October 16 – World Food Day

On World Food Day, which this year the FAO has dedicated to the theme "Innovate today to feed tomorrow," FederBio emphasizes the importance of producing better, regenerating the resources on which our food depends, highlighting the serious consequences of industrial agriculture, especially in the world's most vulnerable areas.

According to the review of the study on acute pesticide poisoning conducted by researchers from the Pesticide Action Network just published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health , 1,000 cases of acute pesticide poisoning occur every year in the world. Over 400 million cases of acute, unintentional pesticide poisoning among agricultural workers have been reported, resulting in nearly 11,000 deaths. But the toll, according to researchers, could be even higher. The 84 million children employed in the fields, who are more vulnerable than adults, are excluded from the count. The study therefore underscores the urgency of a global ban on highly hazardous pesticides and replacing them with safer and more sustainable alternatives.

"The damage caused by pesticides is now well-known and worrying, endangering the health of those who work in the fields and communities. Synthetic chemicals impoverish the soil, which is why it is essential to accelerate the agroecological transition ," comments Maria Grazia Mammuccini, President of FederBio . " Organic farming is one of the pillars of future food innovation; it is more resilient to climate impacts, enhances the work of farmers, and regenerates the natural resources on which our food depends. Anyone who thinks of organic farming as a return to the past is gravely mistaken. Organic farming redefines the direction of innovation. Thanks to biocontrol, the valorization of native varieties, and advanced soil fertility management, organic farming demonstrates that it is possible to produce efficiently while protecting natural resources. Data from the Agrofarma Observatory highlights a change underway: over the last ten years, the use of pesticides has decreased by 18%, while the use of organically sourced active ingredients has increased by 133%. This is a sign that many of the innovations Agroecological approaches developed for organic farming are increasingly finding their way into conventional agriculture as well. Investing in research and training on biocontrol is essential to developing effective innovations to support organic farmers and, more generally, the entire agricultural system.

Some of the longest-running international comparative trials confirm the ability of organic farming to build agricultural systems capable of maintaining competitive yields while improving soil fertility. The DOK Trial , conducted by FiBL and Agroscope, which has compared organic, biodynamic, and conventional systems since 1978, demonstrates that soils cultivated without synthetic chemicals contribute to reducing the climate impact of agriculture. Greenhouse gas emissions are 44% lower in organic soils than in conventional soils. Furthermore, the increased microbiological activity of organic soil improves soil structure and the humus' ability to retain carbon and water. This increases resilience to drought, thanks in part to a 40% higher water retention capacity.

Data from the Rodale Institute's Farming Systems Trial , which for forty-five years has analyzed the effects of different agricultural models on soil fertility, yields, and climate resilience, demonstrates that over the long term, organic crops can deliver yields equal to or higher than conventional crops. Under climate-stressed conditions, such as droughts, organic corn averaged higher yields.

Food security depends not only on the quantity of food we produce, but also on the availability and quality of natural resources. The WMO report on the state of global water resources highlights an increasingly unstable water cycle: in 2025, 36% of the world's river basins recorded significantly lower flows than normal, while water reserves in soils, aquifers, lakes, and glaciers continue to decline. In a sector that absorbs approximately 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, preserving soil fertility and its water-retaining capacity is therefore essential to strengthening the resilience of agriculture and ensuring our food future.

"We live in a paradox we can no longer accept: on the one hand, enormous quantities of food continue to be wasted, and on the other, hunger and malnutrition still affect millions of people, " concludes Maria Grazia Mammuccini , President of FederBio . " The intensive model has taken its toll on the environment and climate, creating economic and social injustices; it has failed to guarantee farmers an adequate income, nor access to good food for all. True innovation is that which regenerates resources rather than consumes them, that which cares for the Earth and local communities. Feeding tomorrow means making coherent choices today: agroecology, of which organic and biodynamic represent the highest expressions, is the answer to the great food, environmental, economic, and social challenges of our time."