Hence, the balance of nature and natural living systems has been lost to such an extent that it is impossible to ignore the disasters like the growth of the hole in the ozone layer, the acid rains, the destruction of the tropical forests… Those “global ecological threats” have entered and affected our lives, coming out from scientific researches and books. We have come to a point to lose our world with every organic-inorganic being in it.

NATURE AS A WHOLE 

By definition ecology is a “scientific study of the relation of living organisms to each other and their surroundings.” When you take ecology as your basis, you find out how crucial you are as an individual and realise how you affect your surrounding unconsciously.

Ecology is a wide subject that studies nature as a whole bringing together philosophy, natural and social sciences. Its main theme is the dependence of all living beings to each other.

The continuation of a healthy, organic life depends on natural balance. The destruction of the balances sometimes causes the destruction of ecological system. All of the living beings harmonize with their environment. There is a constant and balanced circle of substance and energy embodying all of the living beings in this eco-system. If any of these living groups is damaged, the circle of substance and energy gets damaged.

When we consider the environmental problems, the environmental pollution comes immediately to mind. The environmental pollution arises from physical, chemical and biological factors. The health problems that the environment pollution has created threat the future of mankind, whereas the economic loss it has caused in organic and inorganic system is very high. Not long ago, the pollution in soil caused by the solid and liquid disposals created during agricultural processes and activities -including the use of pesticides to struggle with the plant diseases and of chemical fertilizers to increase the productivity- was not regarded as an environmental problem, because it is known that earth has its own self-preservation mechanism. However, as a result of the agricultural pollution, there happens a series of change in the physical, chemical and biological qualities of the soil. Moreover latest researches have shown that the capacity of earth’s ability to clean is restricted since water pollution has been detected in water, which has filtered down to 5-10 meters depth of soil. Only after the spread of pollution to soil and to the water table, the soil pollution attracted attention as a crucial environmental problem.

The “ecological approach” is based on “producing and consuming without damaging the environment”, which calls for ecological agriculture, also named as biological or organic agriculture in different countries.

In this sense, the basic principle of the ecological agriculture defined as an “alternative agriculture method pertaining to environmental conservation” is maintaining an agricultural facility in total harmony with nature while also preventing agricultural environmental pollution and eliminating the side effects of chemical substances. The ecological agriculture considers soil as an animate being and tries to preserve it in each production level. It is forbidden to use synthetic chemicals and substances alien to nature as fertilizers or pesticides.

SURVEY CARRIED OUT IN IZMIR

In 1999 a survey has been carried out in order to investigate the general attitude of producers, companies and consumers towards ecological agriculture.

According to the results of the survey which has been carried out with the participation of farmers, firms and consumers in İzmir and surrounding areas; the farmers produce all of the products in their own fields, while merely 3 % of the producers is involved in the ecological production, 5 % produces both ecological and conventional agricultural products. 

92 % of the producers is not satisfied with the TV and radio programs, newspaper articles and the seminars about this issue; whereas just 8 % says those activities are efficient.

The answers to the question “What do you think about the contribution of abundantly used chemical fertilizers to agriculture?” are as follows: 60 %: “It has increased agricultural production and hence our income”, 20 %: “Our new products do not smell and taste as good as they used to be”, 15 %: “The yield has decreased each year as compared to the first years when we have begun using chemical fertilizers”, and 5 %: “Our soil has become barren.”

To the question “How will be the future of ecological agriculture?” the following answers are given: 50 % says that “with the help of financial support to the farmers, it can spread more”, 40 % says that “there will be increased demand for ecological agriculture due to the environmental problems aggravating day by day and the increased need of consuming healthier products”, 10 % suggests that “it has not much chance to improve because it is difficult to apply and it decreases the yield”.

The producers are anxious about the market share of the ecological products produced with much more efforts. All of the participant firms are involved in ecological production with their contracting farmers. Those firms are trying to solve the problems that they are facing in various levels by themselves. Due to the existing competition for more market share, those firms don’t share their experiences with other firms. Only 1 % of their products are consumed in national market, the rest is being exported. They suggest that the reason for this is the lack of demand from local markets.

All of the firms, which contributed to the survey, offer consultation services about the ecological production to the farmers.

According the results of the survey, 98 % of the consumers who contributed to the survey are not informed about ecological products. Merely 2 % of them is aware of the term “ecological product”.

78 % of the consumers who contributed to the survey answered the question about “the demand for the ecological products” saying that “they would buy ecological products if their price is the same or similar to the price of conventional products”, 8 % of the consumers replied that “they could buy them even if their price is higher” and 14 % of them said that “for them there was no difference between buying ecological or conventional products”.

Evaluating generally, it is seen that both the producers and the consumers lack information and awareness about the “concept of ecological product”. The fact that ecological products are not known, may be a cause of their low market share. Through articles in the newspapers and magazines, programs on TV and radio, and educational seminars the awareness could be increased. Courses on ecological agriculture can be introduced in the undergraduate and postgraduate curricula of the faculties of agriculture, and agricultural engineers who want to study this field can be encouraged. Through farmer training seminars held by the Ministry of Agriculture the awareness of the farmers about the ecological agriculture can be increased by informing them about the principles of applying it as an alternative agricultural method.

Another crucial issue investigated in the survey is “the demand for the ecological products”. The ecological agriculture products are more expensive than the conventional agriculture products, because here maximum quality is preferred to maximum yield. Besides, in ecological agriculture each process from the beginning to the end is checked by authorities, which is another factor increasing the production cost.

Today’s agriculture on one hand competes within the international market, and encounters increasing environmental consciousness on the other hand. Therefore, all of the inputs that are used to increase the quality and efficiency in agricultural production should be evaluated on the basis of “production not harming the natural balances” and “economic production” in changing circumstances.