Garden Organic Report - Coursework Example

? Garden Organic Report Garden Organic Report The United Kingdom has experienced tremendous growth in organic farming. Increased interest in sustainable agriculture over the last two decades has contributed to the expansion of organic agriculture. Organic farming is regarded as an aspect of sustainable agriculture and has revolutionized the farming process. Sustainable agriculture aims at providing alternative sources of food by emphasizing on organic farming. This type of farming also aims at improving environmental sustainability and increasing the role of the local and regional food markets. Expanding food markets is necessary for improving the livelihood of small scale farmers looking for ways of sustaining their livelihoods. Organic farming is part of sustainable agriculture that sustains the health of soils, people, and the ecosystem. The ecological processes, biodiversity, and local condition cycles sustain organic farming rather than agricultural inputs that have adverse effects. Organic farming combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the environment and promote good quality of life for participants. Garden organic was founded in the 1950s and is a national organizational for organic farming based in Ryton. The organization provides an organic approach to a sustainable future for the people and the planet through organic farming. Garden organic provides advice to organic farmers such as increasing the natural health of soil, choosing the right plant varieties, and producing a healthy garden through working with nature. The organization also provides farmers with guidelines for sustainable and efficient organic farming. Scientific research conducted by the organization aims to develop and improve techniques of organic agriculture and knowledge advancement on organic farming systems. Research also focuses on crop technology, pests, diseases, weeds, economics and markets, and soil dynamics. Garden organic also provides free resources for schools and maintains a Food for Life Partnership network for transforming the food culture into organic farming. Home composting is also promoted by the organization as a means of providing organic manure for farmers (Garden Organic, 2013). The wider society is involved through the international development program aims at promoting organic agriculture in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The program aims at improving the understanding of sustainable agriculture as a way of improving food security. The program conducts research and training on management and provides resources for poor farmers. Networks created in the international program organize farmers for capacity building on ecological agriculture. The program also develops organic agriculture for consumption in the domestic market and for export. The international program has been successful through farming networks created in different parts of the world. European organizations provide information and support in technological development for farming organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. NGOs, governments and extension workers in the third world have improved organic farming in their constituent countries (Garden Organic, 2013). Garden Organic owns 30 individual gardens that are set in 10 acres of land. The gardens showcase composting, pest and disease control, growing fruits and vegetables, herbs, roses, shrubberies, lawns, and herbaceous plants. The gardens have a conservation area that has native trees and wildflowers. The production method showcased support the organization’s incentive of organic farming. Wildflowers and native trees support environmental conservation. The showcase also incorporates bee farming and living willow structures that complement organic agriculture. Garden organic has expanded its activities beyond the UK into Africa, Asia, and America. Crop farming has surpassed bee keeping and is the main activity for the organization. Crop farming especially vegetable and fruit production has gained popularity over other farming types due to ease of production (Garden Organic, 2013). Garden organic conducts trainings and workshops for students and farmers. About 10 percent of schools in the UK have joined Garden Organics’ educational program that teaches students about food and organic farming. The organization also trains composter volunteers that are supposed to train farmers about composting. The master gardener program recruits and trains master gardeners for promoting local food production. Workshops are conducted for training farmers on organic weed management and vegetable systems. Garden Organic gets funds from CABI, DFID, and the British Council. Members and the public make donations that are used to maintain the organization together with its projects. These bodies provide funds for organizing workshops, running projects, and expanding activities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The organization also publishes leaflets and booklets relating methods of farming and plant species that are used in organic farming. Policy briefs and reports are also produced using funds donated by supporting organizations (Garden Organic, 2013). Information provided, and observations made during the field trip can be supported or contradicted by leaflets, reports and booklets produced by the organization. The publications contain information regarding local, regional, and international activities conducted by Garden Organic. Reports from independent observers and donor organizations are part of information sources that can support or contradict information given by the field trip guide. Organic farming has gained popularity in the UK and around the world. Several farmers have joined organic farming, and this has increased the activities of Garden organic (Garden Organic, 2013). Increased organic farming has brightened the future of the organization, which has embarked on organic projects in the third world countries. The sites have proven to be sustainable due to the expansive farming activities. Increased organic farming has improved food and fruit production and the ease of production makes the activities of Garden Organic sustainable. Increased research and training can increase the manpower necessary for expanding the activities of the organization as well as promoting organic agriculture. The site can be improved by expanding the number of organic gardens and introducing more resilient crops that are easy to produce. Reference Garden Organic. 