Organic Agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals 2019

With the world’s population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 (United Nations, 2019), meeting future food demand is considered a huge global challenge (Borlaug, 2002). In order to prevent the possibility of considerable food scarcity for the growing population, both climate change and global consumption need to be addressed along with strong measures to increase global food supply and availability (Sakschewski, von Bloh, Huber, Müller, & Bondeau, 2014). As quoted by the Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) of the United Nations, these measures must aim to go “beyond producing more with less to balancing the focus on quality and diversity, linking productivity to sustainability and addressing the needs of people” (FAO, 2018).

On the 1st of January 2016, the UN and all its member states officially introduced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; a plan of action based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address the main global challenges of the coming 15 years (United Nations, 2016). Solving these complex challenges and reaching these SDGs requires a holistic, transformative approach, building on the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

This report takes a closer look at the existing literature on how sustainable agriculture can contribute to the accomplishment of multiple SDGs. More specifically, how organic agriculture can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The report also looks at the negative impact that agro-chemicals have on the SDG’s.