Organic agriculture is a fast growing segment of the food industry that is increasingly drawing the attention of farmers, governments and development agencies. The global market for organic products has reached an estimated value of 60 billion US dollars. This booming industry is engaging farmers throughout the world, and organic food production holds the promise of lifting many small farmers in developing countries out of poverty.
In this AgTalks video, Gunnar Rundgren, organic agriculture pioneer, author of "Global Eating Disorder" and "Garden Earth” and former President of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), poses the question “Can organic farming feed the world?” His answer is yes, indeed it can, but that this discussion is diverting attention from the real causes of hunger and poverty and inequitable access to resources. His main concern is the future of smallholders in a global food system driven by agribusiness and globalized trade. He says the question we really should be asking is not if organic agriculture can feed the world, but if we can afford cheap food.