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Organic
agriculture is a farming system based on the use of natural
materials in biological agriculture instead of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, and the resistance materials which
is harmful to public health. It also does not allow the use of
strains and genetically modified organisms and as well as the
Ionized radiation, also preservatives in manufacturing
processes, preparation or packaging and thereby reach food to
the consumer as is natural.
To produce an
organic production, it needs a transition period to be convert
from traditional agriculture to organic agriculture, also it
needs inspections and certification of production areas and to
make sure that the conditions and standards are available in the
organic product and to ensure the rights of the producer and
the consumer is done subject to specified conditions have been
developed under the rules and regulations of the European Union
EU regulation that is working out.
In Egypt so far, did
not issue any rules and regulations specific to Egypt to the
present day.
Advantages food
stuff from organic farming:
- Has a natural and
unique taste.
- Its shelf life
after harvesting is quite long, and it do not spoil very
quickly in comparison with
the products treated with chemical fertilizers.
- Natural size
matching to the original variety.
- Its Nutritional
elements are balanced and closer to natural.
- Free of toxic and
harmful substances resulting from the accumulation of pesticides
and the
free ions.
- Processes are
produced and manufactured in ways that do not harm the
environment.
- Practices in
organic farming
- The use of organic
fertilizer produced from natural sources in plant nutrition.
- Raising soil
fertility as a result of continuous addition of organic
materials and the use of
crop rotation which contains Legumes crops for fixing Nitrogen in Soil.
- Protect
agricultural crops from insects and disease by following an
integrated agricultural
management and maintenance of the ecosystem without The need for the use
of harmful chemicals.
- Protection of
natural enemies of pests and the use of natural materials in the
control
operations.
- The Farm
management which depends on the use of animal waste and reuse
and recycle
of waste plants.
- The
Sustainability of animal health, adopting preventive health
instead of drugs and
antibiotics.
- Limitation of the
use of non-renewable resources and the preservation of the
environment,
society and the establishment of a sustainable agricultural system.
The
benefits of organic
farming:
- Organic farming
preserve the environment and reduce water pollution with
chemicals and
pesticides.
- Limit the use of
non-renewable sources of energy and materials manufactured and
thus
reduce global warming and the absorption of a large soil carbon.
- Keep the soil
alive by growing the beneficial organisms.
- Contribute to the
enrichment of wildlife and increase the numbers of natural
enemies and
beneficial predators.
- Enhance the
strength and build the soil by following the crop rotation and
increase organic
stuff and stimulate proliferation of animals, plants and soil organisms.
- Providing healthy
food free of antibiotics, chemicals and pesticides.
- Reduce the risk to
farmers resulting from the use of toxic substances.
- Development of
rural areas and make it harmonious with nature and accommodate
better
and more professional labor.
Facts and
Statistics:
- The value of sales
of organic food $ 23 billion in 2002.
- Demand for organic
products increased by 20% since 1990.
- Organic food sold
in 20.000 stores in the United States.
- Increased sales
price of organic foods in the United States from 1 billion to
7.8 billion in 10
years.
- The percentage of
the Organic fields in Germany and Sweden reached to 20% of
agricultural areas by the year 2010.
- The area of
organic
fields in Europe is 5.6 million hectares with 143,000 farms.
- The total area
cultivated organically in Australia, 10 million hectares.
- Most of the
children's food in Germany is organic and 30% of bread consumed
in the city of
Munich is organic.
- Italy approved a
law to make all the organic food in schools in 2005.
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