Pragti Negi

The method of using an agricultural production system that utilizes crop rotation, compost, green manure, and biological pest control for the production of crops, livestock, and public awareness is known as organic farming. This agricultural production system that focuses more on organics promotes resource cycling, which preserves biodiversity and maintains ecological equilibrium.

The primary components of organic farming in India make the use of green manure, cover crops, manure from animals, and soil rotation to reduce the presence of pests and diseases, increase soil fertility, and maximize the biological activity of the soil.

So if you are someone planning to do organic farming in India, read carefully the below article that shows the complete details about organic farming in India.

What is 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.

1. 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.
2. After paying a fee to the authorized body, the documents must be inspected.
3. The manager of the organizational quality system and an independent inspector undertake routine field inspections, recording the findings.
4. Through various inspections and audits, field inspectors confirm compliance and examine reports obtained.
5. 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.

Organic Farming Companies in India

The top ten Indian organic farming and agricultural companies that are influencing the path of organic farming in India are outlined below:

• Organic India: Through the provision of materials and training, the company actively helps farmers to adopt organic agricultural practices. This company gives main emphasis on Basil and other Ayurvedic plants has been essential in advancing both organic farming and traditional Indian therapy.
• Nature Bio Foods Limited: The company has set in place a number of initiatives that promote organic farming, one of which is the cultivation of organic basmati rice. They put their emphasis on soil health and water conservation in their environmentally friendly practices.
• Sresta Natural BioProducts: The company works directly with farmers, giving them the tools and training they require to transition to organic farming. They mainly said that nature is very important for sustainable agriculture.
• Jaivik Haat:  A new company called Jaivik Haat has its focus on organic farming in India and along with this it also uses a novel business strategy that brings customers and farmers together. Fair pricing and transparency are guaranteed by this farm-to-table approach.

Finale

Organic farming in India is an excellent alternative to conventional farming for those who wish to maintain environmental balance. Every day, the acceptance of organic food grows as people look for goods that are thought to be healthier and higher in nutrients.

Hence, organic farming in India enhances consumer health by safeguarding the integrity of the natural and clean environment and the health of the soil. Moreover, the market for organic products is currently growing at the quickest rate in the globe, including in India. By producing revenue, organic agriculture supports a country’s economic growth as well as the environment and consumer health in an extensive manner. By focusing on organic farming, India could very soon be a nation that is healthy economically, environmentally, and nutritionally.

Published Date: September 18, 2024