Article Index
Everything you wanted to know about organic, but didn’t know who to ask
Food quality – a holistic view
The six aspects of food quality
What is organic farming?
An ecosystem approach
Biodiversity and habitat
Start with the soil
Why farm naturally?
Ten Reasons to Eat Organic Foods
All Pages

An ecosystem approach

Good knowledge of crop agronomy, soil science, pest biology etc are important for our progress and improvement of the earth as our home.  When this knowledge only exists in the laboratory or in isolated 'lumps' specific to each field of research, its potential is never realised.  For knowledge to be really useful it must be shared and it must be made relevant to the whole world in which it operates.

Nothing exists in isolation.  Striving for a better understanding of how all the bits fit together is a critical feature of natural farming.  If we relied only on simple time-limited observations of herbicide use we would be pleased with the results in almost every case.  We apply the herbicide and the weeds die, therefore the desired effect was obtained.  Closer examination may reveal poor crop growth, changes to soil biology, accumulation of residues in birds and animals and contamination of water.  Only an ecosystem approach can ensure that we are aware of the complex interactions between the various component parts of the farming system.