2013. Garden Organic - the national charity for organic growing. From http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/index.php. [Accessed on 13 February 2013]. Organic Farming Name Institution Tutor Date Organic Farming Organic farming is considered the most effective method of farming for improving food security among the poor. Agro-ecological systems are best suited to meet the food needs of the rural and urban poor and help reverse environmental degradation. According to Robinson (2008), sustainable agriculture should maintain productivity, reduce environmental degradation, and stabilize the quality of life among rural communities. Balancing future demands and supply is important for sustainability and affordability of food. Organic farming encourages recycling nutrients on the farm and mixed farming of livestock and livestock. Diverse crops used in organic farming increase the unit production of the farm. Concentrating on the farming cycle that relies on the knowledge and techniques rather than intensive inputs and farm mechanization improves production. Cheap farm inputs required in organic farming improves its applicability among the poor especially in the third world countries. This is essential for promoting food independence among developing countries. Majority of the poor people live in the global south in the poor areas and are directly involved in food production (Pretty, 2005). Majority of these people doe not have their own land and often work for others. Poor people in urban areas are at risk of hunger, but urban agriculture is a reality in the global south and can reduce hunger among the urban poor. Investments from governments and donors have increased due to the expansion of agro-food companies. This investment focuses on agro-ecological farming methods and supports smallholder agriculture (Ebenezar, et al, 2011). Agro-ecology promotes farming systems that mimic natural processes that create beneficial biological interactions. Organic systems utilize core principles such as recycling nutrients and diversifying animal and plant species. Fodder shrubs introduced in east Africa have introduced a reliable source of protein feeds for animals. This has improved milk production, reduce soil erosion, and increase soil fertility. Garden Organic aims at promoting sustainability in food production by organic farming. However, researchers have criticized organic farming due to reduced productivity compared to other farming methods. Increasing the area under organic food in Europe to 20 percent would create the need for food imports from other countries (UNEP-UNCTAD, 2008). Organic farming has not been practiced under large scale farming, which has resulted to low production. This mode of farming emphasizes on environmental production by avoiding inorganic farm inputs. This has raised concerns over the applicability of organic farming in feeding the world’s population. However, effective labor use emphasized in organic farming and intensification of technology can sustain food production. Garden Organic has intensified training and research in third world countries that improve farming knowledge among farmers. This has led to improved farming techniques such as manure production that has improved food output from organic farmers. Fresh organic produce has become more available to the wider community and organic farming has enabled new community groups to get involved in agricultural production. This has increased the dietary options available to the people and has reduced the deficit for organic foods (Gustavsson et al, 2011). Demand for greenhouses in agricultural production is bound to reduce, minimizing carbon emissions to the atmosphere. This will reduce environmental degradation experienced currently due to reliance on manufactured fertilizers and greenhouses. Improving organic agriculture will reduce dependence on meat, which will reduce the amount of cereals needed to feed animals. This would in turn increase the amount of cereal produce available for human consumption. Currently, agricultural resources such as water, land, and biodiversity are degraded at a high rate creating the need for alternative means of providing food. Expanding organic farming will increase these alternatives for crop and animal production as well as conserve the environment. This will meet the conditions for sustainable agriculture that can provide food security to the world. References Ebenezar K.A., Tchoundjeu, R., Leakey, R., Takousting, B., Njong, J., and Edang, I. 2011 Agroforestry and multifunctional agriculture in Cameroon, International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9 (1), 110-119. Gustavsson, J., Cederberg. C., Sonesson, U., van Otterdijk, R., and Meybeck, A. 2011. Global Food Losses and Food Waster: Extent, causes and prevention. FAO, 2011. Pretty, J., et al. 2005. Resource-conserving agriculture increases yields in developing countries. Environmental Science and Technology, 40 (4), 1114–1119. Robinson, G. 2008 Sustainable Rural Systems: Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Communities. Ashgate. UNEP-UNCTAD (2008) Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, United Nations Read More