Why Organic Food Consumption Needs to Grow: Climate Change Has Made It an Urgent Necessity
This summer, Europe has once again been confronted with a reality that is becoming impossible to ignore.
Record temperatures, prolonged droughts and devastating wildfires have affected multiple regions, putting pressure on communities, ecosystems and agricultural production. What were once considered exceptional climate events are increasingly becoming part of our annual news cycle.
For those working in the food industry, this raises an important question:
What role can our food system play in creating a more resilient future?
The link between food production and environmental impact
Food production depends on healthy ecosystems.
It relies on fertile soils, stable weather patterns, clean water and biodiversity.
Yet many conventional agricultural systems place considerable pressure on these resources through intensive land use, synthetic fertilizers and crop protection products. As climate change accelerates, the resilience of these systems is increasingly being tested.
This is where organic agriculture offers an important alternative.
Organic farming is built around ecological balance, healthy soils, biodiversity and long-term sustainability. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture has explicitly recognised organic farming as part of the solution for reducing emissions, improving water quality, supporting biodiversity and strengthening soil health.
Organic farming works with nature
Organic farming is based on a simple principle: working with natural systems rather than against them.
Instead of relying heavily on synthetic inputs, organic farmers focus on:
- Building soil fertility
- Encouraging biodiversity
- Using crop rotation
- Protecting natural ecosystems
- Supporting long-term resilience
These practices help create agricultural systems that are better equipped to cope with climate-related challenges such as drought, flooding and biodiversity loss.
Healthy soils are particularly important because they retain water more effectively during dry periods while supporting long-term carbon storage.
In other words, healthy soils make farms more resilient at exactly the moment resilience is becoming essential.
The transition has started, but not fast enough
Across Europe, organic agriculture continues to grow.
According to Bionext’s 2023 report, which presents data for 2022, Europe had 17.8 million hectares of organic farmland, representing annual growth of 4.4%. Approximately 380,000 organic farmers were active throughout the European Union in that reporting year.
Consumer demand is growing as well.
For 2022, the report valued organic food sales in Europe at €54.5 billion, with Germany leading the market at €15.9 billion, followed by France and Italy.
The 2022 data for countries such as Denmark demonstrate what is possible when consumers, retailers and policymakers align around long-term sustainability goals. In that year, organic products represented 13% of the Danish food market, one of the highest shares worldwide at the time.
However, there is an important reality behind these encouraging figures.
Despite years of growth, the report showed that organic agriculture represented only 9.6% of EU agricultural land in 2022.
The transition is happening.
But it is not happening fast enough.
Biodiversity is part of the solution
Climate change and biodiversity loss are deeply connected.
Pollinators, insects, birds and healthy soil ecosystems all contribute to productive agricultural landscapes.
Organic farming systems are designed to support these natural processes and promote greater ecological diversity across agricultural areas.
When biodiversity declines, food production becomes more vulnerable.
When biodiversity flourishes, resilience increases.
Investing in biodiversity is not simply an environmental choice.
It is an investment in the future stability of our food supply.
Why consumer choices matter
The transition towards more sustainable agriculture cannot happen without demand.
Every organic product purchased sends a signal throughout the value chain.
It encourages farmers to transition. It gives retailers confidence to expand assortments. It enables manufacturers to invest in sustainable sourcing and product innovation.
In 2022, the European organic market was valued at more than €54 billion, demonstrating the scale of consumer support for this direction at the time.
Growth in organic consumption is not simply about buying different products.
It is about creating the economic conditions needed for more sustainable farming.
The role of the food industry
For manufacturers, retailers and innovation partners, sustainability is no longer a niche topic.
It is becoming a core business consideration.
Consumers increasingly expect transparency, responsibility and measurable environmental impact.
The opportunity for our industry is clear:
To make sustainable choices more accessible. To help consumers understand their impact. To create products that combine health, taste and environmental responsibility.
The companies that succeed will not only respond to changing consumer expectations.
They will help shape the future of food.
Looking ahead
The wildfires, droughts and extreme weather events seen across Europe are reminders that climate change is not a future problem.
It is today's reality.
No single solution will solve the challenge alone.
However, supporting agricultural systems that improve soil health, protect biodiversity and contribute to lower environmental pressure is an important step forward.
Organic food is often described as a trend.
Perhaps it is time to see it differently.
Not as a trend.
But as one of the foundations of a more resilient food system.
And the sooner we help organic consumption grow, the stronger that foundation becomes.
Source: Bionext. (2023). Bionext Trendrapport 2022. Bionext, Ede, the Netherlands..