‘The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings’
-International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM)
Organic - the new mantra of today's well being. It is the name given to food that is grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers and emphasizes using renewable resources for conserving soil and water. In addition, organic food is not subjected to radiation treatment and artificial colours and it is not genetically-modified. It includes everything from staple crops such as rice and wheat to vegetables, fruits, pulses, milk and more.
Why organic?
In organic farming, soil is enriched by natural methods such as rotation of crops, vermi composting, and use of natural manures like cow dung, agricultural waste material and natural pesticides like Neem. Consumers frequently buy organic food for environmental reasons and because they consider it to be more healthful.
It is claimed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious and flavour-rich. Some long-term users of organic products vouch for it. "I have no stomach upsets, gas problems, belching and many such minor issues. In fact, my thought processes have also improved!" says Aparna, an organic-only consumer.
Organic also have abundant anti-cancer agents. This makes one wonder, what are we eating then, in the name of conventional food..?! "Conventional produce being sourced into Bangalore are richly drenched with pesticides, growth hormones and what not", says a sourcing specialist of a retail chain in Bangalore, who wishes to remain anonymous. “They especially contain lead compounds and traces of Arsenic, which have long term ill-effects", he says.
"Lesser toxins, for sure" is why Veena shops regularly at one of the organic vegetables and fruits outlets in Bangalore.
A major drawback for going organic products could be the price, which is roughly 15-50 per cent higher. “Price and availability is an issue. No push-cart fellow selling organic stuff is coming to my door”, says Chaya Srinivas aged 52, who buys regularly from the local push cart vendors at Seshadripuram. Farmers who grow organic food have to meet stricter quality standards to have their products certified organic. More labour is required to achieve this, bringing up the cost. "But eventually, maybe we will spend less on doctors and health care" says another organic food consumer.
As Aparna Kumar, owner of Adi Naturals, a natural produce outlet at J P Nagar in South Bangalore points out, we need to use lesser portions of organic food to get the same volume. “For example, two cups of normal dal and one and half cup of organic dal will give you the same volume when cooked. This will compensate slightly for the price difference", she says.
Aparna is a Bio-technologist, who gave up her job at Biocon when she found her calling to set up this organic co-op along with her sister-in-law Vidya Sadanand, a psychiatrist by profession. These enthusiastic entrepreneurs in their mid thirties established Adi Naturals as a non-profit venture, and are now in the process of registering it as a co-operative.
Today, Bangalore is emerging as a major retail market, and well-heeled consumers do not mind spending the extra money for the sake of health. As Rashmi, a mother of two points out, "It is very much worth the extra buck. When we don't mind spending extra for PVR gold class movie tickets or eating junk food, we should not crib about a mere 15% increase in the grocery bill". Interestingly, Adi Naturals had conducted a comparative price study of organic products and conventional products at the More retail chain and found that the difference in prices is not more than 10-12 per cent.
Certified only?
While certification is not mandatory for domestic retail, it's a must for exports. Most organic produce from India is exported to European countries. A certified product would have its production process guaranteed by an accredited certifying agency. The quality assurance is displayed on the product packaging as a logo.
India is now working towards a certification regime and soon, an organic farming policy is expected to be in place. Certification though is not a one-time affair. It is a long-term understanding between farmers with small land holdings and a certifying agency, to be renewed every year.
Despite the tedious process of certification, farmers are increasingly entering the segment.
Apart from these stores, branded organic food and products like ProNature, Navadarshanam, etc., are available at most super-markets around the city. There are about 15,000 certified organic farmers in India, according to figures quoted on various websites. But there are as many small farmers growing food and grains organically. These farmers are successfully selling their products through the help of NGOs or community centres. “Group certification works out cheaper for these small farmers. So they form small groups or co-op societies and go in for certification", explains Ramaswamy, manager of Jaivika mall at Labagh, a Karnataka government initiative.
The government has already initiated a project wherein every district/taluk will have 50 to 80 hectares of 'organic village' where only organic food is grown. Thus, within the next two years, almost 150 taluk and district centres will have organic outlets. “Maybe the enhanced supply will bring down the prices slightly", feels Ramaswamy.
