La storia

In the 1940s, the organic farming movement emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States, abandoning intensive farming practices and opting for a more sustainable and natural approach.
In the 1970s, organisations and associations were born to promote this practice. In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was founded, which outlined the basic principles of organic farming and established a certification system for organic producers.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a further increase in the spread of organic farming worldwide. More recently, this farming practice has gained more and more supporters, with a significant increase in the number of producers adopting sustainable farming methods.
The food industry has become increasingly committed to embracing more sustainable practices, and the growing demand for organic products shows that organic farming is set to grow further, offering a long-term solution to ensure food security and promote global health.

Today, organic production, as defined by the European Regulation (EC 834/2007) is:
‘an overall system of farm management and agri-food production based on the interplay between best environmental practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources, the application of strict animal welfare criteria and production that meets the preferences of certain consumers for products obtained using natural substances and processes’

The fundamental objectives of organic farming include:

• The production of healthy and safe food, without the addition of products of chemical origin.
• Protection of the environment through sustainable management, including protection of soil, groundwater and biodiversity.
• The sustainable use of resources such as water, soil and biomass.
• Maintaining and increasing soil fertility and biological activity.
• The protection of farmers' health from exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Ensuring the health and welfare of animals.

From these objectives, it can be understood how the application of environmentally friendly cultivation practices plays a major role in achieving satisfactory production even with reduced means of defence, limited to those provided for in the European regulation.

In particular, as far as plant production is concerned, among the main practices that must be adopted in cultivation to facilitate plant and fruit defence, we highlight:

• The importance of the appropriate choice of fruit species, variety and rootstock: each of these components plays a decisive role in the success of organic production
• The adoption of an appropriate form of tree training that allows maximum light interception to counter the spread of pathogens and adversities.
• The application of pruning techniques that maintain the best vegetative-productive balance of the plant
• An irrigation supply that, without excesses, meets the plant's actual water requirements
• Maintaining a plant nutrient level that does not exceed the plant's need for its production cycle

Complementary to these practices, the products permitted in this production system can be used, which both by their nature (photolabilità and limited persistence) and their small number will have to be placed precisely, in a timely manner and following careful evaluation.

In conclusion, organic farming is a vital solution for sustainable food production, and its growing popularity is a sign of hope for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.