Summary
This global meta-analysis examined not only the average effects but also the variability of sustainability outcomes in organic versus conventional farming systems across seven key metrics. The findings reveal that organic farms deliver reliable environmental benefits with low variability in biodiversity and soil carbon, but experience greater yield variability, whilst conventional farms achieve high, stable yields at the cost of environmental performance. Notably, despite lower yields and higher yield unpredictability, organic systems achieved similar production costs and greater profitability through organic price premiums, suggesting that ecological approaches successfully embed environmental reliability but at the expense of production consistency.
UK applicability
These global findings are relevant to UK policy discussions around sustainable intensification and organic certification, particularly regarding the trade-off between environmental resilience and production stability. The profitability advantage of organic systems in the meta-analysis may differ in the UK depending on market premiums and local cost structures, though the pattern of higher yield variability in organic systems is likely to apply to temperate climates.
Key measures
Biotic abundance, biotic richness, soil organic carbon, soil carbon stocks, crop yield, total production costs, profitability, and yield variability
Outcomes reported
The meta-analysis assessed seven sustainability metrics (biotic abundance, biotic richness, soil organic carbon, soil carbon stocks, crop yield, total production costs, and profitability) comparing organic and conventional farming systems globally. It measured both mean effects and variability across these metrics to evaluate reliability and consistency of production and environmental outcomes.
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