Excerpt:

Agriculture remains an integral part of inclusive development as it is 2–4 times more effective in poverty reduction compared to other sectors given the same level of investment. The sector employs over 65% of the poorest population and contributes about a third of gross domestic product in developing countries. However, there is an increased concern that the conventional practice of agriculture is causing soil and water pollution, emitting a significant amount of greenhouse gas, reducing biodiversity, and bypassing poor farmers, particularly in rainfed areas. Moreover, the quality and safety of food produced under conventional agriculture are increasingly being questioned by consumers. Accordingly, a fundamental transformation toward alternative production systems that are more environment- and climate-friendly, inclusive, and producing safer food is urgently needed.

Organic-agriculture-post-2015-development-goals