Biological farming systems are based on sustainable, ecological soil management practices which maintain and replenish soil fertility by providing optimum conditions for soil biological activity.

 

The aim is to “feed the soil and the soil will feed the plant, feed the plant and the plant will feed the soil” but this can only happen in a balanced, biologically active soil.

 

At the cornerstone of a healthy soil eco-system is humus which influences and is influenced by every other aspect of the soil. Building soil humus improves the chemical and physical properties as well as the biological health. There are several million organisms that live in soil and in the rhizosphere. These organisms – which include bacterial fungi, protozoa, nematodes, mites, springtails and earthworms – perform a complex array of fertility maintenance tasks.

 

Each group of organisms interacts with each other and the plant and it is these interactions which forms the basis of the Soil Food Web. Most of the micro-organisms contribute directly to humus formation and the release of nutrients from organic matter.