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Organic farming has certain characteristics that contribute to efficient and environmentally friendly production. This is supported by a joint study by FiBL Switzerland and Agroscope, published in the journal "Scientific Reports".
Collected data over 40 years show that organic farming preserves biodiversity and enhances soil fertility. Unlike traditional systems, organic farming does not have a negative impact on the environment in the form of pesticides and nitrogen excess.
The study is based on a unique field trial in the world known as the "DOK trial". This trial compared biodynamic (D), organic (O), and conventional (K) farming systems in Switzerland. The research has been ongoing since 1978 in the canton of Basel-Landschaft.
The results showed that organic soils contain 16% more humus and up to 83% more active soil organisms, which positively affects soil structure.
Soil structure helps retain moisture and reduce the risk of erosion. In all systems, livestock manure plays a key role in maintaining soil fertility. With sufficient manure use, preferably in the form of compost, the humus content in organic and conventional systems remains stable or increases.
However, in traditional systems where fertilizers are applied in the form of synthetic minerals, the humus content decreases. In organic soils, the phosphorus level decreases more than in traditional soils due to lower fertilizer use. This necessitates the use of recycled circular fertilizers to prevent phosphate deficiency in organic farming in the long term.
The biodynamic farming system showed the best results in soil fertility, humus content, and climate impact. It involves composted manure and plant-based preparations.
Long-term DOK trial data show that organic farming systems are generally effective. They achieve 85% of the conventional yield using only 8% of bio-compatible pesticides and 65% of nitrogen as fertilizers. Excess nitrogen in the soil can have a negative impact on the environment, so reduced use of nitrogen fertilizers in organic systems leads to lower emissions.
Yields in organic systems can vary widely, especially for different crops like wheat and potatoes, due to lower fertilizer and pesticide use. However, the risk of water and food contamination with pollutants is significantly lower.
Organic soils also have a positive impact on the climate as they contain less nitrogen, which can turn into nitrogen oxide, affecting the climate. Therefore, organic soils emit less per unit area and contribute to better CO2 retention.
This study confirms that organic farming is a viable basis for developing sustainable farming systems that balance food production and environmental impact.
The further development of organic farming involves closing the nutrient cycles and progress in plant breeding. It is necessary to use recycled phosphorus and nitrogen from food waste and wastewater. Diversification strategies in plant cultivation, such as mixed crops and strip cropping, are also recommended.
The DOK study has been published in more than 140 scientific papers and has served as a model for numerous comparative trials worldwide, such as the FiBL "SysCom" trials in Bolivia, India, and Kenya.
