Why Organic Farming is One of The Most Promising Farming Practices

 

Organic Farming

The practice of organic farming has existed in India for centuries. It is a farming system that primarily focuses on cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way that the soil is brought back to life and in good health by using organic waste. Organic wastes include crop, animal, and farm wastes, aquatic wastes and other biological materials, and advantageous microbes. These microbes are also called biofertilizers that release nutrients that are good for soil, and crops. These biofertilizers increased sustainable production in a pollution-free environment.

Natural resources are preserved by organic farming. A buzz of animal, bird and insect activity will be evident if we visit an organic farm. In comparison to conventional farming, research indicates that there are about 30% more animals and plants nearby ecological production fields. This is a result of the lack of pesticides and the minimal use of fertilizer. Contrarily, chemical-based farming has detrimental effects on the soil, as well as the health of people and animals, as well as the environment.

One method to maintain and enhance soil fertility is organic farming. Due to healthy soil, the production rate will remain constant for an extended period. As a result, it will assist farmers in doubling their output while using an appropriate cropping system. If certified, organic produce will be in high demand and command premium prices compared to common goods, providing producer farmers with an additional return.

What are the benefits of organic farming for the environment?

As previously mentioned, several farmers all over the world have embraced organic farming as a response to its advocates for public health and environmental concerns. In addition, organic farming increases food variety and yields foods with higher nutritional values. The use of only recommended substances in organic agriculture reduces the number of harmful ingredients.

Reduced Pollution

Pollution is decreased by the advantages of organic agriculture. The environmental benefits attributable to lower chemical inputs, less soil erosion, water preservation, improved soil organic matter, and biodiversity were consistently greater in the organic systems than in the conventional systems. The main goal of organic farming is to add organic matter to the soil and provide sustainable nourishment. Organic farming reduces discharge and lowers the risk of waterway pollution because of the healthier soil. Cleaner air is produced by avoiding the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizer sprays.

Less Energy Needed

Energy use is decreased, which is another added benefit of organic farming for the environment. Some crops require nitrogen-rich soil, which requires a lot of energy to produce if grown conventionally. So farmers use a lot of nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Additionally, the repeated use of inefficient fertilizer due to equipment results in a higher overall energy requirement than organic farming. Instead of using composted manure and cover crops, organic farming creates soil that is high in nitrogen.

Ecology

Utilizing eco friendly farming practices, such as those that improve soil quality, is part of the ecology principle. These techniques aim to stop soil erosion, exhaustion, deterioration, or simply the removal of those materials that pollute the environment.

Fairness and Care

Fairness in organic farming necessitates having a positive outlook toward everyone involved in the industry. These include farmers, brokers, buyers, and distributors. It supports people’s demands for a sufficient supply of high-quality goods and promotes suggested working and even living conditions. Even though new technologies might end up being more effective, the organic farming group strongly supports the use of traditional techniques. In the modern age, people combine common sense, reliable information, useful novelties, and native experience that dates compared to the earliest era.

Sustainable soil health

Contrary to organic farming, modern farming removes vital nutrients and unnecessarily replaces them with synthetic fertilisers. The development of beneficial bacteria or other dead organisms that stabilise soil health is not promoted by this method. As a result, when a conventional farmer allows his or her field to sit, the soil will struggle to replenish its nutrients, which will also require more time. Sustainable agriculture is the goal of organic farming, which also encourages the growth of bacteria and other soil-decomposing organisms. Last but not least, it defends against erosion better than synthetically treated soil. This indicates that the soil will take more time and won’t be removed by wind or rain.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity, or the occurrence of a variety of species of plants on a given field at one time of the year, is something that organic farming aims to achieve with its plants. In addition to improving soil health, biodiversity promotes a more balanced ecosystem, which benefits wild animals, flora and fauna.

Methods of organic farming

Rotation of Crops

Crop rotation is the process of changing the crops grown on a piece of land from one species to another, season by season. It might also include a fallow period within a predetermined amount of time.

