Organic agriculture perspective under Indian conditions
Organic farming denotes a holistic system of farming which optimizes productivity in a sustainable manner through creation of interdependent agri-eco systems where annual crop plants (e.g. wheat), perennial trees (e.g. horticulture) and animals (including fishes where relevant) are integrated on a given field or property. It is often confused with certified organic farming or labeled organic produce, which is a commercial quality control and marketing mechanism entailing third party certification or any other form of independent certification for
individual commodities and the process of their cultivation. It is important to separate the two.
The first - organic farming (OF) is essentially an agricultural activity employing the knowledge/understanding of naturally occurring processes while the second – a certified organic farming (COF) is essentially the same as OF but there is an addition of checks and balances to maintain soil fertility and control insect-pests and diseases. It is done by involving record keeping on various aspects and is dictated by market forces.
About 74% farmers in India are small and marginal farmers. Organic farming is most relevant to them because they are resource poor to provide costly inputs for enhancing yield. Their only resource viz. land, need to be prevented from degradations. In the organic farming system approach, a piece of land is used optimally and to its fullest potential to produce a range of nutritious and healthy food as well as other required commodities in a manner which can healthily feed a small family, and maintain soil health and productivity by agricultural practices
based on principles of nature. Pests (both insects and diseases) are also controlled and managed by the selection of crop mixes and using biological control measures.
Emergence of organic farming in India
Organic farming has made credible advancements during the past decade. It is a combined effect of farmers’ efforts, NGOs work, Governmental interventions and market forces that organic farming in India has reached a stage where it can swiftly move to occupy prominent space in Indian agriculture.
Certified organic farming, which was 42,000 ha during 2003-04, has now grown almost by 20 fold during the last 4 years. As on March 2009, the total cultivated area under organic certification process has crossed one million ha mark.
Besides this, there is another 2.5 million ha under certified wild forest harvest collection area. National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) scheme of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has significantly contributed to this growth. For quality assurance the country has internationally acclaimed certification process in place for export, import and domestic markets. The National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP) provides necessary policy support. Presently, 16 accredited certification agencies are looking after the requirement of certification process and the products certified by them are accepted in many countries including European Union and USA. The list of the accredited certifying agencies is given in Annexure-I.
Growing Crops under Organic Management
Philosophy - Organic farming package is an integrated approach, where all aspects of farming systems are interlinked with each other and work for each other. A healthy biologically active soil is the source of crop nutrition, on-farm biodiversity controls pests, crop rotation and multiple cropping maintains the system’s health and on-farm resource management with integration of cattle ensure productivity and sustainability. Organic management stresses on optimization of resource use and productivity, rather than maximization of productivity and over exploitation of resources at the cost of resources meant for future generations.
The article will continue tomorrow.
Our Product Details with regard to Organic Farming:
We are producing the following two products.
Panchagavya – an organic fertilizer
Agnihastra – an organic pesticides / insecticides / fungicides.
The details about this product and the certificates can be viewed in our website Welcome to Pasuthai.com: Buy Panchagavya | Organic Fertilizer Online
Please contact us for any requirement of this product.
V Sudhindranath
Advocate
LTA Trading Private Limited
No.51/7/1, Chitrakoot, Ratna Avenue,
Richmond Road,
Bangalore 560 025.
Ph: 080 41138389
Mobile: +91 99450 66699
Email: vsudhin@yahoo.com
Website: pasuthai.com
Organic farming denotes a holistic system of farming which optimizes productivity in a sustainable manner through creation of interdependent agri-eco systems where annual crop plants (e.g. wheat), perennial trees (e.g. horticulture) and animals (including fishes where relevant) are integrated on a given field or property. It is often confused with certified organic farming or labeled organic produce, which is a commercial quality control and marketing mechanism entailing third party certification or any other form of independent certification for
individual commodities and the process of their cultivation. It is important to separate the two.
The first - organic farming (OF) is essentially an agricultural activity employing the knowledge/understanding of naturally occurring processes while the second – a certified organic farming (COF) is essentially the same as OF but there is an addition of checks and balances to maintain soil fertility and control insect-pests and diseases. It is done by involving record keeping on various aspects and is dictated by market forces.
About 74% farmers in India are small and marginal farmers. Organic farming is most relevant to them because they are resource poor to provide costly inputs for enhancing yield. Their only resource viz. land, need to be prevented from degradations. In the organic farming system approach, a piece of land is used optimally and to its fullest potential to produce a range of nutritious and healthy food as well as other required commodities in a manner which can healthily feed a small family, and maintain soil health and productivity by agricultural practices
based on principles of nature. Pests (both insects and diseases) are also controlled and managed by the selection of crop mixes and using biological control measures.
Emergence of organic farming in India
Organic farming has made credible advancements during the past decade. It is a combined effect of farmers’ efforts, NGOs work, Governmental interventions and market forces that organic farming in India has reached a stage where it can swiftly move to occupy prominent space in Indian agriculture.
Certified organic farming, which was 42,000 ha during 2003-04, has now grown almost by 20 fold during the last 4 years. As on March 2009, the total cultivated area under organic certification process has crossed one million ha mark.
Besides this, there is another 2.5 million ha under certified wild forest harvest collection area. National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) scheme of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has significantly contributed to this growth. For quality assurance the country has internationally acclaimed certification process in place for export, import and domestic markets. The National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP) provides necessary policy support. Presently, 16 accredited certification agencies are looking after the requirement of certification process and the products certified by them are accepted in many countries including European Union and USA. The list of the accredited certifying agencies is given in Annexure-I.
Growing Crops under Organic Management
Philosophy - Organic farming package is an integrated approach, where all aspects of farming systems are interlinked with each other and work for each other. A healthy biologically active soil is the source of crop nutrition, on-farm biodiversity controls pests, crop rotation and multiple cropping maintains the system’s health and on-farm resource management with integration of cattle ensure productivity and sustainability. Organic management stresses on optimization of resource use and productivity, rather than maximization of productivity and over exploitation of resources at the cost of resources meant for future generations.
The article will continue tomorrow.
Our Product Details with regard to Organic Farming:
We are producing the following two products.
Panchagavya – an organic fertilizer
Agnihastra – an organic pesticides / insecticides / fungicides.
The details about this product and the certificates can be viewed in our website Welcome to Pasuthai.com: Buy Panchagavya | Organic Fertilizer Online
Please contact us for any requirement of this product.
V Sudhindranath
Advocate
LTA Trading Private Limited
No.51/7/1, Chitrakoot, Ratna Avenue,
Richmond Road,
Bangalore 560 025.
Ph: 080 41138389
Mobile: +91 99450 66699
Email: vsudhin@yahoo.com
Website: pasuthai.com