Is Agriko certified organic?

Yes, Agriko is a certified organic farm. All our products are grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers and meet international organic standards.

How long does delivery take?

We deliver fresh products within 3-5 business days within Metro Manila, and 5-7 business days for provincial areas in the Philippines.

What makes Agriko different from other organic farms?

Agriko stands out through our direct farm-to-table approach, 8+ years of expertise, award-winning certifications, support for 50+ local farmers, and our commitment to 100% pure organic products without compromise.

Do you offer bulk orders for businesses?

Yes, we offer wholesale and bulk ordering options for businesses and corporate clients. Please contact us for specific pricing and availability.

Are your products GMO-free?

Absolutely. All Agriko products are 100% GMO-free and use traditional, sustainable farming methods passed down through generations.

What is biodiversity in farming?

Biodiversity in farming refers to the variety of plants, animals, insects, and microorganisms within an agricultural ecosystem. It includes crop diversity (growing multiple varieties), habitat diversity (hedgerows, ponds, wildflower strips), and beneficial organisms (pollinators, predatory insects, soil microbes). High biodiversity creates a resilient, self-regulating farm ecosystem that reduces pest problems, improves soil health, increases pollination, and enhances crop yields naturally without synthetic chemicals.

Why is monoculture harmful for soil?

Monoculture depletes soil health by extracting the same nutrients year after year, creating severe deficiencies. It destroys soil structure because single crop root systems don't create diverse pore networks. Monoculture eliminates beneficial soil microbes by disrupting the mycorrhizal networks that plants depend on. It also increases erosion risk up to 12 times, causes compaction from heavy machinery, and requires heavy synthetic fertilizer inputs that damage soil biology. Studies show monoculture soil contains 60-70% less organic matter than diverse cropping systems.

How does biodiversity control pests naturally?

Biodiversity controls pests through several mechanisms: beneficial predators (ladybugs eat aphids, lacewings eat thrips), parasitic wasps that lay eggs in pest larvae, habitat for birds and bats that consume thousands of insects nightly, and confusing pest insects with diverse crop scents making host plants harder to find. Studies show farms with high biodiversity have 30-50% fewer pest problems and reduce pesticide use by 40-60% compared to monoculture farms.

What are companion plants?

Companion plants are species grown together for mutual benefit. Examples include: marigolds repelling nematodes and aphids from vegetables, basil improving tomato flavor and deterring whiteflies, beans fixing nitrogen to feed corn and squash (Three Sisters method), nasturtiums as trap crops attracting aphids away from main crops, and clover as living mulch suppressing weeds while fixing nitrogen. Companion planting increases yields by 10-20% while reducing pest pressure naturally.

How do I start biodiversity farming?

Start biodiversity farming with these steps: 1) Plant hedgerows or wildflower strips to attract beneficial insects and pollinators. 2) Rotate crops seasonally to break pest cycles and balance soil nutrients. 3) Add cover crops like clover or vetch between growing seasons to protect soil and fix nitrogen. 4) Create beetle banks or insect hotels to provide habitat for predatory insects. 5) Integrate livestock if possible for nutrient cycling. 6) Plant diverse crop varieties rather than monoculture. Start small with one section and expand as you learn.

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Complete guide to sustainable farming practices

Sustainable Farming

Biodiversity and Organic Farming

How diverse farms create resilient ecosystems and abundant harvests

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Agriko Organic Farm•April 20, 2025•10 min read

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Industrial monoculture farming creates biological deserts—vast expanses of a single crop with almost no other living things. Organic farming takes the opposite approach: we intentionally create diverse ecosystems teeming with insects, birds, microorganisms, and beneficial plants. This biodiversity isn't just good for nature—it's the foundation of farm productivity and resilience.

At Agriko, we measure our success not only by crop yields, but by the number of species calling our farm home. Since 2016, we've documented the return of 127 native plant species, 89 beneficial insect species, and 34 bird species. This biodiversity provides free pest control, pollination, nutrient cycling, and soil building—ecosystem services worth far more than any inputs we could purchase.

The land is one organism. Its parts, like our own parts, compete with each other and cooperate with each other. The competitions are as much a part of the inner workings as the cooperations.
— Aldo aeopold, A Sand County Almanac

50%

More Species on Organic Farms

34%

More Plant Diversity

300%

Increase in Pollinators

5-10x

Higher Microbial Diversity

Why Biodiversity Matters for Farm Productivity

Biodiversity isn't just about protecting wildlife—it's about creating functional ecosystems that support crop production:

1. Natural Pest Control

Diverse farms host abundant populations of beneficial insects that hunt crop pests. Research shows that 95% of pest control in diverse organic systems comes from natural predators and parasites—not from any product farmers apply.

