Agriculture and food
Organic Agriculture
A production system that sustains soil and ecosystem health by relying on ecological processes and avoiding synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and GMOs.
Definition
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people, relying on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than inputs with adverse effects. In practice it excludes synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, genetically modified organisms and routine antibiotics, and is verified through certification standards in most markets.
References
definition and four principles
global area and market data context
Overview
What it means
Organic principles — health, ecology, fairness and care, as articulated by IFOAM — combine traditional knowledge with modern agronomy. Certified organic area and markets have grown steadily, though organic still covers only a small share of global farmland, and debates continue over yield gaps and life-cycle performance.
How it is used
The term is defined in law (e. g. , the EU Organic Regulation and the US National Organic Program), in private standards, and in consumer labelling; it also features in agroecology and sustainable food policy.
Why it matters
Organic agriculture is the most established sustainability standard in food, offering verified reductions in synthetic chemical use while anchoring wider debates on how farming can regenerate soils, biodiversity and rural livelihoods.
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