Also, organic consumers know that all organic vegetables and fruits cannot look similar. Tomatoes, for example, will not all have the same or perfect shape and colour, but will taste the same. “Do not ask for all perfectly shaped bananas or tomatoes the exact shade of crimson", warns Aparna of Adi Naturals.
How can we help?
Organic food is also based on the principle that social and environmental sustainability are inextricably interdependent. What begins at a food level leads us into being concerned about the water we drink, the clothes we wear, and the fuel we use for the car. The idea of organic extends to different spheres of existence, thus becoming a way of life.
As Aparna rounds it up very well, we should stop thinking about the price as a barrier to consume organic food. It is something we need to do to give back to the community and nature. “Let’s be responsible and responsive in this regard. Organic is a way of life", she says emphatically.
The best we as consumers could do is to buy local, seasonal produce, striking a balance between organic and non-organic sources. A little enquiry around the place will surely lead us to an organic produce seller, or someone who knows an organic farmer. Just like other products, organic products are also priced differently in different stores. Ultimately, the choice is with us.
Article by
Divya Sharma
05 Aug 2008
Sunday, July 4, 2010
4th News Article
French village goes organic one day a week
Correns village is home to the stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - but also home to the self-proclaimed first organic village in France.
Organic in French is "bio" for "biological", and this suffix precedes almost everything here. "Bio" hairdresser, "bio" market, "bio" guest houses, "bio" you-name-it.
And since the beginning of the year, the local primary school has also been organic.
The lunch menu at the school is organic tomatoes, organic peas from a tin and organic frozen hamburgers, followed by organic yoghurt for dessert. And the bread is always organic.
The 65 children enrolled there share cross-age classes - there are not enough teachers to make 8 different classes according to age.
But despite the teachers explaining to pupils about healthy eating, originally the organic lunches didn't go down quite so well.
The headmaster explains that at the start they had one day which was organic, but they soon realised that some children stayed home on that day, while others ate at the canteen just on that day.
So they spread the organic food across the week and now 25 percent of each day's meals are organic.
The items marked in green on the menu are organic.
But Nicole Roullane says it's no good importing organic food from abroad - steps must be taken to encourage local farmers to go organic.
The local market sells some organic food: plants, olive oil, eggs, vegetables, goat's cheese, all are produced without chemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides.
But the village of Correns in mainly devoted to the production of organic wine. And you can't serve that to children.
There is a lack of locally produced organic vegetables and meat. Most of those items have to be imported from Italy and Germany.
One thing that is locally produced though is the bread served every day to the children.
The one and only bakery of Correns is all the work of one woman who has the baking gene in her name: Fanny Fournier, in French "the baker". She gets up at 1.30am every morning to make ordinary bread and organic bread too.
She explains that organic bread takes much longer. First you have to make your yeast and this takes a week, then the actual bread-making process takes five hours instead of three.
When the children have their morning snack, it is clear that organic is not the priority: you see many industrially prepared cakes and no fresh fruit at all.
One mother who recently came to live in France from the United States says that the canteen is wonderful, the food is safe, and healthy and her children actually eat their meals.
At noon precisely, a storm of hungry children invades the premises. Generally they seem to like their food, but when asked about the organic meals, the reactions are mixed.
One girl definitely prefers when it's organic. But struggles to say what organic means.
A couple of boys step in to help “organic means no chemicals!”
According to the government body "Grenelle de l'environnement" , which is responsible for the environment, the goal is to have 15 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2012 of organic produce in school restaurants.
However, currently only five percent of agricultural land in France is dedicated to organic farming.
Adapted from 3news.co.nz
Views:
Correns village is home to the stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - but also home to the self-proclaimed first organic village in France.
Organic in French is "bio" for "biological", and this suffix precedes almost everything here. "Bio" hairdresser, "bio" market, "bio" guest houses, "bio" you-name-it.
And since the beginning of the year, the local primary school has also been organic.
The lunch menu at the school is organic tomatoes, organic peas from a tin and organic frozen hamburgers, followed by organic yoghurt for dessert. And the bread is always organic.
