Organic agriculture and food systems…

and sustainable development of agriculture is a growing field within research and development. Organic agriculture and food systems have evolved with its own values, principles and regulations. The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) has formulated principles, which were endorsed by the assembly in 2005:

Organic agriculture is based on:

• The principle of health
• The principle of ecology
• The principle of fairness
• The principle of care

Read more about IFOAM principles...

 

These Principles are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context (ifoam.org).

 

Thus organic agriculture and food systems build on a holistic view that incorporates the ecological, economic and social aspects of agricultural production in both the local and global perspectives. Organic agriculture can be seen as a concrete model for development of more sustainable agriculture, including production of healthy food of high quality. Both the aims and the rules for organic agriculture are continuously discussed and developed, and research in organic agriculture and food systems contribute to this development.

 

Research education in SOAR therefore also includes a discussion of the values, principles and practice of organic agriculture, so that PhD students supplement their specific research education at the research institutions, with a broader understanding of the context their research is embedded in.