Organic Farming in India

What is Organic Farming ?

Organic farming is one of the several approaches to meet the objective of sustainable development of agriculture.

It produce agricultural products free from synthetic chemicals and pesticides residues by adopting eco-friendly, low cost technologies and health of the soil is recognised as the central framework of the organic farming practices.

According to International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) :

"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, & people. It relies on the ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adopted to local conditions rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines Tradition, Innovation, and Science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved".

Key Characteristics of Organic Farming :

* Protecting and boosting the long term fertility of soils by maintaining organic matter levels, encouraging soil biological activity, and careful mechanical intervention.

* Providing crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by the action of soil micro organisms.

* Self sufficiency in nitrogen through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residue and livestock manures.

* Using biofertilizers aur eco friendly and renewable source of plant nutrients to supplement fertilizers for sustainable agriculture development.

* Allicin from the extra of garlic has a broad spectrum antibacterial property. There are several plant product have been reported effective against number of insect-pest and diseases.

* Careful attention to the impact of farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

* The extension management of livestock, paying full regard to evolutionary adaptations, behavioral needs, and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing.

* Nitrogen self-sufficiency the  use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures

Types of Organic Farming :

Organic farming are two types :-

1. Pure Organic Farming : In pure organic farming, there is avoiding every synthetic chemical. In the process of pure organic farming, fertilizer and pesticides obtain from natural sources. It is called a pure form of organic farming. e.g. Organic manure from plants, animals and humans residues.

2. Integrated Organic Farming : According to Indian Institute of Farming System Research (under Ministry of Agriculture) - The Integrated Organic Farming System (IOFS) is a model that consists of crop, cropping systems and one acre of land.

What are the Components of Organic Farming ?

• Crop Rotation :

It is a systematic arrangement for the growing of various crops in a more or less regular sequence on the same land covering a period of two years and more. A mixed cropping, pasture and livestock system is desirable or even essential for the success of sustainable agriculture.

• Crop Residue :

There is a great potential for utilisation of crops residues/straw of some of the kajom crops. About 50% of the crop residues are utilised as animal fed, the rest could be very well utilized for recycling of nutrients.

• Manure :

The organic manure is derived from biological sources like the plant, animal and human residues.

• Waste :

 The industrial waste manure can be used after proper decomposition. 

• Biofertilizers :

The main inputs are microorganisms, which are capable of mobilising nutritive elements from non-usable form to usable form through a biological process.

• Bio-Pesticide :

Bio-Pesticide are natural plant products that belong to the secondary metabolites, which include thousands of alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and minor secondary chemicals. These substances have usually no known function in photosynthesis, growth or other basic aspects of plant physiology.

• Vermicompost :

Vermicompost has a component in biological farming, which is found to be effective in enhancing soil fertility and producing large numbers of agricultural crops.

What are Objectives of Organic Farming in India ?

* Promote organic farming among rural youth/ farmers/ consumers/ traders.

* Disseminate latest technologies in organic farming.

* Utilise the services of expert from public agricultural research system in India.

* Organize minimum of one cluster demonstration in a village.

Why Organic Farming is Needed ?

Due to high cost of synthetic chemicals and pesticides and its ill effect on the soil health, soil microbes, quality of groundwater, food, fodder, and food materials. Thus organic farming is becoming Need in India for the following reasons :

* It is a sustainable and eco-friendly technology.

* It improves the quality, self-life and nutritive value of the farm produce.

* Promote healthy use of natural resources and minimise all forms of pollution.

* It is cost effective farming.

* Encourage sustainable livelihood of the producers as well as safeguard of the consumers health.

* It improve the physical chemical and biological health of the soil.

* Enhance and sustained biological diversity within the system.

* It reduces the depth of the farmers to purchase costly unsustainable inputs.

* Emission of green house gas (nitrous oxided) from fertilizers on soil damages the ozone layer.

* Toxicity and the residues of  the agrochemical in the farm produce is the main problem (in cereals, pulses, oilseed, feed, fodder, milk and milk products etc.

* Agrochemicals also affect ground water bodies.

* Lastly, continuous decrease in the input use efficiency under the traditional farming.

What are the Status of Organic Farming in India ? 

India is home to 30% of the total organic producer in the world, but account for just 2.59% (1.5 million hectares) of the total organic cultivation area of 57.8 million hectares, according to World Agriculture 2018 report.

