Organic Farming

Photo: Cultivation of vegetables on an organic farm in Capay in Yolo County in California, USA

Organic farming is a natural method of food production that uses only natural inputs and discourages the use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc.

Human beings started agriculture when they transformed from hunter-gatherers to permanent settlers many thousands of years ago. Till the middle of the 19th century, farmers used only natural methods developed over the years. In fact, it was organic farming, though not called so.

With the increase in population, food shortage became acute so that chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc. were invented in the 20th century. Though these increased yields, they also brought in harmful side effects, including serious health hazards due to toxic chemicals entering our body through food.

So, humans returned to the original farming methods, but with the help of modern science, in order to prevent toxic substances entering our food chain. The new system, organic farming, does not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other harmful inputs.

Manure such as compost, green manure, and other natural inputs are used along with crop rotation and companion crop planting in the new method of agriculture.

Farming techniques involving pulses/leguminous plants help in nitrogen fixation through symbiosis with rhizobia (soil bacteria). Organic agriculture prohibits antibiotics, genetically modified plants and animals, growth hormones, chemical stimulants, etc. Weeds and insects are controlled using natural substances, without using chemical herbicides, weedicides, insecticides, etc.

In traditional farming activities such as raising poultry and livestock for meat, milk and eggs, only biological methods are used, rejecting hormones, harmful antibiotics and artificial stimulants. Raising cattle and poultry organically complements organic farming.

In India, the central government is promoting organic farming through various schemes, including the Paramapragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

In 2001, the Indian government implemented the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), constituting norms for organic food production and related matters. In the last decade, the area under certified organic farming has increased about 17 fold.

The salient features of PKVY include financial assistance of Rs. 20,000 per acre per farmer in three years to support expenses from seed to harvesting and to transport produce to the market. Besides, the government promotes organic farming using traditional resources and links produce to the market.

Indian states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Sikkim have been promoting organic farming.

Sikkim, with 75,000 hectares of land certified as organic farms, is already the first fully organic state in India. Sikkim also joined hands with the organic food producing states such as California, Wisconsin and others.