The anti-organic brigade argues that organic methods cannot produce sufficient cereals to feed the world. The facts show that this argument, too, is spurious. James Moffett, MD of the Organic Agricultural Association of South Africa, farms in Ficksburg in the Free State.
His family has farmed on Kirklington for four generations. Historically, wheat yields were about two tons a hectare. Using organic methods he has raised yields to more than three tons a hectare. About 100ha of wheat is planted annually. In the past it was all planted with fertilisers, now about 50ha is organically produced.
The organic wheat is milled and sold as organically certified stone-ground wheat flour. Costs of organic fertilisation are higher but the organic fields have none of the normal poison costs. Total production costs a hectare are R4 620 for organic and R2 400 for conventional farming. The Moffetts have shown that organic wheat production is commercially viable.
It is quite true that capital-intensive producers with access to irrigation, using massive fertiliser and chemical inputs, will be able to produce yields of twice or even three times those achieved at Kirklington.
The result in these areas is food-mountains of expensive grains, as is presently the case in the United States. The poor cannot afford these grains, so wealthy nations will dump their surplus grains on countries starving because of ill-considered development programmes exacerbated by the periodic droughts that Africa should be planning for. The resulting destruction of local agricultural markets owing to free food-aid has been well documented.
Africa desperately needs increased agricultural research, but it must help small-scale commercial farmers to produce in our fragile environment.
It should not aim to push the products of the American and European corporate giants, at the expense of African agricultural viability. Water-efficient organic farming will help African farmers to feed themselves first, then to feed the cities of Africa, and at the same time, those in the developed world who appreciate organic foods, will no doubt give the real support that our farmers need, by buying African organically produced food through the Fair Trade Network.
Dr Raymond Auerbach is a member of the Rainman Landcare Foundation and Afrisco (Pty) Ltd