Sowing Sustainability: 10 Positive Impacts of an Organic New Zealand
An organic future would benefit ALL NEW ZEALANDERS. But what would it actually look like?
1. Sustainable and Healthy Food Production:
Organic regenerative agriculture builds healthy soils, promotes biodiversity, and avoids synthetic chemicals, resulting in a more sustainable and resilient food production system. A transition to organic agriculture would give consumers access to fresh and nutritious food free from harmful pesticides and genetically modified organisms.
2. Improved Biodiversity:
Organic farming encourages the preservation of natural habitats and the use of diverse crop rotations. Increased farm diversity benefits wildlife and pollinators, such as bees, birds and butterflies.
3. Climate Change Mitigation:
Organic agriculture has the potential to sequester carbon in the soil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
4. Enhanced Soil Health:
Soil health is the foundation of every organic system. Practices such as cover cropping and no-till farming help improve soil fertility. Healthy soil can retain more water, resist erosion, and support robust plant growth.
5. Reduced Health Risks:
Organic food is grown without synthetic pesticides and hormones, which may reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with exposure to certain chemicals in conventional agriculture.
6. Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge:
Organic agriculture is rooted in traditional and indigenous farming practices. Embracing these practices can help preserve valuable kaupapa Māori and supports a secure food future.
7. Ethical Treatment of Animals:
Organic farming requires higher animal welfare standards, ensuring livestock are raised humanely and naturally.
8. Resilience to Climate Shocks:
Improved soil health and the diversified and ecologically balanced nature of organic farms can make them more resilient to extreme weather events and other climate-related challenges.
9. Pollution reduction:
At least 45% of our rivers are no longer considered swimmable, and two-thirds of freshwater native bird species are at risk of extinction. We must work together to stop pollution from industrial agriculture and return all of our waterways to a swimmable state.
10.GMO/GE Free:
Organic farming works with nature rather than artificially manipulating it. We are proud of New Zealand’s ongoing status as a GMO-free food producer and will continue to advocate for GMOs to continue to be kept out of our country’s farm fields.
This August we are running a Farming for the future: Matching Gift Challenge.
OANZ has the chance to help Aotearoa New Zealand build a resilient, healthy and fair farming future and until the end of August all donations to OANZ will be DOUBLED up to $60,000 thanks to an amazing donor, Gary Hirshberg.
We are raising funds for projects that will accelerate the much needed transition to organic food and farming systems in this country. We want to help transition kiwi farmers away from synthetic chemicals, tackle climate change, protect our waterways, increase biodiversity and build healthy food systems across the motu.
Donate today and see your impact go twice as far. Find out more and donate via the link below:
Poipoia Te Kākano Kia Puawai - Nurture The Seed, And It Will Blossom.
