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On November 12th, I began a field investigation on organic farming in the Constanza Region. I visited several farms that had converted from conventional heavy pesticide use agriculture to organic farming. What is organic agriculture and how is it related to environmental quality? Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony. The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole. Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are completely free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from air, soil and water.

The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. Organic farmers in the Constanza Valley are replacing toxic agrochemicals for more ecologically-sound methods of pest control. However, this small group is far out numbered by pesticide-dependent conventional farming. A major concern is that this group does not follow all the guidelines to protect air, water and soil. The majority do not follow instructions on the proper use and disposal of toxic pesticide chemicals. More alarming, the vast majority do not use protective clothing or gear.

As with farmers in most Third World countries, their primary concern is survival and not health. The first lesson that farmers in Constanza need to learn is that by building healthy soils, healthy plants are better able to resist diseases and insects. When pest populations get out of balance, growers will try various options like insect predators, mating disruption, traps, barriers, botanicals or other non-persistent pesticides. Botanicals are derived from plants and are broken down quickly by oxygen and sunlight.

There is evidence that suggest that organically produced foods are more nutritious. Well-balanced soils grow strong healthy plants which many believe tastes better and contains more balanced nutrients. People eating organically grown products enjoy a stronger immune system increasing their natural ability to resist diseases. More importantly, organic agriculture is less toxic to the water and air. Children in the Constanza Region are particularly vulnerable to contaminated air, soil and water. Their bodies are still developing. Pound for pound, they eat, drink, and breathe more than adults. And their play puts them in close contact with the environment. Taking these factors into consideration, the research gives priority to children’s health. The primary goal is to ensure that the health and safety standards the Dominican Government adopts take into account the environmental health risks that pesticides pose to children.

General View of the Constanza Valley from the Tireo Road

Entrance to the Organic Agricultural Project. This is a joint venture between the Dominican Republic and the Japanese government. The main objective of the project is to increase the number of organic farms in the region.

Organic Agriculture Experimental Plots. The buildings in the background are military barracks used by the 13th Montane Battalion.

Organic Plant Nursery

Seedlings are Transplanted to the Experimental Fields. Sorghum, which appears in the foreground, is used as a buffer crop. Buffer crops act as a natural barrier to destructive insects.

Sorghum field along the Constanza-Bonao Road. This field is irrigated by drip irrigation.

ORGANIC COMPOSTING

Composting is the natural decomposition of organic matter by a mixed population of microorganisms (mainly bacteria, fungus, and protozoa) in a warm, moist, aerobic (oxygen-demanding) environment. In the Constanza region, these microbes are normally found on the surface of farm wastes such as crop residue.

Farm wastes, such as crop residue and manure, are the primary materials for organic compost.

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