Organic Agriculture

Agriculture is an eternal human activity closely related to nature which basically functions as a womb to it since ancient times. Its great connections with the religious and civilized heritage of man were of great interests and for thousands of years until the industrial revolution. The emergence of industrial society has led to the dawning of the new agricultural system, which was later called modern agriculture.

The concept of modern agriculture appeared at the beginning of the eighteenth century and relies mainly on adopting new and innovative agricultural methods that would increase agricultural production significantly. This system is based on the excessive and merciless exploitation of the available natural resources because material profit is above all considerations. It avoids complex strategies for the optimal exploitation of natural resources and resorts to solving its problems by the simplifying approaches of fertilizers, pesticides, and genetics. That is, exploitation is through reliance on the use of external motives in agricultural activity. The prominent characteristics of the current system are neglecting agricultural development training courses, search for genetic solutions (varieties), fully relying on experts for knowledge input, and ignoring the experience and wisdom of the farmer. It is based on the principle of replacing agricultural work with energy and capital.

The steadiness of modern agriculture has become so doubtful, and accordingly the search for an alternative, which has been called ecological or organic agriculture, has become certain. This refers to an agricultural production system that excludes mineral fertilizers and pesticides, but rather is a focus on the utmost degree of self-regulation entirely dependent on environmental care and preservation. It is based on several principles, including that man is not separate from nature but rather is an essential part of it, that his primary goal is to cooperate with nature and not conquer and dominate it, that the emphasis on moral responsibility in dealing with nature. The right of life is for all living beings other than man is the essence of this evolving agricultural system, and the right to survive for small farmers and the importance of rural life is the cornerstone in achieving the system’s goals.

Therefore, the transition to organic agriculture has become inevitable and is a moral right that is based on a sound relationship between the environment and humans to produce natural and healthy (plant and animal) food and guarantees the right of everyone to peaceful coexistence under the principle that agriculture is a lifestyle, not a technology.