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Organic farming: Necessity of present

Sustainable Agriculture is the production of food, fibre or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities and animal welfare. Its most effective way is organic farming.

Organic farming maintains long term soil biological activity, ensure effective peak management, recycle wastes to return nutrients to the land provide attentive care for farm animals and handle the agricultural products without the use of extraneous synthetic additives.

Why in news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Sikkim as the first Organic state in the country, saying it will soon become the harbinger of organic farming not only in India but around the world.

About the Organic Farming

Organic Farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. It helps sustain the nutrition level and is also eco-friendly.

Organic farming uses organic wastes e.g crop, animal and farm waste, aquatic wastes etc. along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in a pollution free environment.

In this aspect, Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic state by converting around 75,000 hectares of agriculture land into sustainable cultivation.

Concept

The concept of organic farming is based on the following principles-

• Nature is the best role model for farming, since it does not use any inputs nor demands unreasonable quantities of water.
• The entire system is based on intimate understanding of nature’s ways i.e. it does not believe in mining of the soil of its nutrients and do not degrade it in any way for today’s needs.
• The soil in this system is a living entity.
• The soil’s living population of microbes and other contributors to its fertility on a sustained basis and must be protected and nurtured at all cost.
• The total environment of the soil, from its structure to cover is to be considered most important.

Why it is Essential ?

This can be well understood under following topics:

DEMAND OF MODERN TIME

In the decade of 1960’s, the Green revolution allowed India to overcome chronic food deficits and produce more food, other agriculture products from less land. The  practice were made up of using high- yielding varieties of seeds, modifying farm equipment, and substantially increasing chemical fertilizers.

But now India is facing the problem of environmental degradation due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, So urgent need for its sustainability had been raised frequently. Consequently, attempts have been made by the institution, both public as well as private, to establish organic farming as permanent solution.

INEVITABILITY OF FUTURE

The modern system of farming, is increasingly felt, is becoming unsustainable as evidenced by declining crop productivity, damage to natural resources like air water and soil, chemical contaminations etc.

The necessity of having an alternative agriculture method which can function in a friendly ecosystem while sustaining and increasing crop productivity. It has been recognized that Organic farming is best known alternative to the conventional agriculture.

INCENTIVE TO RURAL ECONOMY

Organic farming is not only essential from environment and health aspects but also it can improve the rural economy in a country like India where the land holding is small and with large number of small farmers who can only sustain his only daily bread and not sale it in market.

On the other hand, Organic farming do not require any huge investments, because organic manure and pesticides are easily available at low cost or prepared at home. The crops produced by organic farming have huge demand in market and produce good income to the farmers which keep them free from debt of agricultural loans. This will leads to generation of more employment in primary sector and control of migration of people from village to urban cities. So, the Overall Indian economy will also improve.

IMPROVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE

Organic farming improves the agricultural system. Experts found that soil under organic farming conditions had lower bulk density which improves the water holding capacity, higher microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and higher soil respiration activities as compared to the conventional farms. Natural plant nutrients from green manure, farmyard manures, composts and plant residue build organic content in the soil.

Moves for Organic farming

The government is promoting organic farming through various initiatives and schemes-

• National Project on Organic Farming(NPOF)
• National Horticulture Mission(NHM)
• Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan states (HMNEH)
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY)
• Network project on organic farming of Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Others like Soil Health Card Scheme

DD Kisan: It is a 24-hour tv channel, owned by Doordharshan, launched on May 26, 2015. The channel has been dedicated to agriculture and allied sectors, which disseminates real-time inputs to farmers on new farming methods, water conservation and to provide all information related to organic farming.

Challenges: 

The most important constraint felt in progress of organic farming in India is the inability of the government policy making level to take a firm decision to promote organic agriculture.

Unless a clear and unambiguous direction is provided in terms of both financial and technical supports, from the Centre to Panchayat levels, mere regulation making will amount to nothing.

Some of the major problems are

• Lack of promotion
• Shortage of biomass
• Inadequate supporting infrastructure such as irrigation and electricity.
• Marketing problems of organic inputs
• Absence of effective agricultural policy

Conclusion:

The ill-effects of the conventional farming system are felt in India in terms of the unsustainable agriculture production, environment degradation, health and sanitation problems. Organic agriculture need to gain momentum as alternate solution in modern system.

Many developed countries have been able to convert 2-10% of their cultivated areas into organic farming and the demand for hundred percent organic products is growing rapidly among consumers day by day.