Introduction to Organic Farming

What is Organic Farming

• Organic farming uses agricultural production systems that rely on green manure, compost, biological pest control, and crop rotation.
• It fosters resource cycling to conserve biodiversity and ecological balance.
• Key aspects includes using green manure, cover crops, animal manure, and soil rotation to disrupt pests and diseases.
• It improves soil fertility and maximizes the soil's biological activity.
• Organic farming prohibits synthetic chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, herbicides, and pesticides.
• The objective is to produce fibers, grains, vegetables, flowers, fruits, foods, and animal products like milk, eggs, and meat the natural way.

Objectives of Organic Farming

• Increase genetic diversity
• Promote the use of natural pesticides
• Ensure proper soil cultivation timing
• Maintain and develop good soil structure and fertility
• Control pests, diseases, and weeds

Types of Organic Farming

• Pure organic farming uses organic manures and bio-pesticides, avoiding inorganic chemicals and pesticides.
• Integrated organic farming involves integrated nutrient and pest management where crops grow with complete nutritive value, while using natural resources.

Techniques of Organic Farming

• Crop rotation involves growing various crops sequentially in the same area based on the season.
• Green manure uses uprooted, dying plants turned into the soil as nutrients.
• Biological pest control uses living organisms to manage pests, with or without chemicals.
• Compost is nutrient-rich recycled organic matter used as fertilizer in agriculture.

Methods of Organic Farming

• Soil management involves organic agriculture's use of bacteria to replenish depleted nutrients after cultivation.
• Weed management focuses on lowering weed presence via mulching with plastic films or plant residue or mowing/cutting of top growth.
• Crop diversity involves monoculture (cultivating one crop) or polyculture (cultivating multiple crops to meet demand and produce microorganisms).
• Controlling other organisms involves using natural or fewer-chemical herbicides and pesticides to grow beneficial and control harmful organisms.

History of Organic Farming

• Organic farming, over 10,000 years old, practiced in Neolithic times by ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia and the Hwang Ho Basin.
• Ramayana mentions all dead things return to nourish soil and life.
• Mahabharat (5500 B.C) mentions Kamdhenu and the role of cow in human life and soil fertility.
• Kautilya Arthasashtra (300 B.C) mentions in several manure uses like oil cake and animal waste.
• Rigbed (2500-1500 B.C) mentions green manure and use of dung from goat, sheep, cow etc.
• Birhat Sanhita describes methods for choosing manure for crops and manuring.
• Sir Albert Howard is regarded as the father of organic agriculture
• Albert Howard served as a mycologist in the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies (1899-1902) before teaching in England
• In 1905 he moved to India to do agricultural research for 26 years before returning to England in 1931.
• In An Agricultural Testament (1940), Howard emphasized using organic waste to build soil fertility and humus content.

Difference Between Organic and Inorganic Farming

• Organic farming is based on ecological orientation; inorganic farming is based on chemical orientation.
• Organic farming improves soil fertility; inorganic farming deteriorates it.
• Organic farming avoids pollution problems; inorganic farming causes them.
• Organic farming prohibits GMOs, while inorganic farming uses them.
• Organic farming uses irrigation requirements, whereas inorganic farming relies on intensive irrigation.
• Organic farming uses bio-fertilizers and works in harmony with nature, employing restraint.
• Inorganic farming uses chemical fertilizers, dominating and exploiting nature.
• Organic farming improves the ecosystem, and manually removes weeds.
• Inorganic farming impacts the ecosystem and controls weeds through herbicides.

Importance of Organic Farming

• Benefits the environment by reducing threats to natural habitats
• Provides healthier food
• Improves soil condition through manure use

Principles of Organic Farming

• Organic agriculture should contribute to the health of soil, plants, animals, and humans.
• Organic farming must model itself on living ecological systems to fit the ecological balance and cycle.
• Organic farming should provide a good quality of life and improve soil infertility.
• Organic agriculture should be practiced to protect current and future generations and the environment

Pros of Organic Farming

• High nutritional value due to absence of modified ingredients and natural growth
• Better taste due to mineral and sugar structures that crops get from longer development time
• Offers safer products with high nutrition, fewer chemicals & no modified ingredients.
• Strict organic standards ensure products are free from synthetic chemicals.
• Environmental sustainability is promoted through soil management, nutrient cycling, ecological balance, and biodiversity conservation.
• A solution to food security because it addresses disproportionate food supply issues, climate impacts, and poor farming practices.

Cons of Organic Farming

• Diminished productivity over time, as soil health and fertility declines.
• More time-consuming requiring commitment, patience, interaction between farmer and crops/livestock.
• Requires more skills because of the use of natural inputs and close observation, without relying on mechanized or chemical solutions.
• Organic products are more expensive, which reduces support and consumption.
• It lacks flexibility of utilizing GMO advantages organic farming avoids genetic modification to resist pests, diseases, and weeds.

Growth of Organic Farming

• Growing demand for organic products has increased the sector in India.
• India ranks 33rd globally in organic farming area
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under organic farming (1 m or 52%), followed by Maharashtra and Orissa.

Sikkim Model

• On January 9, 2016, Sikkim was declared the first organic state in India.
• Sikkim won the Future Policy Award for agroecology and policies organized by FAO, the World Future Council, and IFOAM Organics International.
• Sikkim received a citation from Agriculture Today in 2009 for 'Outstanding Performance in Horticulture
• The UN recognized Development Development's success, designating it the world's first Organic State, surpassing 25 other countries.
• A 100% organic state was fast-tracked in 2010 with the Organic Mission's launch.
  • 2003: Sikkim discouraged chemical use and reduced fertilizer subsidy by 10%.
  • 2003-2009: 396 villages adopted as bio-villages to test organic input.
  • 2008-2009: About 8000 ha of land was certified as organic.
  • Vermi culture hatcheries and Krishi Vigyan Kendra established.
  • 2010: Sikkim organic mission launched to ensure 100% organic sales.
  • 2010-2011: Over 18,234 ha of land certified with automated greenhouses.
  • 2011-2012: 19,188 ha of land certified.
  • 2015: Entire state agricultural area converted to certified organic.
  • 2016: Sikkim formally declared a 100% Organic state and considered it a organic model of India.

Government Initiatives for Organic Farming

• MOVCDNER (Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region)
• MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture)
• PKVY (Parampragat Krishi Vikash Yojana)
• National Project of Organic Farming
• State Adopting Organic Farming
• National Centre of Organic Farming
• ICAR contribution in promoting organic farming
• Promotion of the Use of Biofertilizer
• Soil Health Card
• National Agriculture Market
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
• Pradhanmantri Fasal Bima Yojana
• Gramin Bhandaran Yojana

Benefits of Organic Farming

• Ecological: Produces healthy soil, combats global warming and erosion, promotes water and animal health, discourages algal blooms, encourages biodiversity.
• Economical: Reduces production costs, rises farmer income, improves purchasing power, provides access to premium organic markets, supports high exports, stabilizes finances through crop diversification reducing risks.