2. There are three types of organic farming
system :
1. Biodynamic farming
2. Natural farming
3. Bio-intensive farming
3. Biodynamic farming is a spiritual-ethical-ecological
approach to agriculture, gardens, food production
and nutrition.
It was first developed in the 1920s based on the
suggestions of Dr. Rudolf Steiner.
Emphasis the use of manures and compost and
exclude the use of artificial chemicals on soil and
plants.
Steiner suggested different preparations to aid
fertilization and described how these were to be
prepared.
BIODYNAMIC FARMING
4. Field preparations
Used to stimulate humus formation
One example would be the horn-manure, where a
humus mixture is prepared by filling the horn of a cow
with cow manure and buried it in the ground in
autumn.
It is left to decompose through winter and retrieved
for use the following spring.
5. Compost preparations
Employ herbs which are frequently used in
medicinal treatment.
Many of the herbs are used in organic practices to
make fertilizers, turned into the soil as green
manure
Planting calendar
There is astrological influences on soil and plant
development
Some farmers would cultivate or harvest crops
based on both the phase of the moon and the
constellation of stars the moon is passing through
6. Natural farming is an ecological farming approach
established by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese
farmer and philosopher.
Natural farming is a closed system, one that does
not depend on human-supplied inputs and mimic
nature.
Fukuoka divided natural farming into several
principles :
NATURAL FARMING
7. No Pesticides
Pesticides do not only kill insects; they reside in the soil and
fruit
Light, alcohol, aroma, poisonous plant and so forth are used
to control pests instead of chemicals
An ecology that recovered the natural balance will drop in the
pests and disease occurrence
No Herbicides
Natural farming system uses the weeds rather than killing
them
Wild grass such as rye and clover were grown for mulching
The grass prevents soil erosion, holds moisture, propagates
microorganism, produces organic fertilizer, improves soil
ventilation and suppresses the pests.
8. No tillage
An agricultural technique which increases the amount of water that
infiltrates into the soil and increases organic matter retention and
cycling of nutrients in the soil
It increases the amount and variety of life in and on the soil,
including disease-causing organisms and disease suppression
organisms.
The most powerful benefit of no-tillage is improvement in soil
biological fertility, making soils more resilient
No chemical fertilizers
Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and other elements that
would be commonly given in the form of chemical fertilizer are
substituted with natural farming inputs
Fish amino acid provides nitrogen, eggshells give calcium, animal
bones are source of phosphoric acid.
9. A natural agricultural system that focuses on achieving
maximum yields from a minimum area of land
Simultaneously increasing biodiversity and maintaining the
fertility of the soil
Effective for backyard gardeners and smallholder farmers in
developing countries, and also has been used successfully on
small-scale commercial farms
John Jeavons and Ecology Action developed a sustainable 8-
step food-raising method officially known as "GROW
BIOINTENSIVE - Sustainable Mini-Farming".
BIO-INTENSIVE FARMING
10. Components important to the bio-intensive approach include:
i. Double-Dug, Raised Beds
ii. Composting
iii.Biointensive Planting
iv. Companion Planting
v. Carbon Farming
vi. Calorie Farming
vii.Use of Open-Pollinated Seeds
viii.A Whole-System Farming Method
