1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference

“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”

12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

Organic Certification in Tropics

G.K.Upawansa

Eco Conservation Organization

Hyneford, Dekinda,Nawalapitiya
Srilanka

Farming operation in conventional farming is crop centered. Land preparation,

spacing, fertilizing etc. are done to suit the crop selected. In rotations of crops at
least for one season or an year, some sections of the farm are driven to
monoculture. Under a rotation or as a requirement of farming system when only
one crop is grown in a fairly large patch (over 500 sq. m. under Sri Lanka situation)
insect pest are attracted. It is aggravated when extra nutrients are provided for high
yields. In the absence of enemies or predators and having adlib feed supply the
pests multiply fast. Same is true for diseases. Weeding is done to maximize
nutrients recovery. This operation destroys the habitats of predators and other
insects. Similarly beneficial microbes are also eliminated. Application of
insecticide eliminates even the rare occurrence of beneficial creatures. Spraying a
fungicide too has similar effects. All theses operations namely the monoculture and
weed control, insect pest control and disease control induces all form of crop
damages and crop protection measures have to be built in to farming system which
is becoming more and more expensive on one hand and eco system damage is
escalating on the other hand.
In tropics conditions are much worse, because of 12 hours of day light and rain fall
pattern. Land cover is green right through the year and favour extensive
biodiversity. In conventional farming what we do is eliminating biodiversity. Sixty
percent of resources and energy spent on this and only 40 percent used in the
production process. As such farming as a whole and organic farming in particular is
not economical and viable in tropics as long as conventional farming techniques
are adopted.
In tropical countries farm size is very small and need not go for intensive
mechanization. Labour is not as expensive as in developed countries. Farming is
mainly for subsistence. The farmers are relatively poor. Giving due considerations
to socio-economic factors, cultural norms and values, eco system requirements and
resource availability farming systems for tropics have to be remodelled.

Factors to considered in remodelling farming systems

(1) The main emphasis must be on enhancement of biodiversity whatever
the farming system developed.
(2) Another important aspect is that the farming system must represent the
local natural eco system and must be able to rejuvenate the natural eco
system within a short time when disturbances to the natural system are
caused due to farming.

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1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference
“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”
12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

(3) Weeds, insects and all pathogenic and other micro organisms must be
treated as beneficial or resources and develop the system accordingly.

There are several farming systems in Sri Lanka full filling above three conditions.
They are,
(I) Traditional shifting cultivation.
(II) Kandyan home gardens.
(III) Crop livestock energy integrated farming system.
(IV) Multi tier polyculture.
(V) Analogue forestry.
(VI) Nawa Kekulama method of rice cultivation.

Requirement for Organic certification

1. In all these systems natural eco system features are retained. Certain
changes or modifications are required for some systems. For example
light burning of dried vegetative mater in shifting cultivation. This is
for surface sterilization to reduced dentrifications that causes
nitrogen deficiency for crop. Instead of burning organic nitrogen
conserving materials can be incorporated.
2. In order to avoid even a slightest contamination, area under
consideration for organic farming aught to be not individual parcels
(plots) but at least a sub system of the ecological unit. For example in
rice cultivation a tract composed of farming units owned by 6 to 8
farmers. Under small village tank the unit can either the whole
extent when the entire tract is around 20 Ha. or a tract served by a
channel in large tanks. Normally each tank has two channels called
left and right.
In the case of spice crops some other principles can be adopted instead of
channels. Natural water cources dried or other wise can be made use of as
boundaries. For annual crop production clusters of similar production units
may be formed. This arrangement facilitates record keeping and inspection

3. Certification criteria should be developed on the lines of forest

product certification. All the models mentioned earlier have the
characteristics of forest. Even the fields cultivated to Nawa
Kekulama look like a natural grassland or a swamp dominating rice
plant.

4. In the process of inspection weightage must be given to biodiversity

both fauna and flora. To illustrate this the presence specific plant
may indicate the biodiversity level. anther the way would be to
cultivate the percentage or the proportion of plant present in the
block compared to the total number of plant inhabiting the region or
location similarly recording the present and movement of birds and
wild life species and time wise will be use full

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1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference
“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”
12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

5. Management of water courses, ravens and small forest area should

also be included in the certification procedure. It appears that in
tropics even a small patch of forest bring in many benefits to the
farmers.

Fertilization
Both biogas slurry and sludge can be considered as complete source nutrients.
Special mention must be made to the nitrogen availability. Under normal
decomposition organic mater 50 percentof nitrogen present in row materials is lost
either the by leaching or as nitrogen gas to the atmosphere. In the bio gas
production entire nitrogen content of the substrate is preserved, mostly in solution.
When compost is applied to soil only about 50 to60 percent of nitrogen in compost
is recovered by crops with bio gas manures up to 80 percent of the nitrogen present
is recovered by crops. This is more than three fold in crease in the recovery (100 x
80 /100) of nitrogen in the raw materials (in composting 50/100 x 50-60 /100 = 25 +
percent) The use of biogas manure is a valuable remedial measure for nitrogen
deficiency in tropical soils.
Home made liquid manure is event better than bio gas manure for tropics because
of the ingredients used in the preparation. Production process is a simulation of bio
gas digestion process. To a thin slurry of fresh cow dung and water, a mixture of
fallowing leaves equal by weight to the fresh cow dung is added to the slurry.
Every day it should be churned until it is ready in 20 to 25 days. One volume of
liquid manure should be mixed with four volumes of water and applied weekly to
crops. All most all crops can organically be produced having some organic matter
incorporated at or before seeding or planting. A yield of over 7.2 tons of rice per
hectares is easily reached with this liquid manure.

