ORGANIC FARMING

Organic farming system in India is not new and is being

followed from ancient time. It is a method of farming
system which primarily aimed at cultivating the land
and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive
and in good health by use of organic waste (crop, animal
& farm waste, aquatic waste) and other biological
materials along with beneficial microbes (Bio
fertilizers) to release nutrients to crop for increased
sustainable production in an eco-friendly pollution free
environment.
To be considered ORGANIC:

0 must be produced without synthetic pesticides,
fungicides or herbicides.
0 Can not be grown by use of genetic engineering
0 Bans use of sewage sludge as fertilizers
0 No irradiation of food to preserve it
0 No use of hormones and/or antibiotics in organic meat
and diary products

Strict farming methods = costly production

HISTORY OF ORGANIC FARMING
0 Organic Farming was the original type of agriculture.
0 Forest gardening, a fully organic food production system which
dates from prehistoric times.
0 The organic movement began in the mid-1920s in central
Europe.
0 The term organic farming was first coined by Lord North Bourne
in his book Look to the land 1939.
0 Lady Eve Belfour systematically experimented on organic and
conventional farming from 1939-1943.
0 J.I. Rodale Popularized the term sustainable agriculture and the
method of organic farming in USA and published several
scientific reports in 1950
0 In 1972, IFOAM co-ordinates all efforts in organic farming world
wide.

Why farm ORGANICALLY?
0 Increase long-term soil fertility.
0 Control pests and diseases without harming the
environment.
0 Ensure that water stays clean and safe.
0 Use resources which the farmer already has, so the
farmer needs less money to buy farm inputs.
0 Produce nutritious food, feed for animals and high
quality crops to sell at a good price.
0 It creates LIVING SOIL.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF
ORGANIC FARMING
0 SOIL : Building practices such as crop rotations, inter-
cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic
fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic
practices.
0 WATER : In many agriculture areas, pollution of
groundwater courses with synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides is a major problem.
0 AIR & CLIMATE : Organic agriculture reduces non-
renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs.
And contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and
global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in
the soil.
INORGANIC Vs.
ORGANIC FARMING
Inorganic Farming Organic Farming
Against Nature Harmony with Nature
Soil structure destroyed Soil structure improves
More chemical residues present in
crops
No chemical residues
Low quality produce Premium quality
Highly fluctuation in yield Satisfactory and reliable yield
Government Support
Lack of Financial support
Undefined Market structure
Consumer awareness
Training
Certification cost
Low yield in early stages Labor
Intensive
CONSTRAINTS
Transition time to organic
Policy Initiatives
Marketing of produce
Infrastructure and Funds for scientific
studies
CHALLENGES
ORGANIC FARMING METHODS
It is a combine scientific knowledge of ecology and
modern technology with traditional farming practices
based on naturally occurring biological processes.

1. Crop rotation
2. Mulching
3. Composting
4. Green Manure

1. Crop Rotation

0 Crop rotation means having times where the fertility
of the soil is being built up and times where crops are
grown which remove nutrients.
0 Crop rotation also helps a variety of natural predators
to survive on the farm.

2. Composting
0 Compost is organic matter (plant and animal residues)
which has been rotted down by the action of bacteria and
other organisms, over a period of time.
0 Compost improves the structure of the soil.
0 Compost improves soil fertility by adding nutrients and
by making it easier for plants to take up the nutrients
already in the soil.
0 Compost improves the soil's ability to hold water
0 Provide nutrients for plants but do not improve soil
structure.
3. Mulching
0 Mulching means covering the ground with a layer of
loose material such as compost, manure, straw, dry
grass, leaves or crop residues.
0 How to use mulches
1. Always apply mulches to a warm, wet soil.
2. Care should be taken as to the thickness of the
mulch applied.
3. To clear an area of land of persistent weeds a layer
of 10cm or more can be used.

