Glam1965 answers the question: why is the AIAB BIO ECO COSMETICS Certification so important?

Organic farming is an agricultural production system which aims to respect the environment, natural balances and biodiversity and also wants to offer to the consumer genuine products obtained in respect of the cycle of nature. The organic farm is a single "agro-eco-system" in which human activity is inserted using techniques that respect the fertility of the soil, individual crops, animals and environmental balance; these techniques exclude the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and veterinary medicines and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

The benefits this type of agriculture offers are evident in various areas, including environmental protection and soil vitality. The land, in fact, is certainly one of the most important natural resources, and organic agriculture operates in order to respect its value and its conservation over time.

The basic principles of organic farming are:

• The principle of wellness: this principle underlines that the wellness of individuals and communities cannot be separated from the wellness of ecosystems; healthy soils produce healthy food, which in turn promotes the wellness of animals and people. Wellness must concern the totality and integrity of living systems.

This principle is not simply the absence of disease, but the maintenance of physical, mental, social and environmental wellness. The natural immune defenses, the ability to recover and regenerate are the key characteristics of wellness.

• The Principle of Ecology. This principle makes Organic Agriculture an important part of the living ecological systems. In order to maintain and to improve the quality of the environment and save resources, production materials must be reduced through the reuse, recycling and efficient management of materials and energy. Organic Agriculture has to achieve an ecological balance through the conception of agricultural systems, the establishment of habitats and the maintenance of genetic and agricultural diversity.

• The principle of equity. This principle emphasizes that those engaged in Organic Agriculture shall maintain and nurture human relationships in order to ensure social justice at all levels and for all interested parties – farmers, workers, processors, distributors, traders and consumers. Organic Agriculture must ensure a good quality of life for all those involved and contribute to food sovereignty and poverty reduction.

• The precautionary principle. Those who practice Organic Agriculture can improve its effectiveness and productivity, but this must not be done at the expense of health and wellness. Consequently, new technologies need to be evaluated and existing methods revised. Given the incomplete knowledge of ecosystems and agriculture, precautions must be taken, through the adoption of appropriate technologies and the rejection of unpredictable technologies, such as genetic engineering.