India have a  unique position among 172 countries practicing Organic Farming. India has 6,50,000 organic producers, 699 processors, 699 exporters. India ranked first in terms of organic producers. India ranked 11th in organic exports in 2015.

India produced around 1.35 million MT certified organic products  which includes all varieties of food products. The production is not limited to the edible sector but also produces organic cotton fibre & functional food products etc.
Although nascent, the Indian organic food market has begun growing rapidly in last few years. A report by Yes Bank in 2014 said that the organic food sector is growing at about 20% in India, with more than 100 retail organic outlets in Mumbai and about 60 in Bangalore.

Organic farming resulted in 10-20% reduction in cost of cultivation and 20-50% increase in returns.

What are the Benifits of Organic Farming ?

Organic farming integrates the the main goal to sustain biodiversity; enhance the quality of natural resources, economic profitability, and social equity. Organic farming provides several benefits for people and the planet. Many changes observed in the environment are long term, occurring slowly over time. Organic agriculture considered the medium and long term effect of agricultural interventions on the agro-ecosystem.

* Improving Soil Fertility : Soil building practices such as crop rotation, cover crops, and organic fertilizers are Central to organic practices. These practices replenish soil organic matter, feed soil life, reduce erosion, improve soil structure, and enhance nutrient cycling and water retention.

* Improving Water Quality : Organic farming enhanced soil structure, water filtration, and nutrient retention also reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. In many agriculture areas, pollution of groundwater, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are major difficulties. In some areas where pollution is a real problem, conversion to organic agriculture is highly encouraged as a restorative measure.

* Energy and Climate Change : Organic farming decreases greenhouse gas emission associated with both infield and embedded emission components. Organic agriculture reduces non-renewable energy used by decreasing agrochemicals needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced).

* Protection of Biodiversity : The maintenance of planting of natural area within and around organic fields and the absence of chemical inputs create suitable habitats for wildlife and important pollinators and bacterial and insects. Organic farmers are both custodians and uses of biodiversity at all levels.

* For an organic farmers the field is his factory where thousands of beneficial microorganisms and earthworm work all through the day to improve yield and soil fertility. In fact more than the farmer, it is these beneficial organisms which play a vital role in the good growth of the soil.

Challenges of Organic Farming in India :

There are some important challenges facing by the farmers -
* Organic farming has not become popular among the farmers because of the poor awareness about its utility and importance.
* Application of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticide, fungicide, and chemical plant growth regulator are still seen as a progressive approach by the farming community. Agro-chemical manufacturing companies also push their products and methodology much more aggressively.
* Changing attitude from the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and artificial plant growth regulator for ideologically to organic farming is still challenges. The benefits have to immediate for them.
* Inadequate supply of biofertilizers, vermicompost, press mud and other sources of plant originated biopesticides coupled with their quality production.
* This in lack of adequate literature from laboratory to field.
* Small and marginal farmers cannot afford the use certification costs.
* The market for Organic produce in India is still minuscule.
* Lack of coordination between the higher authority to lower authorities.
*There is shortage of easy and cheap accredited certifying agencies in the country so that farmer face a hurdle in the export market.

Government Initiative for Organic Farming in India :

1. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) :
 It is launched in 2015, is an extended component of Soil Health Management (SHM) under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). PKVY aims at supporting and promoting organic farming, in turn resulting in improvement of soil health.
The scheme promotes Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) For India (PGS-India) form of organic certification that is built on mutual trust, locally relevant and mandates the involvement of producers and consumers in the process of certification.

2.Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER):

Financial assistance is given for setting up of the following:

1. Functional infrastructure for collection, aggregation, grading units and North-Eastern (NE) organic bazaar @ Rs. 15 lakh (75% subsidy).

2. Integrated Processing Units with Total Financial Outlay (TFO) of Rs. 800 lakh or more limited to 75% to Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and 50% to private entrepreneurs as credit linked back ended subsidy.

3. Integrated pack house with 75% subsidy to FPCs on TFO of 50 lakh or more and 50% to private entrepreneurs or maximum of 37.50 lakh whichever is less as credit linked back ended subsidy.

