Promote organic farming

Farmer and research scholar Sambasiva Rao from Tenali has gathered the following material to be shared amongst the visitors. These are the benefits that can be derived from the adoption of organic farming practices. 

Environmentally Friendly. Organic farming is environmentally friendly. It is well known that chemicals have destroyed many beneficial insect species and have caused environmental degradation. The ever-increasing threat to groundwater pollution from the inefficient and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides, respectively, is cause for much concern. These threats are eliminated in organic farming systems since natural pest control is practiced. In fact, organic farmers’ primary strategy in controlling pests and diseases is through prevention.

This is achieved in a number of ways. One is by building healthy soils – fertilizing and building soil organic matter through the use of cover crops, composts, etc – to ensure that plants are adequately nourished. Secondly, natural pest control using pestresistant varieties as well as medicinal plants and plants with natural pesticidal properties, is an integral part of any organic farming system. Natural pest control is cheaper than using synthetic pesticides and many treatments are available locally.

Further, the practice of natural pest control minimises pollution of soil and groundwater.It was stated earlier that organic farming does not utilize synthetic fertilizers. Instead, fertilizers are made from materials found onthe farm. This kind of fertilizer is called ‘compost’ and is better for crops because of the way it feeds the soil. Compost is a cheap source of fertilizer (manure). It contains all the nutrients that are needed by plants. The use of composted material is environmentally friendly and results in the reduction of fertilizer costs for farmers.

Organic farming is consumer friendly. Consumers are turning to organic food because they believe it to be tastier, as well as healthier, both for themselves and for the environment. Despite the higher cost for organic products, consumers are willing to pay for their preferences. Another reason for organic products gaining prominence is the opposition to Genetically Modified (GM) food, particularly in Europe and Japan. The main reasons why consumers are buying organic as stated by Brown and Heward (2000) are as follows:

1. lack of trust and confidence in conventional agriculture;

2. avoidance of artificial fertilizers and synthetic pesticides;

3. prohibition of genetically modified organism;

4. perception of better taste;

5. protection of the environment;

6. high animal welfare standards;

7. support for local organic farmers.

Good Market Potential

Although organic products so far represent only a small fraction (about 1 percent) of total food sales, the world market is growing steeply and is expected to reach 5-10 percent of food sales in major markets in the next few years. Currently, it is estimated that organic product sales amount to about US$20 Billion. Coffee and tea, fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, spices, sugar and hundreds of other organically grown products are part of the broad and growing market for developing countries to export organic foods.

WHY DOES ORGANIC COST MORE? Prices (generally higher) for organic foods reflect many of the same costs as conventional foods in terms of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage. Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations (certification), governing all these steps so that the process is often more labour and management intensive, and farming tends to be on a smaller scale. There is also mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production (clean up of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers) were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same, or, more likely be cheaper.

 The use of compost in commercial organic agriculture is promising. Compost is beneficial in a number of ways. It (1)contains antibiotics and antagonists to soil pests allowing for increased plant resistance to attacks; (2) increases crop yields, (3) is important in weed control, (4) builds up soil organic matter, etc. An annual application rate of 5 to 10 tons per acre is recommended for intensive annual cropping. However, soil tests and compost analyses are needed when application rates are to be determined.

The use of green manures and cover cropping is a standard practice in organic farming. Selection of green manure crop varieties and aspects of management are dependent upon the intended function of the crop. A significant drawback in using green manures and cover crops is that they occupy land in lieu of a cash crop. Oftentimes, a grower may not be able to afford this short-term reduction in income.

Crop rotation is an essential component of any organic farming system.