FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, UNIVERSITY OF AGRONOMIC SCIENCES FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, UNIVERSITY OF AGRONOMIC SCIENCES

AND VETERINARY MEDICINE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE –– BUCHARESTBUCHAREST

FACULTY OF HORTICULTURE,FACULTY OF HORTICULTURE,

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY IN LUBLINAGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY IN LUBLIN

Timisoara 2007Timisoara 2007

Elena Mirela POPESCUElena Mirela POPESCU

Alina Maria TRUTAAlina Maria TRUTA

Adrian Gheorghe BASAAdrian Gheorghe BASA

Agata PACEKAgata PACEK

Magdalena DYDUCHMagdalena DYDUCH

Ethics is a systematic and critical Ethics is a systematic and critical analysis of morality, of the moral analysis of morality, of the moral factors that guide human conduct in a factors that guide human conduct in a particular society or practice. As particular society or practice. As agriculture represents an interaction agriculture represents an interaction between humans and the agrobetween humans and the agro--ecosystem, agricultural ethics deals ecosystem, agricultural ethics deals with the values, rules, duties and with the values, rules, duties and virtues of relevance to both human and virtues of relevance to both human and ecosystem wellecosystem well--being, providing a being, providing a critical normative analysis of the moral critical normative analysis of the moral issues in the sector of human activities.issues in the sector of human activities.

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� Morality refers to the social norms and values that guide both individuals and their interaction with their fellow human beings and communities, and with their environment.

� In all of these types of interaction there are important values to follow: rules and norms to protect these values, duties implied in social roles and positions that can foster these values and further these rules and human virtues or capabilities that enable us to act accordingly.

� These moral factors are usually present in religious practices and social structures.

�� The reason they are not interchangeable anymore is because The reason they are not interchangeable anymore is because

"ethical" has come to refer mainly to right conduct in a profess"ethical" has come to refer mainly to right conduct in a profession, so ion, so

there are: there are: „„agricultural ethicsagricultural ethics””, "medical ethics," "environmental , "medical ethics," "environmental

ethics," etc. "Moral" is used more broadly to describe right conethics," etc. "Moral" is used more broadly to describe right conduct duct

for everyone, or in some cases, for everyone in a particular socfor everyone, or in some cases, for everyone in a particular society or iety or

culture. Most moral theories and standards are deontological, orculture. Most moral theories and standards are deontological, or

consequentialist, or based on religious doctrine. consequentialist, or based on religious doctrine.

�� When actual moral values, rules and duties are subjected to ethiWhen actual moral values, rules and duties are subjected to ethical cal

analysis, their relation to basic human interests shared by peopanalysis, their relation to basic human interests shared by people, le,

regardless of their cultural setting, is particularly important.regardless of their cultural setting, is particularly important. Moral Moral

values may change, and moral reasoning asks whether the practicevalues may change, and moral reasoning asks whether the practices s

that are traditionally and factually legitimated by religion, lathat are traditionally and factually legitimated by religion, law or w or

politics are indeed worthy of recognition. politics are indeed worthy of recognition.

� Over the 10 000 years since the Neolithic Age, human

population growth has been correlated with

intensification in food production systems, primarily

agriculture, which has also greatly modified the world’s

ecosystems, including rapid technological advances, a

restructuring of the resource base, the creation of new

and expanded international markets, and closer ties

with environmental management.

� Modern agriculture now feeds 6,000 million people.Global cereal production has doubled in the past 40 years, mainly from the increased yields resulting from greater inputs of fertilizer, water and pesticides, new crop strains, and other technologies of the 'Green Revolution'.

� This has increased the global per capita food supply, reducing hunger, improving nutrition (and thus the ability of people to better reach their mental and physical potential) and sparing natural ecosystems from conversion to agriculture.

By 2050, global population is projected to By 2050, global population is projected to

be 50% larger than at present and global be 50% larger than at present and global

grain demand is projected to double. grain demand is projected to double.

Further increases in agricultural output are Further increases in agricultural output are

essential for global political and social essential for global political and social

stability and equity. stability and equity.

Doubling food production again and Doubling food production again and

sustaining food production at this level are sustaining food production at this level are

major challenges. major challenges.

Doing so in ways that do not compromise Doing so in ways that do not compromise

environmental integrity and public health environmental integrity and public health

is a greater challenge still (Tilman et al., is a greater challenge still (Tilman et al.,

2001).2001).

Increasing crop productivity in intensive (conventional) agriculIncreasing crop productivity in intensive (conventional) agriculture caused: ture caused:

�� A characteristic of the A characteristic of the contemporary world is contemporary world is the need to find new the need to find new solutions to problems solutions to problems raised in all fields of raised in all fields of human activity, human activity, particularly to the particularly to the fundamental problems fundamental problems of the food production of the food production and environmental and environmental protection. protection.

�� The production, The production, transformation and transformation and distribution of food and distribution of food and agricultural products are agricultural products are generally accepted as generally accepted as routine aspects of daily routine aspects of daily life around the world. life around the world. Therefore, such Therefore, such activities have rarely activities have rarely been addressed within been addressed within ethics. ethics.

