Hello! Today will be a continuation of my previous blog post where we will be discussing about WWOOF and whether their practices are truly sustainable.
WWOOF practices organic farming and claims that it’s more sustainable than regular farming but – Is organic farming really sustainable? Organic farming is the cultivation of crops and livestock without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones.
In theory, organic farming is supposed to have lesser repercussions on the environment by releasing less greenhouse gas emissions and reducing soil erosion and chemical pollution by pesticides. However, is this really the case?
In 2018, it was found that organic peas grown in Sweden emitted fifty percent higher greenhouse gases as compared to peas that were grown with regular farming practices. This is due to the lower yield of organic crops. To make up for the lower yield, more land is used for organic farming. As a result, more forests are chopped down to make space for these crops. Forests are commonly known as carbon sinks that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. By 2050, demand for food is expected to rocket up to 98% due to increasing population all around the world. With increased demand for food, more land is required to sustain the supply. Especially with changing tastes and preferences towards organic food, more land is cleared to allow organic farming that will instead contribute to climate change.
On the other hand, it can be argued that in many countries, organic farmers practice using animal waste as fertilizers. This can substitute synthetic fertilizers and decrease the amount of greenhouse gas being emitted. Instead of using pesticides, there are other methods used to deter pests away that reduces the risk of water being polluted and animals suffering from health risks. Some examples are crop rotation and some plant derivatives. Pests only come around when there is continuous planting of a certain crop. This is because the small number of pests will survive and reproduce. As a result, there will be a large number of pests. With crop rotation, pests are less likely to survive as they cannot survive on certain crops. As a result, there is less chance of pests as they will die when another crop is being planted.
So, what is the truth? Is organic farming actually sustainable? In my opinion, it depends on the crop yield in that area. If the crop yield of organic crops is lower by only a small amount compared to the non-organic crops, the organic crops will be a more sustainable source of food compared to non-organic crops as the carbon dioxide produced from the extra amount of land converted from forests is negligible compared to the nitrous oxide and methane produced from fertilizers. Nitrous oxides are three hundred times more potent than carbon dioxide while methane gas is thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide. WWOOF farmers must consider the trade-offs and determine which crops’ yield will ensure that there is efficient output of greenhouse gas.
Hi Chloe!
An interesting read, I have never thought about going on a vacation to a farm before, much less one where I would have to do the farming myself. However I feel it might be an interesting concept for a holiday, really taking the time away from the hustle and bustle of the city to live on a peaceful, farm.
One question that I have is even if the organic farms do not produce the most environmentally friendly foods, will it still be more environmentally friendly to go to one for a holiday? Given that on a normal one, large amounts of pollution are still produced from transport, food and lodging.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Mark
Hi Mark!
That’s an interesting view! I believe that going to an organic farm is indeed a more environmentally friendly experience compared to a tourist hotspot with five star hotels. Most hotels are not very environmentally friendly in the first place as they consume high amounts of water and energy to ensure tourists feel at ease. The entire building is usually air conditioned and the lights do not switch off even during the wee hours of the morning. However on these farms, the waste in toilets are composted, animal waste is converted into methane gas and used to generate electricity. So yes, I still think that WWOOF farms will still be a more environmentally friendly alternative to most tourist attractions.
Hi Chloe! I always thought that organic farming methods will be better for the environment (especially since they highly promote it on the food packaging), but your post showed me another perspective on its sustainability. Since one of my recent post was about genetically modified crops, I was wondering what your opinion on GMOs are, as studies have suggested that GMOs have higher crop yield and thus will not need as much land.
-Alicia 🙂
Hi Alicia!
I’m glad my post gave you a different view on organic farming! I think that GMOs are a great way to reduce food scarcity especially in countries where food is distributed unevenly. However, I believe that they may affect the ecosystem? I read somewhere that some GM crops have negative impacts on non-target organisms. One example is the Monarch butterfly in North America. So I believe that GMOs should be used but it’s usage should be controlled so that it does not threaten species into extinction.