The advantages of organic farming are not widely known to many people, especially those who are farmers as a profession, so they are still hesitant to switch from conventional farming to an organic farming system.
In fact, there are many benefits to organic farming, for humans as well as for the natural ecosystem around us. There are approximately 9 benefits if you switch farming methods from a conventional farming system to an organic farming model:
Benefits for Humans
A number of the benefits of organic farming for humans are direct, for example in the form of economic benefits (read additional income) and indirect, for example through increasing plant productivity. The details are as follows
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1. The harvest has a better taste.
Apart from health reasons, another reason why consumers are starting to tend to buy organic food products is because they taste better. It was revealed in the research results of Alwin Delastrada Owon et al which were published in the research journal educational vehicle volume 7 number 2 of 2021, 80% of respondents really liked the taste of organic eggplant in Alok sub-district, Sikka district.
2. Increase the length of storage period for harvested crops.
My personal experience as an organic activist is that harvests from organic plants generally have a very long shelf life. In line with this experience, it was also proven by Vivia Ummi Rochmadhona's research in 2017 (Lentera Education Journal of the LPPM UM METRO Research Center Vol. 2. No. 1).
In trials using 12 samples on dragon fruit plants using organic fertilizer treatment, it was found that dragon fruit increased in length by 5.67 cm compared to plants without organic treatment. Also, the shelf life of dragon fruit can be up to 6 days compared to only 5 days without organic treatment.
3. Selling prices become more expensive
To get healthy food, people are willing to pay more than usual. That means the welfare of organic farmers can increase. I have discussed the high price of organic food products in a previous article.
4. Cheaper operational costs
Because the main ingredients for making organic fertilizers and pesticides come from organic waste, you can be sure that the operational costs will be very cheap. This means that on the other side the profit from selling the harvest will be greater.
5. Food products, fruit or vegetables become healthier to consume
With healthy fruit and vegetables, the benefits can be more optimal for health. This means that people's health can be improved, especially those who consume organic vegetables and fruit.
Benefits for Natural Ecosystems
Nature is where humans and other God's creatures live, from large to very small or what we usually call microorganisms.
Nature is damaged, the ecosystem is disturbed, and humans will ultimately feel the impacts such as the greenhouse effect, air and water pollution, etc.
It turns out that if you move to organic farming patterns there are a number of benefits of organic farming for the environment around us, including:
1. Maintain the quality of water, air and soil
By carrying out organic farming, water quality is maintained because the water will not be contaminated with dangerous chemicals from fertilizers or pesticides that contain dangerous chemicals.
Apart from that, air quality is also maintained because it does not use large amounts of petroleum and does not contribute to nitrogen emissions which can pollute the air.
On the contrary, organic plants that cover the surface of the soil can become a medium for collecting carbon dioxide emissions which are usually produced by motorized vehicles.
2. Save energy
This is related to the limited energy currently available. By doing organic farming the use of oil energy is completely limited. If anything, it's not as much as conventional farming.
It is hoped that the availability of oil energy can remain available and be used wisely for other fields that need it more.
3. For waste management
In organic farming, waste actually becomes a valuable source of nutrients and organic insecticides. That is why organic waste, whether waste from livestock or green waste from plants, can be utilized precisely for the success of organic farming.
Ensuring that plants meet their nutritional needs and protect them from pests and diseases that attack plants. In this way, plant resistance increases and the risk of crop failure can be avoided.
4. Maintain biodiversity
Various activities carried out in organic farming, from preparing the land, planting, caring for it until the harvest arrives, are carried out safely so as not to damage the environment, including the biodiversity contained there in.
Starting from useful microscopic fungi to large animals can coexist on organic farming land. Avoiding the use of organisms or products resulting from organisms that have undergone genetic engineering or transgenics also ensures that the integrity of the species can be maintained.
Those are the benefits of organic farming that can be enjoyed by humans as well as the environment and everything in it. That's a lot, isn't it? Therefore, organic farming can be a fairly profitable way of farming today.
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