In 2005, the United Nations published the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) report, defining ecosystem services as “the benefits people obtain from ecosystems.” Agricultural ecosystems, managed by both humans and nature, provide food, energy, greenhouse gas regulation, biodiversity support, and cultural and landscape value. However, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reports that the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers is expected to double by 2050 due to population growth and increased food demand, severely depleting global ecosystem services. Balancing food production with sustainable ecosystem development is a major challenge.

Organic agriculture, which emphasizes ecological balance and nutrient cycling while avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides, is key to sustainable agricultural development. To mitigate the depletion of ecosystem services and biodiversity loss, evaluating ecosystem service values and integrating them into land use planning is becoming an international trend. Learning from global practices and experiences can greatly benefit our agricultural and environmental sustainability.

This year, the Organic Agriculture Promotion Center and the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station are co-hosting the “International Conference on the Value of Ecosystem Services in Organic Agriculture.” The conference will focus on four themes: policy applications, net-zero emissions, non-market value assessment, and the environmental ecology of ecosystem service values in organic agriculture. We aim to learn from international experts and attract corporate support to advance organic agriculture in our country.