The 65 children enrolled there share cross-age classes - there are not enough teachers to make 8 different classes according to age.
But despite the teachers explaining to pupils about healthy eating, originally the organic lunches didn't go down quite so well.
The headmaster explains that at the start they had one day which was organic, but they soon realised that some children stayed home on that day, while others ate at the canteen just on that day.
So they spread the organic food across the week and now 25 percent of each day's meals are organic.
The items marked in green on the menu are organic.
But Nicole Roullane says it's no good importing organic food from abroad - steps must be taken to encourage local farmers to go organic.
The local market sells some organic food: plants, olive oil, eggs, vegetables, goat's cheese, all are produced without chemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides.
But the village of Correns in mainly devoted to the production of organic wine. And you can't serve that to children.
There is a lack of locally produced organic vegetables and meat. Most of those items have to be imported from Italy and Germany.
One thing that is locally produced though is the bread served every day to the children.
The one and only bakery of Correns is all the work of one woman who has the baking gene in her name: Fanny Fournier, in French "the baker". She gets up at 1.30am every morning to make ordinary bread and organic bread too.
She explains that organic bread takes much longer. First you have to make your yeast and this takes a week, then the actual bread-making process takes five hours instead of three.
When the children have their morning snack, it is clear that organic is not the priority: you see many industrially prepared cakes and no fresh fruit at all.
One mother who recently came to live in France from the United States says that the canteen is wonderful, the food is safe, and healthy and her children actually eat their meals.
At noon precisely, a storm of hungry children invades the premises. Generally they seem to like their food, but when asked about the organic meals, the reactions are mixed.
One girl definitely prefers when it's organic. But struggles to say what organic means.
A couple of boys step in to help “organic means no chemicals!”
According to the government body "Grenelle de l'environnement" , which is responsible for the environment, the goal is to have 15 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2012 of organic produce in school restaurants.
However, currently only five percent of agricultural land in France is dedicated to organic farming.
Adapted from 3news.co.nz
Views:
Mythbuster! : Myth 3
Myth: Organic food tastes like cardboard.
Fact: This may have been true of processed foods at one time—take crackers or pretzels for example—but this stereotype is as outdated as the hippie connotations that follow it. Today many organic snack foods taste the same as their conventional counterparts, while most people agree that fresh, locally grown organic produce does not compare to the alternative. Even organic produce that is not in season and has been shipped thousands of miles to reach our grocer’s shelves cannot compare to the produce found in our own back yard or at farmers markets. Taste is certainly an individual matter, so give organic a try and see what you think!
Try baking a couple batches of cookies or prepare a couple of bowls of fruit or vegetable salad; use organic ingredients in one and conventional ingredients in the other.
Fact: This may have been true of processed foods at one time—take crackers or pretzels for example—but this stereotype is as outdated as the hippie connotations that follow it. Today many organic snack foods taste the same as their conventional counterparts, while most people agree that fresh, locally grown organic produce does not compare to the alternative. Even organic produce that is not in season and has been shipped thousands of miles to reach our grocer’s shelves cannot compare to the produce found in our own back yard or at farmers markets. Taste is certainly an individual matter, so give organic a try and see what you think!
Try baking a couple batches of cookies or prepare a couple of bowls of fruit or vegetable salad; use organic ingredients in one and conventional ingredients in the other.
Mythbuster! : Myth 2
Myth: Eating organic food is the same as eating natural food.
Fact: Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives, but they may contain ingredients that have been grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. In other words, the ingredients in the ingredient panel will look familiar, but they have not been produced organically. Natural foods are not regulated and do not meet the same criteria that organic foods do.
Fact: Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives, but they may contain ingredients that have been grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. In other words, the ingredients in the ingredient panel will look familiar, but they have not been produced organically. Natural foods are not regulated and do not meet the same criteria that organic foods do.
Mythbuster! : Myth 1
Myth: Organic food is too expensive.
Fact: In general, organic food costs more than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically smaller organic farms. You may find that the benefits of organic agriculture off-set this additional cost. At the same time, there are ways to purchase organic while sticking to your budget. Consider the following when questioning the price of organic:
* Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing.
