Summary
Reganold's 2017 review contextualises organic agriculture within the challenge of feeding a growing global population whilst maintaining ecosystem health. The paper acknowledges organic farming's limited current footprint but emphasises its sustainability benefits; however, it argues that no single farming system—including organic alone—can safely meet global food security goals. The review concludes that a diversified portfolio approach, integrating organic, agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and mixed farming systems, underpinned by supportive policy, offers the most viable pathway forward.
UK applicability
The paper's emphasis on policy as a critical enabler is directly relevant to UK agricultural policy post-subsidy reform. The portfolio approach may resonate with UK efforts to integrate organic and regenerative practices, though the review's global focus does not address UK-specific agronomic or market constraints.
Key measures
Global organic farmland area; ecosystem service provision across farming systems; policy mechanisms and adoption barriers
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises evidence on organic agriculture's current global adoption (~1% of farmland), its sustainability benefits, and its role within a portfolio of farming approaches. It identifies policy mechanisms needed to support adoption of diverse sustainable farming systems for global food security.
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