Sustainable Agriculture Practices for Enhancing Biodiversity and Productivity: A Review of Organic Farming Systems

As a result of the increasing issues surrounding the destruction of biodiversity (living things), degradation of land (the soil can't grow crops anymore) and the pollution caused by conventional farming methods, there has been increasing world-wide attention on implementing sustainable agriculture methods. Many traditional farming systems use large amounts of manufactured fertilizer, chemicals (including herbicides) and mono-culture; each of these factors has detrimental effects on biodiversity (the variety of living plant and animal species) and the ecological balance (balance between all living things in an ecosystem). Conversely, Organic farming is an alternative sustainable system of agriculture that is based on developing an ecological process of conserving biodiversity and minimizing the use of manufactured chemicals. Organic farmers encourage the use of diverse farming techniques such as using multiple crops from year to year (crop rotation), providing biological pest control, adding compost to the soil to support soil health, and designing ecosystems that support the natural conditions needed for plant growth (agroecology). Numerous studies indicate that organic farming systems support greater biodiversity in agricultural landscapes by providing suitable habitats and reducing chemical inputs. There is a great deal of evidence available through meta- analysis indicating that organic farms support about 33% more species of living organisms as a result of using fewer pesticides on the farm as well as having greater habitat diversity. The ecosystem services provided by organic farming systems, such as providing pollination services, controlling insect pests naturally, and cycling nutrients through the soil, also contribute to making organic farming methods more sustainable. Through increasing organic matter, diversifying microorganisms, and increasing nutrient cycling within soil, organic agriculture is improving soil health. These three aspects will improve the long-term ability for farms to produce food and improve the resilience of farms to climate change.