* The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars.
* Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.
Fact: In general, organic food costs more than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically smaller organic farms. You may find that the benefits of organic agriculture off-set this additional cost. At the same time, there are ways to purchase organic while sticking to your budget. Consider the following when questioning the price of organic:
* Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing.
* The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars.
* Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
iNteReStiNG FaCts #2
The biggest country for organic production of foods is Germany. This is due to the fact that they often have problems with their soil and they have difficulties producing foods because of it. Organic methods do help them to make soil very nutritious.
iNteReStiNG FaCts #1
The organic revolution is a global phenomenon witnessed in every part of the world including the US, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Hungary, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Ar...gentina, Brazil, Chile and South Africa. These regions are important production as well as demand centres.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
3rd News Article
What are the Environmental Benefits from Organic Foods?
The environment is one of the many reasons why people buy organic foods. They want to do their part so that they can cut down on environmental pollution. Conventional foods allow the use of herbicides, pesticides, and other synthetic materials that aren’t good for our water supplies or the air we breathe. It isn’t just humans that are affected either because animals that live in the bodies of water out there can be harmed.
The soil can be depleted of valuable nutrients when too many chemicals are used. This is a problem because that is going to affect the ability for other elements to properly grow there later on. When the soil is used to grow organic foods though it is actually ending up richer in nutrients afterwards than before. This is due to the use of materials including compost for the fertilizer instead of any chemicals.
Experts have proven that organic foods consume less energy to get them processed. They also don’t contribute to waste as much in the form of packaging either. Many believe that conventional products have the entire residue removed from them when they are delivered to the stores. However, there is still plenty of it that will remain even after you wash them. So you are buying fresh fruits and vegetables to be healthy and then taking such toxins into your body
.
With the process of organic food growth, less petroleum is used for it. This is a type of fossil fuel that once it is gone we can’t replace it. Saving such resources is something we need to do. When we can get great food to grow without it then we are moving in the right direction. Less water is used for it as well and the water supplies won’t be polluted by a variety of toxins.
With conventional farming many insects and animals are killed due to the consumption of pesticides. Even though they are bothering the crops those animals do have their place out there. Some of them end up developing a high tolerance for it as well. That means more extreme types of pesticides have to be used in the future in order to kill them. Organic foods give us a way to get a break from such a problem that only continues to compound itself.
When it comes to the organic raising of animals for meat and for eggs, there are positive impacts as well. These animals are raised in environments that are clean, stress free, and they have plenty of fresh air as well as room to roam. They aren’t given hormones or steroids to help them grow or to get leaner meat from them. As a result they taste better and those types of hormones and chemicals aren’t passed on to the humans that consume those types of organic products.
Many people do like the taste of organic cream, milk, and yogurt. This is all due to the way in which the cows are raised. They are fed organic foods themselves which further adds to their overall level of health.
Showing respect for the Earth is something that everyone on it needs to do. However, most of us have to admit that we don’t do all we can. The modern conveniences in life that we have sometimes take a harsh toll on the world. Leaving it a better place for our children and future generations should be a priority though. Perhaps growing and consuming organic foods is one what that we can start to see some positive movements in this direction.
Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/what-are-the-environmental-benefits-from-organic-foods-1016004.html#ixzz0sFwq6bt3
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Adapted from www.articlebase.com
The environment is one of the many reasons why people buy organic foods. They want to do their part so that they can cut down on environmental pollution. Conventional foods allow the use of herbicides, pesticides, and other synthetic materials that aren’t good for our water supplies or the air we breathe. It isn’t just humans that are affected either because animals that live in the bodies of water out there can be harmed.
The soil can be depleted of valuable nutrients when too many chemicals are used. This is a problem because that is going to affect the ability for other elements to properly grow there later on. When the soil is used to grow organic foods though it is actually ending up richer in nutrients afterwards than before. This is due to the use of materials including compost for the fertilizer instead of any chemicals.