Biogas manure and liquid manure has following properties.

(a) Nutrients absorbed by foliage. It helps to recover stresses.

(b) Has mild insecticidal and repellent property. When liquid manure is
regularly applied no insect damage is observed.
(c) Also has mild fungicidal properties and action is similar to (b) above.
(d) Contains growth hormones (unidentified growth promoting factors.
UGF. These compounds accelerate photosynthesis and root growth
enabling the crop to absorb nutrient rapidly so that nutrient losses by
leaching and denitrification is prevented)

Because of these actions and benefits in tropics use of biogas manure and
homemade liquid manure should be included in the list of allowable fertilizing
materials

Botanicals

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1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference
“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”
12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

Eco conservation organization has listed 39 species of plant that can be used as
insecticide and insect repellents of these following species can be included in the
list of permeable insecticides.
(i) Euphobia antiquorum
(ii) Crotolaria retusa
(iii) Gliricidia sepium
(iv) Acasia caesia
(v) Eupatorium odratum
(vi) Tithonia spp
(vii) Randia dumetorum (Rubiaceae )
(viii) Lobelia nicotanifolia (Campanulaceae)
(ix) Thephrosia vogeli ( other varietiesalready included)

Weed management
In Sri Lanka cabbage and brinjals are very susceptible for insect pest attracts. Some
cabbage growers spray strong synthetic insecticides at two days interval and the
last spray after harvest and cleaning. Brinjals can only be protected by application
of systemic insecticide like Furadan. Tthese practises are highly unethical but for
survival farmers apply unwillingly. These two crops as well as others are grown in
association with weeds on the training and production plots of eco conservation
organization farm as well as many trainees. Non of us use even botanicals for
insect pests because they donot appear. ECCO treats weeds as a most important and
efficient crop protection agent, because it facilitates biological management by
enhancing predatory population. In rice fields bunds account for 12-20 percent of
land area. When this area is kept weedy entire range of insect pests including
recently appeared mites are completely managed. All interested organizations and
individuals in organic food production must research and confirm the effect.
In organic certification weed as a insect pest management agent must be
accepted

Indigenous crop protection and yield enhancement procedures.

Around six hundred indigenous techniques devices wows, offerings, chanting and
charming methods recoded by ECO. All these apparently agree with the ancient Sri
Lankan farming which based co-existence with all living thing and compassion a
philosophy unknown to present world. Even to day there are elderly farmers
vehimently opposing the use of insecticides stating that they farm even for "Satha
Sarpaya" , Satha means animals, Sarpaya means poisonous reptile. It really means
the farm produce is for all animals.

There had been use of botanical as the last resort but mainly as prophylactic
measure. There are many other practices to promote biological control. In addition
energies of cosmos in the form of astrology and power of spirits particularly to
avoid damages by wild animals such as wild boars had been practiced in the past.
Few commonly used practices performed by ECO in consultation with ritual
leaders to understand and see the effects. The results are unbelievable,

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1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference
“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”
12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

unexplainable with modern science and sudden. In order to illustrate the basics of
these performances known as "Kems". some are given below.

(i) To protect from wild animal damage, commencing work of the

farm, planting or seeding and erecting the fence is done at an
astrologically calculated times, calculation are based on the
phase of the moon. For example following times are calculated
for the forth coming season.

Date Time Date Time

2002-Oct-02 15.06 2002-Oct-17 07.05
2002-Oct-03 06.30 2002-Oct-17 13.29
2002-Oct-10 06.29 2002-Nov-01 09.06
2002-Oct-10 13.29

(ii) To protect from rice bug a Buddhist stanza is written on a few

ola leaves. (palmyrch) leaves and enliven by chanting in same
stanza for 108 times and hang these in effected fields. The stanza
referred is well known to Buddhists and known as "Sabba
papassa"
(iii) For general insect damage a special offering is made to
St.Gregary in the affected field and a special prayer is recited.
(iv) For brown plant hoper damage of rice crop wood ash enliven by
"Pirith" and spread in the field before sun rise "Piritha" is a
section of the preaching of Lord Buddha.

Above practices are easily understood but there are complex techniques. All
these can not be explained in modern scientific terms and can not use modern
experimental models to test or validate. My request therefore is not to include
in the list of practices but not to reject these practices if one wants to practice.
Let him practice but do not bar him getting his produce certified.

Another consideration that need emphasis is the present certification

procedure. Its bases, objectives, needs, proceedures, systems and
recommendations have originated from the west. Consumers too come from
the North and has another bias. When this background is compared with South
or tropical countries
Climate
Economic conditions
Ecological conditions
Farm size and mechanization
Entrepreneur ship, Market oriented Vs subsistence
Food habit and living environment
Social attitudes
Social integrity Vs individuality and

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1st RDA/ARNOA International Conference
“Development of Basic Standard for Organic Rice Cultivation”
12-15 November 2002, RDA and Dankook Univ. Korea

Philosophy of life or world view

are quit different. Therefore guidelines and recommendations for organic
production in tropics must be prepared in the light of above factors and any other
relevant factor giving due considerations.

Conclusion
Human steering but not manipulating natural phenomena, tropical areas can be
converted to natural or organic farming. "If it happens tropical counters can be the
main organic producers of the world as the tropical climate is a natural gift to the
life of the planet."