FOR being an agriculture writer and aspiring farmer advocating for a healthier alternative and more sustainable food system, I am often asked if how healthy food can be produced in the country at a more affordable rate.
Taking into account the food security problem being encountered by many countries, I understand the concerns in producing more affordable but healthier food items.
However, as our country is moving toward a cheap food economy, we can see that this has only deepened food insecurity challenges for struggling working families, many of whom work in the food system and are hard pressed to feed themselves.
So instead of continuing to make food cheaper, we see far more opportunity in paying the real cost of our meals so that we will not be starving the farmers, food workers, or even the planet – this is why I am among the advocates of organic farming.
Primarily, organic farming is expected to reduce the high cost of cheap food in the country because organic farmers don’t use synthetic fertilizers, the fossil-fuel intensive chemical input that has been running off farm fields and creating expensive water quality problems in rural communities.
Organic farmers don’t also use pesticides, which pollute rural water supplies that have been linked to different diseases.
Likewise, organic soil health strategies such as longer crop rotations and regenerative grazing show great promise for sequestering carbon, which can help mitigate the effects of climate change.
Organic farming can also reduce the high cost of cheap food that is being paid by our farmers, food workers, and rural communities.
When consumers pay a premium for quality and good stewardship, farmers can be paid a fair price for their work, which in turn has a multiplier effect on rural communities.
This is the reason why counties with high levels of organic agricultural activity have higher median incomes and lower poverty rates.
It is vital to make it sure that farmworkers and food workers get their fair share of these premiums, and that resources are available to help farmers transition to organic practices so they can access these premiums.
At the end of the day, organic farming can reduce the high cost of cheap food that we’re paying in the form of chronic disease and staggering health care expenses.
It is important to note that organically grown crops demonstrate substantially higher levels of antioxidants, which are important for promoting health.
Basically, the diversified farming systems that are keys to regenerative organic agriculture have been linked to dietary diversity and better nutrition.
However, we should take into account that organic certification alone is not the only criteria for the country’s food system.
Certified organic practices must be complemented by sincere efforts such as reducing food waste, transitioning to diets higher in plant-based protein, and ensuring fairness throughout food supply chains.
We should always remember that organic farming is the key toward attaining food sustainability, because it represents a commitment to practicing agriculture without toxic chemicals and promoting healthy farm ecosystems./PN