Experts have proven that organic foods consume less energy to get them processed. They also don’t contribute to waste as much in the form of packaging either. Many believe that conventional products have the entire residue removed from them when they are delivered to the stores. However, there is still plenty of it that will remain even after you wash them. So you are buying fresh fruits and vegetables to be healthy and then taking such toxins into your body
.
With the process of organic food growth, less petroleum is used for it. This is a type of fossil fuel that once it is gone we can’t replace it. Saving such resources is something we need to do. When we can get great food to grow without it then we are moving in the right direction. Less water is used for it as well and the water supplies won’t be polluted by a variety of toxins.
With conventional farming many insects and animals are killed due to the consumption of pesticides. Even though they are bothering the crops those animals do have their place out there. Some of them end up developing a high tolerance for it as well. That means more extreme types of pesticides have to be used in the future in order to kill them. Organic foods give us a way to get a break from such a problem that only continues to compound itself.
When it comes to the organic raising of animals for meat and for eggs, there are positive impacts as well. These animals are raised in environments that are clean, stress free, and they have plenty of fresh air as well as room to roam. They aren’t given hormones or steroids to help them grow or to get leaner meat from them. As a result they taste better and those types of hormones and chemicals aren’t passed on to the humans that consume those types of organic products.
Many people do like the taste of organic cream, milk, and yogurt. This is all due to the way in which the cows are raised. They are fed organic foods themselves which further adds to their overall level of health.
Showing respect for the Earth is something that everyone on it needs to do. However, most of us have to admit that we don’t do all we can. The modern conveniences in life that we have sometimes take a harsh toll on the world. Leaving it a better place for our children and future generations should be a priority though. Perhaps growing and consuming organic foods is one what that we can start to see some positive movements in this direction.
Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/what-are-the-environmental-benefits-from-organic-foods-1016004.html#ixzz0sFwq6bt3
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Adapted from www.articlebase.com
Thursday, June 3, 2010
2nd News Article
NEW YORK - CONSUMERS who opt for organic foods often believe they are improving their health but there is currently no strong evidence that organics bring nutrition-related health benefits, a new research review finds.
A 'disappointingly small' number of well-designed studies have looked at whether organic foods may have health benefits beyond their conventional counterparts, according to the review by researchers with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health in Britain. Moreover, they found, what studies have been done have largely focused on short-term effects of organic eating - mainly antioxidant activity in the body - rather than longer-term health outcomes.
Most of the antioxidant studies failed to find differences between organic and conventional diets. The review, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adds to findings reported last year by the same research team.
In that study, the researchers combed through 162 articles published in the scientific literature over the last 50 years, and found no evidence that organic and conventional foods differ significantly in their nutrient content. For the current review, the researchers were able to find only 12 published studies that met their criteria for evaluating the health effects of organic foods.
'A surprising and important finding of this review is the extremely limited nature of the evidence base on this subject, both in terms of the number and quality of studies,' wrote Dr Alan Dangour and his colleagues. Of the 12 studies the researchers identified, 6 were short-term clinical trials that looked at whether specific organic foods changed markers of antioxidant activity in participants' blood.
While questions remain as to whether organic foods have any extra nutritional value, people buy organic for a number of other reasons as well. Organic foods are made without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, antibiotics or hormones - which could potentially reap benefits for people's health and the environment. The current review, Dr Dangour and his colleagues point out, did not look for studies on the possible health benefits of reduced exposure to those substances nor did it address the environmental impact of organic food production.
Views:
As pointed out by the article, there have not been clear views on the specific health benefits of organic food. However, actually there are some research data that can be found out there, even from farmers' interviews. What our group would like to do is provide a clear view and resource for people to learn more about what specific health benefits each type of organic food can provide.
Since there are very few well-designed studies on organic food, we hope our resource would be of great help to promoting organic food and make a better living for all! Thank you.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Project Introduction
Hi there, We are a group of students from Hwa Chong Institution doing a project on organic food. We aim to educate people on organic food and encourage more people to try out our organic food by designing a resource package. Through this blog, we hope to raise awareness of organic food by providing readers with insights on organic food and collected news articles. For this project to succeed, we need YOUR support! Thank you!
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