GS3 PYQ (Mains Answer Writing): Sikkim - An Organic State | Environment for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Sikkim is the first ‘Organic State’ in India. What are the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State? (UPSC MAINS GS 3)

Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It emphasis the use of management practices in preference to the use of on-farm inputs, taking into account regional conditions require locally adopted systems.
This is accomplished by using agronomic, biological and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials. The area under organic cultivation in India is about 5.71 million hectares (2015-16) including cultivable area of 1.49 million hectares (26%) and rest 4.22 million hectares (74%) under forest and wild area harvest. Sikkim has been recently declared as the first organic state in India.
Ecological and Economical benefits 

• Since organic farming address soil health, human health and environmental health and is eco-friendly, it is one of the best options for sustainable crop production and crop yields. 
• Adoption of organic agriculture in India can brings greater economic benefits to farmers and environmental growth for the nation that emphasize on more sustainable production system crucial for achieving food security apart from maintaining natural resources. 
• Application of scientific approaches to organic farming practices maintain and in some cases, increase the yield in the long run. 
• It sustains bio-diversity, soil fertility and natural ecosystem processes and other services that underpin the agriculture. 
• It allows the farmers to overcome the risk of crop failures and increased cost of production, encourages production of healthy food and fibre of high quality. 
• It also enhances the quality of agro-ecosystem and soil, the health of crops, animals and people maintained through biological processes. 
• Local resources are used in a way that minimizes losses of nutrients, biomass and energy resources.

Topic Covered - Organic State - Reasons