Organic farming is a technique used to enhance soil fertility and biological diversity. It involves the cultivation of rearing of animals and crops in natural ways. This process includes the use of biological materials which minimizes pollution and wastage.

1. TYPES, METHODS & BENEFITS
ORGANIC FARMING

2. WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING IN INDIA
Organic Farming involves the use of biological materials acquired from plant and
animal waste instead of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which in turn, repairs,
maintains and improves the ecological balance and helps in retaining soil fertility.

3. COMPONENTS OF ORGANIC FARMING
1. Fertilizers Management.
2. Weed control.
3. Insects pest disease control.

4. 1. Fertilizer Management
● Farm Yard Manure
● Sheep and Goat Manure
● Crop Residues
● Poultry Manure
● Green Manure
● Bio Fertilizer
● Oil Cakes
● Compost

5. 2. Weed Control
● Allelopathy
● Rotation
● Organic Mulch
● Integrated Weed Control

6. 3. Insects Pest Disease Control.
● Agronomic Practices
● Biological Control
● Natural plant Products
● Mechanical Control
● Genetic Control

7. ORGANIC VS. CONVENTIONAL
● Under conventional farming, a farmer treats or fumigates his farm using harsh
chemicals and petroleum-based fertilizers, whereas under organic farming, a
farmer prepares and enriches his piece of land using naturally obtained
materials.
● Under conventional farming, a farmer soaks the seeds in fungicides and
pesticides before planting them, in order to keep insects and pests at bay. On
the other hand, a farmer indulging in organic farming does not soak the seeds
in any chemical solution and nor does he mix any chemicals with water used
for irrigation.
● Under conventional farming, a farmer uses weedicides to exterminate weeds
when the seeds have sprung up, whereas, under organic farming, a farmer
uses animals, flame weeder or physically weeds out the farm instead of using
chemical weedicides.

8. PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC FARMING
The principles of organic farming can be
broadly classified as:
● Principle of Health
● Principle of Ecology
● Principle of Fairness
● Principle of Care

9. TYPES OF ORGANIC FARMING
Organic farming is divided into two types, namely:
Pure Organic Farming
It involves avoiding the use of unnatural chemicals
and fertilizers and pesticides are obtained from natural
sources.
Integrated Organic Farming
It includes the integration of pest management and
nutrients management techniques in order to satisfy
ecological and economic demands.

10. METHODS OF ORGANIC FARMING
Following are the most popular methods
used in organic farming.
● Soil Management
● Integrated Weed Management
● Crop Diversity or Crop Rotation
● Biological Pest Control
● Livestock
● Green Manure and Compost

11. SOIL MANAGEMENT
The process of enhancing the fertility of the soil with all the necessary nutrients is
known as soil management. Organic farming uses natural ways to increase the
fertility of the soil. One such example is the use of bacteria found in animal waste.

12. INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT
Weeds are unwanted plants that grow alongside the
main crops. They compete with the main crops for
nutrients, water and sunlight and as such, affect the
quality of crop produce. The two most widely used weed
management techniques are as listed below:
● Mulching
● Mowing and Cutting

13. CROP DIVERSITY OR CROP ROTATION
Different types of crops are harvested and cultivated in order to meet the
increasing demand for agricultural produce and to produce the microorganisms
required for the soil.

14. BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL
The growth of harmful living organisms is controlled in
order to protect the soil and crops. The three most
commonly used ways of controlling other organisms are
as listed below:
● Encouraging the growth of ladybugs, tiny pirate bugs
and other predatory insects that feast on harmful
pests.
● Using herbicides and pesticides that are natural or
contain negligible amounts of chemicals.
● Proper sanitization of the entire farm in order to
keep it free from pests.

15. LIVESTOCK
Organic agriculture encourages the use of livestock, farm and domestic animals to
increase the sustainability of the farm.

16. GREEN MANURE AND COMPOST
Green manure refers to the dying plants that are uprooted and stuffed into the soil
so that they can act as a nutrient to increase the quality of the soil. Compost can
be defined as recycled organic matter that is used as fertilizer in agricultural farms
due to it being highly rich in nutrients.

17. BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FARMING
● Nutritional and healthy.
● Environment friendly.
● Good return on investment
● High demand
● Organic food products are highly
authenticated
● Generates Employment
● Longer shelf-life
● Healthier for farm workers

18. DISADVANTAGES OF ORGANIC FARMING
● Not suitable for growing on a
large scale.
● Pest issues.
● Regular standards are hard to
meet.
● High certification costs.
● Small farmers going out of
business.
● Time consuming.

19. ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING (ZBNF)
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a method of farming where the cost of
growing and harvesting plants is almost zero. The costs are reduced by
eliminating external inputs and by using local resources and diverse, multi-layered
cropping systems to rejuvenate the soil and restore the health of the ecosystem.

20. GROWTH OF ORGANIC FARMING IN INDIA
● In 2017, the total area of organically managed
land recorded 69.8 million hectares globally,
which represented a growth of 20% or 11.7
million hectares over 2016.
● The chart given above depicts the countries
with the largest areas of organic agricultural
land, recorded in the year 2017.
● Australia stood first and India acquired the
eighth position with a total organic agricultural
area of 35.65 and 1.78 million hectares
respectively.

21. FUTURE PROSPECTS OF ORGANIC FARMING IN
INDIA
● According to a study conducted by Associated Chambers
of Commerce & Industry in India, the organic food turnover
in India has been increasing at about 25-30% annually and
is expected to reach USD 1.36 billion by the end of 2020,
up from USD 0.36 billion in 2014.
● The soil in india is bestowed with various types of naturally
available organic nutrients that aid in organic farming.
● Organic agriculture is expected to contribute in the feeding
of 1.5 billion people by the year 2030.
● Agricultural farmlands in most of the hilly regions, which
receive adequate rainfall and where negligible amounts of
chemicals are used, come as ready-to-use organic farms.

22. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND PROGRAMS
● Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
● Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North
Eastern Region Scheme (MOVCDNER)
● Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
● Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture
(MIDH)
● National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
● National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF)
● Sub Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF)
● Soil Health Management (SHM)
● National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
● National Bamboo Mission (NBM)

23. HOW DO I START MY OWN ORGANIC FARM IN
INDIA
We are listing down 8 factors that you must
consider while setting up and maintaining an
organic farm.
● Learn the basics of organic farming
● Location is the Key
● Decide what to grow
● Know your market
● Prepare the soil and make good compost
● Take care of what you plant
● Seek a mentor and network with people
● Patience plays a key role