Back To Organic Farming

          Early in the morning, a group of native women from Tanke village set out, moving from one poultry farm and cattle ranch to the other, collecting animal droppings after the early morning clean ups by the poultry and ranch workers. What are these women going to do with animal droppings, I wondered, this made me ask one of the women, then she said, it is meant for the Okiti (vegetable farm). This is organic farming at its best.

          Organic farming is a system or form of farming that relies on natural processes or organic matters to enrich the soil and to protect the crops that are planted, devoid of the use of synthetic chemical based fertilizers or pesticides. Examples of organic farming techniques are bush fallowing, crop rotation, use of green manure, compost and biological means of controlling pests. Organic farming has being recognized internationally as the best form of farming with countries coming together under the umbrella of The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement(IFOAM) to enforce organic farming and to set the standard for it. Organic farming has been practiced right from ancient times, from the period of the Agricultural evolution, through the period of Agricultural revolution and to the present time. But this system of farming has diminished in practice and is being neglected due to the recent advent of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

          When it comes to recommending the healthiest types of food, Food scientists and Agriculturists in recent times have begin to recognize organically grown foods as embodying the complete and healthiest nutrients which constitute the healthiest types of food. Synthetic chemicals used in the production of fertilizers and pesticides, most of which are dangerous in their raw form, have the potential of accumulating in the plants they are grown with and being converted into Carcinogenic Nitrosamines which cause cancer, in the process they also reduce greatly the natural nutrients in these plants, thereby providing low nutrients compared to organically grown plants. Organic farming has a great potential of sustaining and preserving the ecosystem by completely removing the threat of toxic chemicals that can be washed into the surrounding ecosystem. Organic farming is also very cheap to practice compared to the synthetic chemical based farming. The importance of organic farming in terms of its health, nutritional, economic and environmental benefit cannot be over emphasized.

          Back at the Okiti, the local women spread the animal droppings on the beds they?ve made and ready for the planting of their vegetables. I looked at the group of women most of whom are very old and have been practicing this system since they were young. Certainly this is how it?s been done by their forefathers, at this point I thought in my mind, could this be the reason why most of these local villagers live longer than us in the cities? It?s not all about the quantity of food you produce but also the quality of food you produce. I wish we could all go back to the way it used to be done. Organic Farming!