Organic farming – Food (Policy) For Thought

November 24, 2014

Organic Farming and Climate-Smart Agriculture – A Complicated Relationship

When working in international politics, you realize that efforts to improve (or, I daresay, save) the world revolve around buzzwords. Clearcut visions and concepts are required to form alliances, formulate action plans and (most importantly!) pledge political and financial support. In agriculture, it seems we have passed ‘green’ (too reminiscent of the green revolution and its … Continue reading Organic Farming and Climate-Smart Agriculture – A Complicated Relationship

November 9, 2014

Who Gets To Decide What Is "Organic"?

What “organics” is, how it should be defined, and how it should be regulated is a hot topic right now from Brussels to Berlin. The reason? The European Commission has proposed a new legislative framework, and was met with broad opposition from organic farmers, politicians, and industry reps. The debate has been especially strong in … Continue reading Who Gets To Decide What Is "Organic"?

December 10, 2013

Organic Milk – The Healthier Option?

Many times, hailing the health benefits of organic foods, for example fruits and vegetables, has been criticized, and with good reason – while there may be less pesticide residues on the produce, the organic production method is mainly healthy for the planet, and there is little reason why an organic apple should have more vitamins … Continue reading Organic Milk – The Healthier Option?

September 26, 2013

When Genetic Engineering Marries Organic Farming…

… in the truest sense of the word. This Ensia article is about a married couple whose relationship is all about sustainable agriculture – one of them is a plant geneticist and the other a farmer that leads UC Davis’ student organic farm. Now they have written a book together on how their individual disciplines … Continue reading When Genetic Engineering Marries Organic Farming…

May 10, 2013

The Benefits of Organics, According to an 8-Year-Old

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gAYCSRdS0Aw] When I first saw this link in my newsfeed this morning (via Butter Believer), I knew I had to share it. The video is a response to a Time Magazine article by famed TV- personality Dr. Oz, somebody many Americans would consider an expert on health issues. In that article, he advocated for the … Continue reading The Benefits of Organics, According to an 8-Year-Old

March 24, 2013

Cuba At The Crossroads

Cuba is such a funny case: according to this article, agroecological farming principles are the norm, more than half of its farms use organic production methods, and it is a leader in urban agriculture – but yet, most of these developments are less the result of a coordinated policy shift than a survival mechanism that … Continue reading Cuba At The Crossroads

February 23, 2013

Bhutan – 100% Organic!?

Bhutan just doesn’t stop being inspirational. After championing a Gross National Happiness Index instead of measuring development in Gross Domestic Product, they have now announced that they will be the first country on its way to be exclusively organic. According to Pema Gyamtsho, Bhutan’s minister of agriculture and forests, the kingdom adopted its National Organic Policy out … Continue reading Bhutan – 100% Organic!?

February 14, 2013October 29, 2015

The EU wants to know – Organic Agriculture Yay or Nay?

The European Union is known for its extensive bureaucracy and intricate policies – we talked about the cucumber-straightness regulations before -, but it is also pretty good at trying to gather public opinions on its policies before reforming them. Its newest project: A consultation for the review of the European policy on organic agriculture! It’s … Continue reading The EU wants to know – Organic Agriculture Yay or Nay?