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Holistic or systems approach

Holistic means relating to the whole. In ecology, the term is applied to studies which aim to understand ecosystems as a whole (i.e. as entire systems) rather than examining their component parts. It is stated that organic farming is based on a holistic view where nature is considered as a whole with an intrinsic value of its own. Further, humankind is to take moral responsibility regarding the ecological, economical, and social aspects of agricultural production.

The statement that ecological agriculture is to be based on a holistic view has consequences on how to perform organic farming research. This view is based on the concept that a system is more than the sum of its parts, for example, that to gain information about the system you cannot only study its parts but you must also include a study of the system itself (Lübcke, 1983). The goal of organic farming research is to grasp a rich picture of this complex system putting new and challenging requirements that call for a multiperspective approach to research.

There is no universally agreed upon consensus within the organic movement as to what a holistic approach in research means. A better understanding of holism can be achieved when groups of researchers work at different levels of complexity in parallel. At the very least, each research group should have a network of reference farms or several on-farm projects for gauging results or insights derived from “isolated” scientific work.

For related reading, see FAO (1999), Lund (1999) and Niggli (1999).