Family Farming Knowledge Platform

Beyond climate change mitigation: the multiple benefits of organic farming

Organic farms sustain 30% more biodiversity than conventional arms, as demonstrated by a meta-analysis of 94 studies from the past 30 years (Tuck et al., 2014). The most distinct differences in biodiversity were seen in landscapes containing a higher proportion of arable crops, and plant biodiversity benefited the most from organic farming practices. As well as the farm management practices, the landscape, climate, crop types and species also play a major role in the effects of organic farming on biodiversity (Hole et al., 2005, Gabriel et al., 2010). Fuller et al. (2005), for example, analysed some of the practices that enhance biodiversity on organic farms in the United Kingdom. They found that field boundary management (e.g. the use of hedges), crop sowing time, crop rotations and the combination of livestock and crops were different in organic farms, compared to conventional systems. Organic famers sowed their crops later and included fallows in the crop rotations.

Title of publication: Organic Farming, climate change mitigation and beyond
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Page range: 43-47
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Publisher: IFOAM
Section/Chapter: 5
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Author: FiBL: Adrian Muller, Lin Bautze, Matthias Meier and Andreas Gattinger. IFOAM EU: Eric Gall, Effimia Chatzinikolaou, Stephen Meredith, Tonći Ukas and Laura Ullmann
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Organization: IFOAM
Other organizations: FIBL
Year: 2016
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Type: Book part
Content language: English
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