRO
  • Courses
    • All Courses
    • Featured Courses
    • Animal Health
    • Biodynamics
    • Compost and Compost Teas
    • Farming Systems
    • Human Health
    • Soil Health
  • My Courses

    Shopping Cart

    No products in the cart.

    Sign in Sign up

    Shopping Cart

    No products in the cart.

    • Log In
    • Register
    • Get Started
    • Learn About Soil
      • What’s New
      • Blog
      • Farm Tours
      • Podcast
      • Webinar Replay
    • Buy Courses
      • All Courses
      • Featured Courses
      • Short Courses

    Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

    With the world population passing the 6 billion mark last October, the debate over our ability to sustain a fast growing population is heating up. Biotechnology advocates in particular are becoming very vocal in their claim that there is no alternative to using GM crops in agriculture if “we want to feed the world”.

    Actually, that quote might be true. It depends what they mean by “we.” It’s true if the “we can feed the world” refers to the agribusiness industry, which has brought the world to the brink of food disaster and is looking for a way out. Biotech just may be their desperation move. Modern industrial agricultural — which forms the foundation for biotech — ranks as such a dismal failure that even Monsanto holds them up as the evil alternative.

    “The commercial industrial technologies that are used in agriculture today to feed the world… are not inherently sustainable,” Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro told the Greenpeace Business Conference recently. “They have not worked well to promote either self-sufficiency or food security in developing countries.” Feeding the world sustainably “is out of the question with current agricultural practice,” Shapiro told the Society of Environmental Journalists in 1995. “Loss of topsoil, of salinity of soil as a result of irrigation, and ultimate reliance on petrochemicals… are, obviously, not renewable. That clearly isn’t sustainable.”

    Shapiro is referring to the 30-year-old “Green Revolution” which has featured an industrial farming system that biotech would build on: the breeding of new crop varieties that could effectively use massive inputs of chemical fertilizers, and the use of toxic pesticides. As Shapiro has hinted, it has led to some severe environmental consequences, including loss of topsoil, decrease in soil fertility, surface and ground water contamination, and loss of genetic diversity.

    Do we really need to embark upon another risky technological fix to solve the mistakes of a previous one? Instead, we should be looking for solutions that are based on ecological and biological principles and have significantly fewer environmental costs. There is such an alternative that has been pioneered by organic farmers. In contrast to the industrial/monoculture approach advocated by the biotech industry, organic agriculture is described by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) as “a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.”

    A survey of recent studies comparing the productivity of organic practices to conventional agriculture provides an excellent example of the wide range of benefits we can expect from a conversion to sustainable agricultural methods. The results clearly show that organic farming accomplishes many of the FAO’s sustainability aims, as well as showing promise in increasing food production ability. It is becoming imperative that we move away from organic versus conventional systems comparisons, to research into ways of improving organic farming methods.

    Soil Lovers at Soil Learning Center Say:

    Can we afford NOT to respect the soil biology?

    Download PDF

    🔒 PRO Access Only

    Some content on this page is locked to members only!

    Dig Deeper and unearth your connection to the soil. Soil PRO membership is a revolutionary community that connects you with all things soil-related, from global challenges right down to the soil in your own backyard.

    Unlock the years of video archives, search the vault for "soil-utions", connect with mentors who can help you fast track and join an online community of soil loving enthusiasts on our Mastermind Calls.

    It's non-stop soil learning goodness!
    UPGRADE TO PRO NOW
    Locked

    We acknowledge First Nations owners of Country and their continuing connection to the land, waters and culture across Australia and from all over the world. As Soil Lovers we respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we work and pay our respects to the Elders past present and emerging. When caring for your land take a moment in stillness to respect the wisdom your land is sharing with us.

    Facebook-f X-twitter Instagram Youtube Microphone-alt

    Latest Soil Blogs

    Challenging Times For Farmers: How Regenerative Farming Helped John from NSW Build Resilience Against Climate Extremes

    Earth Month: Compost is the Quiet Revolution That Restores the Soil

    Worms: The Unsung Heroes Beneath Our Feet

    The belief that regenerative agriculture cannot sustain global food demands is a misconception.

    Is Regen Farming A Priority For You Right Now?

    Celebrating Change In The Last 20 Years Of Farming

    Soil Matters Monthly Newsletter!

    Dig into the most up-to-date news on soil health and regenerative trends – with community tips from top experts and mentors! Sign Up Now!
    Our sign-up form is currently undergoing maintenance and will be available shortly. We appreciate your patience.

    ©2006 - 2025 All rights reserved.

    Made with 🤎 Created by Soil Lovers at Farming Secrets.

    Omg... this sale is crazy!

    Days
    Hours
    Minutes
    Seconds

    hurry up and grab these deals:

    • 50% Courses
    • 30% Digital Downloads
    • 30% Memberships
    View all the deals