Summary
Reganold's 2017 contribution examines organic agriculture's untapped potential to contribute to global food and ecosystem security, noting that despite multiple documented sustainability benefits, organic systems occupy only ~1% of global farmland. The paper argues that no single farming system can safely feed the world, and instead advocates for a diversified portfolio of organic and complementary innovative systems (agroforestry, integrated farming, conservation agriculture, mixed crop–livestock systems). The analysis identifies significant barriers to adoption and suggests that diverse policy instruments will be necessary to scale these approaches.
UK applicability
The findings are relevant to UK policy on sustainable intensification and food security. The call for diversified farming systems aligns with UK agri-environment schemes and post-Brexit agricultural policy frameworks, though UK-specific adoption barriers and policy levers would require separate analysis.
Key measures
Proportion of global agricultural land under organic production; sustainability benefits of organic farming systems; policy and adoption barriers
Outcomes reported
The paper assessed the current and potential contribution of organic agriculture to global food security, ecosystem services, and sustainability. It examined barriers to adoption and the role of diverse farming systems (organic, agroforestry, conservation agriculture, integrated and mixed systems) in future food production.
Topic tags
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