Summary
This systems-level modelling study demonstrates that whilst 100% conversion to organic agriculture alone requires more land than conventional agriculture, combining organic production with reductions in food waste, feed-competing crops, and animal product consumption maintains land use below reference scenarios whilst reducing nitrogen surplus and pesticide inputs. The analysis highlights that sustainable food futures require integrated strategies addressing production, waste, crop–livestock interactions, and consumption patterns, rather than single-lever interventions.
UK applicability
The findings are relevant to UK policy on organic transition and sustainable intensification, particularly regarding the tension between land availability and organic production goals. The emphasis on integrated strategies (waste reduction, dietary change, improved crop–livestock integration) aligns with UK food security and environmental land management priorities, though site-specific agronomic constraints around nitrogen supply in temperate systems merit further investigation.
Key measures
Land use (hectares), nitrogen surplus, pesticide use, greenhouse gas emissions
Outcomes reported
The study modelled land use, nitrogen surplus, pesticide use, and greenhouse gas emissions under 100% organic conversion combined with waste reduction and dietary shifts. It evaluated whether organic agriculture could feed the world sustainably under various scenarios of food waste, feed efficiency, and animal product consumption.
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