4. Transportation/ 4 wheeler up to TFO of 12 lakh (50%).
5. Refrigerated transport vehicle/ Pre-cooling/ cold stores/ ripening chambers  upto TFO of 25 lakh (75% subsidy to FPC and 50% to private).

3. National Project on Organic Farming :

Under this scheme, assistance up to 25% and 33% of financial outlay up to a ceiling of Rs. 40 lakh and Rs. 60 lakh respectively is provided as back ended  subsidy  through NABARD for establishment of biopesticides /biofertilizer production units and agro waste compost production unit respectively. Government has been advocating integrating use of chemical fertilizers and organic manure including biofertilizers for increasing production of major crops.

4. National Horticulture Mission :

Provide financial assistance for setting up vermicompost production unit on the different rate for  specific measured area to identified benificiaries.

5. Promotion the Use of Biofertilizer :

Central government has notified biofertilizers like Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Acetobactor under Fertilizers Control Order (FCO).

6. ICAR Contribution in Promoting Organic Farming : 

All India Network Project on Soil Biodiversity-Biofertilizers is implemented by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for research and development (R&D) on biofertilizers.

7. Soil Health Card will provide information to farmers on soil nutrient status of their soil and recommends appropriate dosage of nutrient to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility. Soil health card will be issued every 3 years for all land holdings in the country. Under this scheme, financial assistance is given to State Governments for training of farmers on application of further on soil test basis, amounting to Rs. 24000/- per training.

8. National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad is organizing the training programmes for farmers in Saansad Adarsh Grams (SAGs) from 2015-16.

9. States Adopting Organic Farming :
* State like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Nagaland, Mizoram, Sikkim have been promoting organic farming. 9 states have drafted organic farming policies. Out of these, four States viz; Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram have declared their intention to go 100 percent organic.

* Sikkim has achieved its target i.e., 100% organic state in 2015.

* Uttarakhand has declared several districts organic, which means the farmers must undertake only organic farming.

International experts in a Convention Organized on 29 May, 2020, by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) endorsed efforts to boost Natural Farming in India : In presence of senior international and national experts and policymakers, Minister of Agriculture Shri Narendra Singh Tomar stated, "natural farming is our indigenous system based on cow dung and urine, biomass, mulch and soil aeration etc. In next five years, we intend to reach 20 lakh hectares in any form of organic farming, including natural farming, of which 12 lakh hectares are under BPKP (Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme)".
Paramparagat Krishi Vikash Yojana launched in 2015 to promote Organic Farming among small and marginal farmers has in last four years covered 7 lakh hectares and 8 lakh farmers.
According to NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar Organic Farming can 'avoid excessive and wasteful use of wayer, prevent farmers indebtedness, contribute to mitigating greenhouse gases while supporting farmer incomes and their ability to adapt to climate change'.
International experts from the US, UK, Netherlands, CGIAR, Australia, Germany, and of UN acknowledged India's  pioneering leadership in the arena of Organic Farming - It would be a mistake to view natural farming techniques of our forefathers, but rather, as the high level panel of experts report on Organic Farming to the Committee on Food Security of FAO so clearly demonstrated, it is based on cutting-edged science of the future that recognises the need for systemic approaches to dealing with complex adaptive systems that are the basis of a healthy natural world. Working with nature, understanding how to do so will help us 'build back better' as one expert noted.
Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture) of NITI Aayog, called for more research to ensure that natural farming could truly live up to its expectations.

Dr. Rajiv Kumar said "...It is not man Vs nature, but man in nature or man with nature. Humans need to realize their responsibility in protecting other species and nature. We need knowledge-intensive agriculture and the metrics need to be redefined where production is not the only criterion for good performance. It has to include the entire landscape and the positive and negative externalities that are generated by alternative forms of agriculture practices".

Organic farming is one of the several approaches to meet the objectives of sustainable development of agriculture. It avoids the use of synthetic chemicals as well as genetically altered organisms and usually subscribe to the principle of sustainable farming. Organic farming is based on various law, perspectives and certification programs, which prohibit the use of approximately all synthetic inputs, and health of the soil is recognised as the central framework of the organic farming practices.


Summary :
Avoid Pesticides & Chemicals
Fertilizers
Use biofertilizers
Farmers friendly agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture...


References ~
Yojana & Kurukshetra Government 
Pib
Magazine.

Also Read : Start Organic Farming Business