Organic farming systems are accused of being less productive. Yes, yield levels are about 20% lower, but costs are also significantly lower, according to The Conversation Africa.As for claims that organic farming cannot feed the world, there are some cases where 20% more land would be required, but many instances in Africa where converting to organic systems has doubled or trebled production.
Traditional farming in Africa used to include some organic practices. Ugandan organic farmers have used these practices to build the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda. They supply the local market and in 2015 exported $42 million worth of certified organic coffee, cotton, cashews, vanilla, shea butter, pineapples and bananas. This compares with a total of $180 of agricultural produce exported for 2015, meaning organic produce is now about a quarter of Ugandan agricultural exports, which makes it unique in Africa.
South Africa has been very slow to develop organic farming. The country has a highly concentrated agricultural sector. Just 10,000 farmers are responsible for 80% of South African food sales. Conventional farmers still use large quantities of chemical fertilisers, as well as genetically engineered seeds.
This high level of concentration also means that biodiversity on farms has suffered. Today, 90% of South Africa's food energy and protein comes from only 15 plant and eight animal species.