4. Green manures

0 Green manures, often known as cover crops, are
plants which are grown to improve the structure,
organic matter content and nutrient content of the
soil
0 They are grown for their green leafy material which is
high in nutrients and provides soil cover
0 Green manures
1. Improve the ability of the soil to hold water
2. Control soil erosion
3. Improve soil structure
4. Improve soil fertility

Area farmed organically world-wide by
continent
17%
23%
9%
35%
3%
23%
Noth America
Europe
Asia
Oceania
Africa
Latin America
Source: National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad
Area Under Organic Management in Ha
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
42,000
76,000
173,000
538,000
865,000
1,207,000
1,085,648
NUTRIENTS IN ORGANIC Vs. CONVENTIONALLY
GROWN FRUIT & VEGETABLES
Antioxi
dants
Vit C
Beta
Caroten
e
Vit E
Phosph
orus
Potassi
um
Organic 88 63 50 62 63 62
Conventional 13 37 50 38 31 36
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Organic Conventional
MAJOR PRODUCTS PRODUCED IN INDIA
BY ORGANIC FARMING
Type Products
Commodity Tea, Coffee, Rice, Wheat
Spices Cardamom, Ginger
Pulses Red gram, Black gram
Fruits Mango, Banana, Pineapple, Grape,
Orange.
Vegetable Brinjal, Onion, Tomato, Potato.
Oilseed Castor, Sunflower.
Others Cotton, Herbal extract.
ORGANIC INPUT
Availability:

1. Live stock = 2.47 MT
2. Crop residues = 2.00 MT
3. Biogas slurry = 0.12 MT
4. Bio fertilizer = 0.20 MT
5. Green manure = 0.10 MT
6. City refuse = 0.68 MT
7. Other = 1.00 MT
8. Rural compost, vermicomposting = 6.57 MT
Agricultural waste
TOTAL = 13.14 MT


SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS THROUGH
ORGANIC FARMING

Nitrogen : animal waste & byproduct.
Phosphorus : organic manure release organic
acids.
Potassium : organic manure -cation exchange
capacity.
Micro nutrients : organic manure release
organic acids.
Statistical data
0 Currently 32.2 million hectares of agricultural land
are managed organically and the value for organic
foods in global market $26 billion US dollar, and is
expected to grow to 102 billion US dollars in 2014.

0 Today, 395 organizations worldwide offer organic
certification services.

0 Many of the certification organizations also operate
outside of their home country.
List of accredited certifying and
inspection agencies in India
0 Association for promotion of Organic Farming (APOF): Bangalore
0 Indian Society for Certification of organic products (ISCOP): Tamil
Nadu
0 Indian Organic Certification Agency (INDOCERT): Kerala
0 One Cert Asia: Jaipur
0 National Organic Certification Association (NOCA): Pune
0 International Resources for Fair Trade (IRFD): Mumbai
0 SGS India Pvt Ltd: Gurgaon
0 Ecocert International: Aurangabad
0 IMO Control Pvt Ltd: Bangalore
0 Bioinspectra: Kerala
Export
0 Global Market
Annual Growth =15-20%
USA =11-13 BN US $
Japan =350-450 MN US $
Europe =10-11 BN US $

0 India
31 organic products currently exported
No. of exporters = 69
Organic value (2010) estimated = US $ 15.5 million(710
million INR)

NAME OF FEW ORGANIC EXPORTERS
1) Sunstar oversees Ltd. -Haryana.
2) Navdanya trust. -New Delhi.
3) FAB India Ltd. -New Delhi.
4) Kashmir apiaries export. -Kashmir


THE WAY FORWARD FOR ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
0 Policy formulation and legislation
0 Incorporation of organic agriculture in syllabus at all
levels
0 Research to improve knowledge and relevant
methods that will enhance productivity
0 Development of common standards in organic
agriculture
0 Develop and strengthen local markets and export
0 Home processing of organic products


References
0 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom
0 Lampkin, N. Organic Farming, Farming Press Book,
IPSWICH, UK
0 Export - Import Bank of India. Export of Organic
Products from India: Prospects and Challenges
0 APEDA
0 www.fao.org/organicag
0 www.hdra.org.uk