Sustainable agriculture looks for:Sustainable agriculture looks for:

�� The ethics of sustainable agriculture explores a The ethics of sustainable agriculture explores a systematic approach to practical ethical analysis systematic approach to practical ethical analysis applied to intensification, and aims at integrating applied to intensification, and aims at integrating ethical principles into different domains.ethical principles into different domains.

�� Human food needs provide the basis for a utilitarian Human food needs provide the basis for a utilitarian argument for intensification, while the moral concept argument for intensification, while the moral concept of virtue addresses peopleof virtue addresses people’’s duty to work for the good s duty to work for the good of society. of society.

�� The ethics of food and agriculture is a form of The ethics of food and agriculture is a form of commitment to feeding the world.commitment to feeding the world.

Biodynamic agriculture is an advanced Biodynamic agriculture is an advanced

organic agriculture system that is gaining organic agriculture system that is gaining

increased attention for its emphasis on food increased attention for its emphasis on food

quality and soil health. Biodynamic quality and soil health. Biodynamic

agriculture was the first ecological farming agriculture was the first ecological farming

system to develop as a grassroots alternative system to develop as a grassroots alternative

to chemical agriculture. to chemical agriculture.

Today biodynamic agriculture is practiced on Today biodynamic agriculture is practiced on

farms around the world, on various scales, farms around the world, on various scales,

and in a variety of climates and cultures.and in a variety of climates and cultures.

�� A basic ecological principle of biodynamics is to A basic ecological principle of biodynamics is to conceive of the farm as an organism, a selfconceive of the farm as an organism, a self--contained entity. contained entity.

�� A farm has its own individuality. Emphasis is A farm has its own individuality. Emphasis is placed on the integration of crops and livestock, placed on the integration of crops and livestock, recycling of nutrients, maintenance of soil, and recycling of nutrients, maintenance of soil, and the health and wellbeing of crops and animals. the health and wellbeing of crops and animals.

�� The farmer is part of the whole also. Thinking The farmer is part of the whole also. Thinking about the interactions within the farm ecosystem about the interactions within the farm ecosystem leads to a series of holistic management practices leads to a series of holistic management practices that address the environmental, social and that address the environmental, social and financial aspects of the farm. financial aspects of the farm.

�� ““Organic agriculture is a production system which Organic agriculture is a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. To the regulators and livestock feed additives. To the maximum extent feasible, organic farming maximum extent feasible, organic farming systems rely on crop rotation, crop residues, systems rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures, green manures, offanimal manures, green manures, off--farm organic farm organic wastes, and aspects of biological pest control to wastes, and aspects of biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and tilt, to supply plant maintain soil productivity and tilt, to supply plant nutrients and to control insects, weeds and other nutrients and to control insects, weeds and other pestspests”” (Litterick and Watson, 2003).(Litterick and Watson, 2003).

�� Organic agriculture is known Organic agriculture is known under different names, under different names, including biological, ecological including biological, ecological and biodynamic agriculture. and biodynamic agriculture.

�� The terms The terms ““biologicalbiological”” and and ““ecologicalecological”” are generally are generally favoured throughout mainland favoured throughout mainland Europe, whereas the United Europe, whereas the United Kingdom and the United States Kingdom and the United States prefer prefer ““organicorganic””. .

�� Although in 1965 only 0.1% of the total EU agricultural area wasAlthough in 1965 only 0.1% of the total EU agricultural area wasfarmed organically, by 2001 the percentage exceeded 2% and in farmed organically, by 2001 the percentage exceeded 2% and in 2004, 3.4% of the land area is managed organically. 2004, 3.4% of the land area is managed organically.

�� The growing interest and activity seem to be related to the currThe growing interest and activity seem to be related to the current ent financial pressures on agriculture and the changing public financial pressures on agriculture and the changing public perception of agricultural industries. perception of agricultural industries.

�� There is also increasing evidence that some of the practices There is also increasing evidence that some of the practices associated with conventional agriculture are creating associated with conventional agriculture are creating environmental problems (pollution and loss of biodiversity), andenvironmental problems (pollution and loss of biodiversity), andmany people buy organic food because they feel that it is bettermany people buy organic food because they feel that it is better for for the environment. the environment.

Organic agriculture has three basic goal values:Organic agriculture has three basic goal values:

Organic agriculture makes a unique Organic agriculture makes a unique contribution to food sufficiency by contribution to food sufficiency by developing, testing and retaining in developing, testing and retaining in actual practice ways of producing food actual practice ways of producing food which are capable of adding to local which are capable of adding to local food sufficiency, also called "community food sufficiency, also called "community food security," a sufficiency that is food security," a sufficiency that is secured when food is locally grown and secured when food is locally grown and with cultural practices with less shortwith cultural practices with less short--term dependency on distant or term dependency on distant or interruptible resources.interruptible resources.

�� A form of organic farming in developing countries, A form of organic farming in developing countries,

which gave stable farm families assurance of a safe which gave stable farm families assurance of a safe

future with only a few healthy children would be future with only a few healthy children would be

the best contribution to sustainability. the best contribution to sustainability.

�� Organic farming contributes to this scenario also Organic farming contributes to this scenario also

by reducing the family's debt exposure and the by reducing the family's debt exposure and the

threat of loss of the farm. threat of loss of the farm.

Now is the time to act!Now is the time to act!

Thank you!