Organic farming

Organic farming in India is becoming more and more prominent as an expanding method. Foods
grown organically are now among the greatest choices for growers and customers. Foods
produced organically are an aspect of the green lifestyle. However, exactly what does the term
“organic farming” mean? “Organic” refers to “the plant or animal origin.”

To the maximum extent feasible, organic farming utilizes crop rotations, crop residues, animal
manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral-grade rock additives, and biological processes for
nutrient mobilization and plant protection.

This type is known to avoid and ignore the utilization of chemical inputs like feed additives,
fertilizers, pesticides, and synthetic hormones.

Current Scenario of Organic Farming in India

India is the world’s second-most heavily populated country, after China, where the majority of
the people engage themselves in the agriculture sector. Indian farmers are nowadays choosing
organic farming over traditional farming techniques in an attempt to maintain soil fertility and
ecological balance. Along with this, they also use farm, animal, and aquatic waste as main
fertilizers to keep the soil’s health, fertility, and natural balance on top.

While the nation of India ranks sixth in terms of the total area dedicated to organic farming.
With 15,90,10 farmers, India tops the world in producer rankings, followed by Ethiopia and
Tanzania. With at least 3.1 million farmers handling 72.3 million hectares of organic agriculture,
organic farming is carried out in 187 nations.

Nearly 1.8 million producers had been identified, most of which are in India. Madhya Pradesh
held the largest area of organic farming in India during the fiscal year 2023, covering over 1.5
million hectares.

Sales of organic food and drinks reached over 106 billion euros globally in 2019, demonstrating
the growing interest of modern consumers in adopting environmentally sensitive and health-
conscious eating practices. Approximately 75 percent of global agricultural output is derived
from certified organic farming practices. It is the most wide and economical agricultural system
of the world. India was the world’s largest producer of organic products in terms of quantity of
producers in 2019.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Farming

A rapidly growing market for consumer needs is organic food. Organic food was originally seen
as reserved for the wealthy or environmentalists but it is now becoming more widely available,
appealing to a wide range of consumers. Organic farming methods depend on an extremely
harmonious relationship with the natural world, with the ultimate objective of preventing
environmental degradation. The industrialized world has a fear of the growth of toxic chemical
contamination in food, feed, fiber, and fodder. One way to cure these illnesses is to adopt the
organic farming practices that are now very famous.

Artificial fertilizers and pesticides that one is using in traditional farming cause adverse
environmental impacts in the area. For example, the increasing use of harmful pesticides
causes a reduction in the honeybee population.

Regeneration of resources is one of the principles of organic farming in India. Various crop
strategies are used in organic farming to enhance soil properties instead of importing artificial
fertilizers from other countries.

Animals raised by the method of conventional farming are placed close to one another and
regularly receive antibiotics. This improper use of antibiotics causes an increase in the
resistance level of those livestock. Antibiotics are only allowed in organic farming in India when
animals are ailing.

In Organic agriculture, grower avoids using genetically engineered food is one of its greatest
advantages. Cross-breed is only allowed to promote natural production levels among organic
farms. They are not allowed to grow crops for the market using items derived from the industry.

Soil with essential nutrients is important for farming to boost productivity. In comparison to
conventional farming, organic farming techniques enhance soil fertility by employing locally
prepared natural fertilizers. In organic farming, improved production is encouraged by the
inclusion of natural fertilizers.

It is difficult to ignore organic farming’s cost benefits. Farmers who know about organic
procedures have a competitive demand for organic products.

Farmers profit more from this rising demand for organic products as it drives higher prices for
them.
The sustainability of organic farming in India is one of its primary advantages. Long-term
agricultural productivity is guaranteed by the sustainable and regenerative nature of organic
farming methods.

Disadvantages of Organic Farming in India

Some of the disadvantages that come along with organic farming practices includes the
following:

It takes three years for any grower to do organic farming in India and to show that the farm is
adhering to organic standards, hard inspection and regulation are needed. The drawback is that
any farmer is not able to sell their products as organic during this time, thus their costs go up
but their earnings stay the same.

Hand weeding is another factor where more labor is needed in organic gardening. Simpler
techniques for raising animals and thus farmers now face extra costs.

Growers easily lose their crops to diseases or pests that cannot be prevented by organic means.

The amount of food needed for survival in the globe is unable to be met by organic farming. In
nations where food production keeps the population viable, it may end in hunger.