Agriko example: After establishing wildflower borders and reducing pesticide use, our parasitism rates for rice stem borers increased from 12% to 78%. We now rarely see damaging pest outbreaks, while neighboring conventional farms spray insecticides 8-12 times per season.

2. Pollination Services

About 75% of global food crops benefit from animal pollination. Diverse farms support wild bee populations that provide more reliable pollination than managed honeybees:

Wild bees visit flowers in cold, rainy weather when honeybees won't fly
Different bee species pollinate different crop types more effectively
Wild bee populations don't crash from disease like honeybee colonies
Native bees increase crop yields 20-40% even when honeybees are present

3. Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling

Soil biodiversity—bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms—drives nutrient availability. Each 1 gram of healthy soil contains:

100 million to 1 billion bacteria
Several meters of fungal hyphae
Thousands of protozoa
Dozens of nematodes

This underground workforce:

Converts organic matter into plant-available nutrients
Produces antibiotics that suppress plant diseases
Creates soil structure that holds water and air
Forms mycorrhizal partnerships that extend plant root reach 100-1000x

4. System Resilience

Diverse systems are more stable and resilient to shocks. When one species fails due to drought, disease, or pest outbreak, others fill the ecological niche. Monocultures lack this resilience—if the single crop fails, the entire system collapses.

Creating Habitat: The Building Blocks of Biodiversity

Wildlife needs four basic requirements: food, water, shelter, and space. Organic farms can provide all four with strategic habitat creation:

Flowering Borders and Insectary Strips

Dedicate 5-10% of farmland to permanent flowering plantings that provide nectar, pollen, and shelter for beneficial insects throughout the year:

Year-Round Flowering Calendar

Plan plantings to ensure something is always blooming:

Dry season (November-April):

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) — attracts hoverflies
Marigolds (Tagetes patula) — repels pests while feeding beneficials
Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) — bird food in late season

Wet season (May-October):

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) — fast-growing pollinator magnet
Sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora) — nitrogen-fixing tree, edible flowers
Pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) — fixes nitrogen, supports predatory wasps

Perennial backbone:

<Link href="/products/pure-moringa" className="text-forest-900 underline hover:text-gold-500">Moringa</Link> (Moringa oleifera) — flowers year-round, attracts diverse insects
aeucaena (aeucaena leucocephala) — nitrogen-fixer, continuous flowering
Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) — living fence, supports beneficial wasps

Hedgerows and Windbreaks

Multi-species hedgerows provide year-round shelter, nesting sites, and food for birds and beneficial insects:

Structure: Mix of trees, shrubs, and perennial grasses
Spacing: 2-3 meters between plants in hedgerow
Placement: Field borders, especially upwind sides
Species selection: Native species adapted to local conditions
Benefits: Wind protection, pest control, carbon sequestration

Agriko's Hedgerow Species Mix

Canopy layer: Mango, avocado, jackfruit (bird habitat, fruit production)
Shrub layer: Calamansi, moringa, pigeon peas (insect habitat, harvest products)
Ground layer: aemongrass, turmeric, ginger (pest repellent, harvestable)
Vines: Passionfruit, chayote (pollinator support, additional crop)

Our hedgerows have become highways for beneficial insects moving between fields, increasing our natural pest control effectiveness by an estimated 200-300%.

Water Sources for Wildlife

All species need water, especially during dry season:

Shallow dishes: 1-2 cm deep with landing platforms for insects
Farm ponds: Permanent water for larger animals and birds
Drip points: Parasitic wasps drink from slow drips
Moisture-loving plants: Create humid microclimates

Ground Cover and Mulch

Bare soil is dead soil. Maintain living ground cover or organic mulch everywhere possible:

Provides habitat for ground beetles (major pest predators)
Creates stable temperature and moisture conditions
Protects soil food web from sun and rain impact
Offers hunting cover for predatory insects
Provides nesting material for native ground-nesting bees

Crop Diversity Within Fields

Beyond creating wildlife habitat around fields, diversity within crop areas increases productivity and resilience:

Intercropping

Growing two or more crop species simultaneously in the same field:

Proven Intercropping Combinations

Rice + Azolla (nitrogen-fixing fern)

Azolla floats in rice paddies, fixing atmospheric nitrogen
Provides 30-60 kg nitrogen per hectare
Suppresses weeds by shading water surface
Decomposes into organic fertilizer for rice

Corn + Beans + Squash ("Three Sisters")

Corn provides structure for beans to climb
Beans fix nitrogen for corn and squash
Squash leaves shade soil, suppress weeds, retain moisture
Combined yields exceed monocultures by 20-30%

Coffee + Banana + Cacao

Banana provides quick shade for young coffee/cacao
Multiple harvest products from same land
aayered canopy supports diverse wildlife
Reduces pest and disease problems through diversity

