Organic Farming as A Development Strategy: Who are Interested and Who are not?

Summary

Much evidence shows that implementation of organic farming (OF) increases productivity in the Global South, and that
it will be possible to feed a growing world population with food produced in OF systems. OF is explored, analysed and
discussed in relation to the principles of Ecology, Health, Care and Fairness as enunciated by IFOAM, as a developmental strategy.
Major financial powers are involved in the agro-related industries. A number of civil society-based organisations point to the major negative side effects of the trade with and use of agro-chemical products environmentally and in the further deepening of the gaps between rich and poor. The MDGs target the environmental sustainability explicitly, and OF is regarded as being a relevant strategy to meet many goals. A global development strategy is needed that explicitly includes future generations, ecosystems, biodiversity and plant and animal species threatened by eradication.