Agriculture and Organic Farming

India has a rich history of being the most self sustainable country with the backbone of agriculture. Agriculture is often defined as the art of growing food crops and cash crops needed by man. This has passed through a series of phases. Agricultural practices and technologies have grown rapidly and selection of farming methods totally depends on the economic condition of the farmer. The ultimate aim of these farming practices is to realize better and for the better yield. Agricultural practices are often either sustainable agriculture, industrial agriculture or organic agriculture. In this section, we will discuss organic farming.

What is Organic Farming?

It is the practice of farming or raising of crops and other livestock without using any inorganic chemical fertilizers, pesticides or any other genetically modified organisms. With organic farming, the productivity of the farming fields is enhanced alongside economic processes, thus promising a sustainable environment. Nowadays, farmers are aware of the harmful and toxic effect of fertilizers and other crops protecting chemicals used. As a result, they began to believe in organic farming. It has many benefits over the other practices. They are eco-friendly and help to reduce the soil infertility and soil erosion issues. It helps to improve the organic productivity which promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Types of Organic Farming

Organic farming is primarily of two types, namely:

• Pure organic farming

• Integrated organic farming

Pure organic farming involves avoiding all artificial chemicals. Every fertilizer and pesticide that are used are derived from completely natural sources like feed or bone meal.

Integrated organic farming involves integrating techniques aimed toward achieving ecological requirements and economic demands like integrated pest management and nutrients management.

Nutrients Management in Organic Farming

Organic farming follows a healthy way of farming for both crops also as consumers. In this method, composted organic manure is employed for nutrition of crops and thus, improve the organic content and fertility of the soil. Apart from manures, bacterial and fungal biofertilizers are also used for enhancing the soil nutrients.

Weed and Pest Management

Crop rotation, mixed cropping, organic control, hand weeding are some of the unique techniques made to utilize in organic farming to take care of soil fertility and for pest- weed control. These systems of pest and weed management and soil protection make organic farming the simplest method. Sometimes, natural or other organically approved insecticides like neem pesticides are also used.

Disease Management

Diseases are often a serious concern for organic farmers because it might reduce crop yields. So, supplying important macro and micronutrients and adopting crop rotation is crucial to prevent various plant diseases. Even the soil is enriched with useful microbes, fungi, and bacteria to prevent harmful organisms in check.

Organic fruits and vegetables aren't the sole samples of successful organic products. Recently, dairy products which are organic are noticeable. Livestock is another example of organic farming. Here, they follow a strict means of farming like animals prey on organic food only. Hormones or other genetic engineering practices for high yield are not allowed on animals.

Advantages of Organic Farming

• Improves soil fertility and maintains biological diversity.

• Helpful for the environment and yields are healthy for human and animal consumption.

• Prevents soil erosion, degradation and crop failure.

• Decrease pollution and therefore the whole farming can easily believe in renewable energy sources.

• Improves the soil fertility and enhances its chemical and physical properties.

Thus, we can say that organic farming may be a future scope and best method for farmers which is profitable and rewarding.