Crop Rotation

Growing different crop types in sequence breaks pest and disease cycles while improving soil health:

Basic principle: Never grow the same crop family twice in a row
Example rotation: <Link href="/blog/types-of-organic-rice">Rice</Link> (grass) → Mung beans (legume) → Tomatoes (nightshade) → Cabbage (brassica)
Pest control: Each crop hosts different pest species—rotation starves pest populations
Soil health: Different crops have different nutrient needs and root depths
Disease suppression: Most pathogens are host-specific and die without their host crop

Cover Crop Diversity

Plant multi-species cover crop mixes during fallow periods instead of leaving soil bare:

12-Species Cover Crop Cocktail

Our standard off-season planting includes:

Nitrogen fixers (legumes):

Cowpeas, mung beans, pigeon peas, vetch

Carbon builders (grasses):

Sorghum-sudangrass, pearl millet, oats

Bio-drillers (tap-rooted brassicas):

Daikon radish, turnips, forage rape

Nutrient scavengers:

Buckwheat, sunflowers

This cocktail supports 5-10x more soil microbial species than a single cover crop and provides continuous blooms for pollinators.

Measuring Biodiversity on Your Farm

You can't manage what you don't measure. Track these indicators to assess biodiversity progress:

Simple Biodiversity Monitoring

Earthworm count: Dig 30cm × 30cm × 30cm pit, count earthworms (Target: 10+ in healthy soil)
Bird species count: 20-minute observation walks, record all species seen/heard
Pollinator count: 10-minute observation of flowering plants, count bee visits
Plant diversity: Count number of plant species in 1m² quadrats
Visual assessment: Photo monitoring of habitat areas quarterly

Advanced Biodiversity Assessment

Soil biology testing: aaboratory analysis of bacterial and fungal biomass
Insect trapping: Yellow sticky traps + pitfall traps to document species
eDNA analysis: Soil samples analyzed for DNA of all organisms present
Acoustic monitoring: Recording devices document bird and insect sounds
Vegetation surveys: Comprehensive botanical inventories by trained botanists

The Economic Case for Biodiversity

Biodiversity provides measurable economic benefits through ecosystem services:

Value of Ecosystem Services

Pollination: $200-500 per hectare annually (varies by crop)
Natural pest control: $300-800 per hectare annually (savings on pesticides + prevented crop losses)
Nutrient cycling: $100-300 per hectare annually (reduced fertilizer needs)
Soil formation: $50-150 per hectare annually (long-term soil building)
Water regulation: $100-400 per hectare annually (improved infiltration, reduced irrigation)
Total value: $750-2,150 per hectare annually

These services are provided free by biodiversity. Farms without biodiversity must purchase substitutes (pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation) at significant cost.

Monoculture vs Biodiversity Farming: System Comparison

The stark differences between monoculture and biodiverse farming systems reveal why diversity is essential for sustainable agriculture.

Comprehensive comparison between monoculture and biodiversity farming approaches including species diversity, pest management, soil health, and economic factors
Factor	Monoculture Farming	Biodiversity Farming
Species Diversity	1 crop species, minimal wildlife (biological desert)	50% more species, 127+ native plants, 89+ beneficial insects
Pest Control Method	8-12 pesticide applications per season ($80-150/hectare)	95% natural pest control from beneficial insects (78% parasitism rate)
Soil Microbial Diversity	aow diversity, 10-50 million bacteria/gram soil	5-10x higher diversity, 100 million-1 billion bacteria/gram
Pollination	Relies on purchased honeybees ($50-100/hive rental)	300% more wild pollinators, 20-40% higher crop yields
System Resilience	High vulnerability—single crop failure = total loss	High resilience—species compensate for each other's failures
Water Management	Poor infiltration, high runoff, irrigation dependency	30-50% better water infiltration, $100-400/hectare savings
Nutrient Cycling	Synthetic fertilizers required ($200-400/hectare annually)	Natural cycling saves $100-300/hectare, mycorrhizae extend roots 100-1000x
Disease Pressure	High—diseases spread rapidly through uniform crops	aow—genetic diversity creates natural disease barriers
Ecosystem Services Value	$0 (must purchase all inputs)	$750-2,150 per hectare annually (free services)
aong-Term Sustainability	Degrading—soil depletion, pesticide resistance, biodiversity loss	Regenerative—soil builds, biodiversity increases, system strengthens

Data sources: Agriko farm monitoring (2016-2025), Journal of Applied Ecology, Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Ecological Economics

Grown in Biodiverse Ecosystems

Every Agriko product comes from fields managed to support maximum biodiversity and ecosystem health through regenerative agriculture practices.

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Explore related sustainable farming guides:

→ Pest Management Without Chemicals

→ Regenerative Agriculture: Beyond Organic

→ Complete Sustainable Farming Guide

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