Gets rid of pest and weed infestations, as well as chemical contamination to handle the problems. Prevents soil erosion through various root systems. Eliminates pests and weed infestations. Increases yields while lowering costs associated.

Prevents soil depletion because different plants release nutrients more readily, eliminating the need for synthetic fertilisers, which are prohibited in organic farming.

Green Fertilizers

Green plants and soil together increase organic matter, particularly nitrogen. Additionally, it raises moisture levels and nutrient levels for microorganisms, which improves soil quality. Finally, the aforementioned agricultural method reduces weed infestation.

Animal droppings

Simply said this approach to organic farming enriches the soil with natural elements that come from both raw and composted materials as well as from animals. The materials used in this method must be free of all synthetic additives, the soil must be tested before applications, and manures must be harvested at least three months before use. Because they are more volumetrically compact and have fewer potential pathogens and contaminants, compounded forms are also frequently used or advised.

Integrated Weed Management

Organic farming is prohibited from using powerful chemicals. This is the rationale behind the use of other weed control strategies in addition to integrated weed management

Need for Organic Farming

The environment, sustainable agriculture, and precision agriculture have recently developed strong connections. This article focuses on how organic farming and ecologic development can both benefit from sustainable agriculture. Even though they have been closely related for a while, there is still insufficient information to estimate the advantages.

Organic Farming’s Primary Attributes Include

Preserving soil fertility over the long term through careful mechanical intervention, maintaining soil organic matter levels, and promoting soil biological activity

using relatively insoluble nutrient sources that are made available to the plant by the action of soil microorganisms to indirectly supply crop nutrients

Legumes’ ability to fix nitrogen naturally as well as the efficient recycling of organic wastes like crop residues and animal manure allows for the production of nitrogen that is self-sufficient.

Crop rotation, diversity, organic manuring, resistant varieties, and minimal (or no) thermal, biological, and chemical intervention are the main methods used for weed, disease, and pest control.

the thorough management of livestock, taking into account their behavioral needs, evolutionary adaptations, and concerns for animal welfare about food, housing, health, breeding, and rearing

Pay close attention to how the farming system affects the larger environment and how to preserve wildlife and natural habitats.

The Drawbacks of Organic Farming

• • reduced output
  • and higher cost.
  • the absence of knowledge.
  • Due to higher demand, organic products typically command a higher price.
  • reduced shelf life
  • Since organic products don’t contain artificial preservatives, their shelf lives are shorter.

Organic Farming In India

With the focus now on safety and wholesome food that is nourishing to develop a strong immune system, the Covid-19 pandemic has altered how people view organic food.

India is in a unique position among the 187 nations that practice organic agriculture, according to the FiBL survey from 2021. With 2.30 million ha, India is home to 30% of all organic producers worldwide. Total organic cultivation area, 11, 60,650 PGS farmers, 15, 99,010 India Organic farmers, 1703 processors overall, and 745 traders. Recent years have seen a significant relative increase in the amount of land used for organic farming across the nation.

Global Organic Farming Scenario

In 187 nations, organic farming is practiced, and at least 3.1 million farmers used organic practices to manage 72.3 million hectares of agricultural land. Australia (35.69 million hectares) has the largest amount of organic agricultural land, followed by Argentina (3.63 million hectares) and Spain (2.35 m hectares). Around the world, only 1.5% of farmland is organic. But the shares in many other nations are much higher. The three nations with the highest percentages of organic farmland are Liechtenstein (41.0%), Austria (26.1%), and So Tome

and Principe (24.9 percent). Organic farmland makes up 1.5% of the total land area.

Conclusion

Organic farming exhibits better environmental performance per unit area than conventional agriculture because it avoids almost all synthetic inputs like chemical pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers, and because “soil building” crop rotations are required. Practicing organic farming is good for both the environment and human beings.