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What is Organic Farming
Sustainability…
Benefits: reduced energy consumption,soil conservation, efficient
water use,increased water quality.
Practices: conservation structures,conservation tillage, controlled
drainage,rotations, mulching, integrated systems.
Natural Plant Nutrition…
Benefits: Emphasis on soil health translates into healthier food,
healthier humans. Less plant disease, fewer weeds, better water-
holding capacity, resistance to erosion.
Practices: Crop rotations, cover crops, green manures, animal
manures, application of allowable substances in limited quantities,
composting.
Biodiversity…
Benefits: ecosystem (and financial) stability, more beneficial insects,
greater below-ground diversity, better nutrient cycling, disease
suppression, tilth, and N-fixation.
Practices: intercropping, companion planting, establishment of beneficial
habitats, crop rotations, cover crops, species/enterprise integration.
Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture
Organic farmers are both custodians and users of biodiversity at
all levels:
• Gene level: locally adapted seeds and breeds are preferred for their greater
resistance to diseases and resilience to climatic stress;
• Ecosystem level: the maintenance of natural areas within and around organic
fields and absence of chemical inputs create suitable habitats for wildlife.
Reliance on natural control methods maintains species diversity and avoids
the selection of pest species resistant to chemical control methods.
Organic agriculture and soil ecosystems
Natural soil fertility must be relied
upon in organic systems. Practices
such as crop rotations, symbiotic
association, cover crops, organic
fertilizers and minimum tillage
create suitable conditions for soil
fauna and flora.
Organic agriculture and agro-ecosystems
Natural disease resistance and pest
predation must be strengthened in
organic systems. Crop rotation is
considered the cornerstone of
organic management, functioning as
a tool for pest management and soil
fertility.
(IFOAM, 2000 )
Organic farming combats global
warming
Some apprehensions about organic farming?
Can organic farming produce enough
food for every body ?
Is it possible to meet the nutrient
requirements of crops entirely from
organic sources?
Are there any significant
environmental benefits of organic
farming?
Is the food produced by organic
farming superior in quality?
Is organic agriculture economically
feasible?
Comparative data of 3 years
average production at Phanda farm
S.No. Crops Sowing area (Ha) Production
Qntl./Ha.
Organic Control Organic Control
Kharif
1. Soybean 20.000 14.000 12.46 12.16
2. Maize 1.000 1.000 8.00 7.50
3. Paddy 8.800 2.000 14.50 13.00
4. Arhar 3.750 2.000 7.98 6.63
Rabi
1. Gram 14.000 9.000 12.72 10.18
2. Peas 1.500 1.500 10.80 11.20
3. Wheat 1.500 9.500 22.00 20.00
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• Homeopathic Approach
• Agnihotra Approach
• Panchgavya Approach
Nutrient Cycling
Soil microorganisms mediate nutrient cycles
through decomposition of organic residues
- Microorganisms ‘feed’ on the residues
- Biochemical by-products are plant nutrients (N,P,S) and
other beneficial compounds like humic acid
• Mineralization
Microbial conversion of organic N P and S into
-
Sulphur Permitted
Microbiological origin
Bacterial preparation (bio fertilizers) Permitted
• Lack of proper
infrastructure for
distribution and
conservation of bio-
inputs is a major
constraint that hinders
the access of these
inputs to farmers.
• Some climatic regions
and soil conditions are
not suitable for specific
Constraining factors
Farmers’ point of view: