The founders of organic agriculture | Yvan Besson

The ecological emergency has highlighted the benefits of organic farming. The era of industrial agricultural production appears as a failure to be surpassed despite recent developments such as soilless cultivation or GMOs. The beginnings of organic farming date back to the late 19th century. It was first conceived and organized by farmers, for farmers, and not for the agri-food industry. It is a real alternative and not a version of agriculture from the past. This book introduces us to the extent of the innovations and opportunities opened up by the founders. Their contributions are found in multiple areas: in terms of cultivation, production, and agricultural knowledge, agricultural marketing, economic functioning, societal involvement with the land and those who work it. That is why the founders of organic farming were dissenters and rejected this triple massacre of humans, cultures, and nature. It is essential to know them, as they laid the foundation for organic farming: Sir Albert Howard, Rudolf Steiner, Maria and Hans Müller, Hans Peter Rusch, and Masanobu Fukuoka. This allows us to better understand our future and become actors in it.