Expertise in localized soil structures, meteorology, ecology, and other growth-influencing

elements should be possessed by organic farmers. A self-employed organic farmer lacks the
necessary knowledge to safeguard his crop throughout very key stages of the farming process.

Market restrictions for organic products are frequently brought about by greater costs and less
customer demand. Although certain consumers are willing to pay extra for organic items, many
do not. For organic manufacturers, this may result in a decrease in demand.

The labor needed for organic farming is more intensive than in conventional farming. More time
should be given to weeding, controlling pests, and handling the soil by farmers. This labor
intensity is an important drawback.

Principles of Organic Farming in India

The basic principles of organic agriculture are the Principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness, and
Care. The above principles place a higher priority on the potential benefits of organic farming for
the entire world as well as the goal of expanding the agriculture industry.

The health principle:

This principle states that organic farming should safeguard and enhance the health of the soil
for all living things, including humans, animals, flora and fauna on earth..

According to this theory, it is impossible to define the health of an ecosystem from that of
individuals and communities since healthy soils yield healthy crops, which in turn support the
health of both people and animals.

The ecological principle:

This principle believes that organic farming should conserve the natural cycles and ecological
balance. Organic farming helps to promote the ecological equilibrium of the environment and
nature, according to this idea of balance. Hence, it is very important to modify organic
management to fit the environment, scale, culture, and local conditions. The principle of equality
states that there should be an acceptable equilibrium between organic farming and the
environment to maintain its viability.

The principle of fairness:

It states that there should be a reasonable balance between organic farming and the
environment to maintain its sustainability.

According to this concept, justice prevails throughout the entire production and delivery cycle
for organic farming and the associated goods that it produces.

The care principle:

Organic farming responsibly protects biodiversity, the environment, and the health of future
generations as well. the claims that the main considerations in organic agriculture’s
management, development, and technological choices are accountability and preventive
measures.
Components of Organic Farming

Crop rotation, biological nitrogen fixation, the addition of organic manure, the use of soil
microorganisms, crop leftovers, biopesticide, biogas slurry, garbage, etc. are the major
components of organic farming in India. They are described in brief as follows

Crop rotation: is the systematic arrangement of cultivating various crops on the same land in a
more or less regular order over a minimum of two years. Choosing the best crop rotation plan is
of main importance for sustainable agriculture to thrive.

Crop Residue: Crop residues, or the straw from some of the major cereals and pulses, have a
lot of potential for use in India. The rest of the agricultural wastes may be effectively used for
nutrient recycling; currently, about 50% of the residues are provided to livestock. Utilizing the
leftovers from the successful composting process with appropriate microbial inoculants needs
special care

Biopesticide: Biopesticides are organically produced plant compounds that fall under the
heading of “secondary metabolites,” which also include small secondary chemicals, phenolics,
terpenoids, and dozens of alkaloids. Biopesticides have no or little effect on photosynthesis,
growth, or other basic elements of plant physiology, but they are known for their biological
activity against nematodes, fungus, insects, and other harmful organisms.

Vermicompost: is organic manure generated by earthworms. It is a decomposition process

that makes use of earthworms, which eat biomass as their food and release it once it’s digested.
An ideal population of 1800 worms for one square meter may allegedly consume eighty tons of
humus yearly. vermicompost are rich in growth hormones, vitamins, immobilized microbes, and
macro- and micronutrients.
Organic Certification Process

The role of certification is to increase and enhance consumer and producer trust, it is critical for
the development of organic agriculture. The marking ensures that the product conforms to the
strict organic growing criteria. Certified organizations, such as APEDA, manage the Organic
certification procedure under NPOP.

Here is a five-step approach for acquiring organic certification.

The acceptance of an application and operational and standards documents from the farmers
by an authorized organic certification agency; which involves a commitment and roles transfer
between the two parties.

After paying a fee to the authorized body, the documents must be inspected.

The manager of the organizational quality system and an independent inspector undertake
routine field inspections, recording the findings.

Through various inspections and audits, field inspectors confirm compliance and examine
reports obtained.

Considerations for certification.

Scope of Organic Farming in India

A future filled with more organic food might represent a very practical means of feeding the
growing global population and providing greater food security. Thereby, adopting healthy
organic food production techniques helps to the preservation of biodiversity, decreases the rate
of climate change, and the creation of nutrient-dense, mineral-rich meals. As technology
develops further, they may be able to provide:

Long-term solutions for worldwide problems including hunger

Increase yield to eliminate the barrier.

Helps with soil erosion and land degeneration.

Enhancing animal welfare even more while decreasing pollutants.