Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use pesticide, fertilizer, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones.
Organic farming promotes the use of crop rotations and cover crops and encourages balanced host/predator relationships. Organic residues and nutrient produced on the farm are recycled back to the soil. Cover crops and composted manure are used to maintain soil organic matter and fertility.
HIT Agriculture College in Dehradun — Advantage of Organic Farming
Why organic farming?
India is majorly into the development of agriculture and the environment. Organic farming concludes both of them together. In organic farming, there is a use of bio products which is safe for the soil as well as the environment so both the objectives are achieved.
So organic farming is supported by the government as well in all aspects. In the economic development sector also plays a very important role.
There is a very big difference between conventional farming and organic farming concerning sales. The products produced from conventional farming are very cheap and low quality versus the products produced from organic farming.
The agricultural sector owes a very important part in enhancing the export value of India. The food products that were exported earlier did not gain many profits and were also not healthy affecting people with different diseases, but due to organic farming, the cost of production is less due to reduction in using the toxic substance and the profits are more which leads to good health and also affects the government’s export value.
Reasons To Go For Organic Farming
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It boosts the nutritional quality of food
Organic crops are grown in biologically healthy and safe active soils. Crops on organic farms take a longer time to grow and tend to yield less per acre than crops on industrial agriculture. Also, plants nourished by soil on organic farms produce crops that are most likely to consist of more important minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins.
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Organic food gives the best results for health issues
There are so many problems everyone is facing in the conventional food system like learning disabilities, water pollution, birth defects, farm animals suffering and so much more.
The certified organic label stands in giving what people need in today’s generation that includes nutritious food, good water quality, products grown naturally without using toxins, etc.
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Decreases the intake of antibiotics and unnecessary hormones
Most of the conventional farmers use a lot of mixture of growth hormones, supplements, drugs, and toxic substances so that their animals grow products faster, bigger and produce more milk compare to their natural products and give more per day than these products consumed by us leads to heavy intake of antibiotics.
By growing products organically will help reduce the intake of all these. The National Organic Program rule prohibits virtually synthetic animal drug use therefore in the end healthy animals produce healthy milk, meat, dairy products, eggs, etc.
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Maintenance for healthy soil
Having healthy soil is the main thing for all successful organic farms. After all the comparison done by so many studies over the past years, it is concluded that the soil quality of conventional farms is affecting the soil health versus the organic farms that practice organic management which includes enhancing the soil quality, crop rotation, restore organic components, and nitrogen to help fight global warming.
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Create a healthy environment in the workplace and neighboring areas
Farming is the second most hazardous occupation in the list of mining. Until and unless good care is practiced, caustic fertilizers, toxic pesticides, and so many other chemicals pose a risk to a lot of people living or working near the farms. By going organic, the use of high-risk chemical products by the farmers is very less so the workers and rural Neighbors have nothing to worry about their health.
Advantages of Organic Farming
There are various advantages of organic farming as follows:
- It helps to maintain environmental health by reducing the level of pollution.
- It decreases human and animal health hazards by reducing the level of residues in the product.
- It helps in the cost of agricultural production at a sustainable level.
- It reduces the cost of agriculture production and also improves soil health.
- It ensures optimum utilization of natural resources for short team benefit and helps in conserving them for the future generation.
- It saves the energy of animals and machines along with reducing the risk of crop failure.
- It improves the soil’s physical properties such as granulation, good tilth, good aeration, easy root penetration and improves water holding as supply and retention erosion.
- It improves soil’s chemical properties such as supply and retention of soil nutrients reduce nutrients loss into bodies and the environment and promotes favourable chemical reactions.
Organic farming can be a viable alternative production method for farmers, but there are many challenges, one key to success is being open to alternative organic approaches to solve the production problems. Determine the cause of the problem and assess strategies to avoid or reduce the long-term problem rather than a short-term fix for it.
Scope of Organic Farming
The scope of organic farming is increasing at a great speed in India. This is mostly due to new experiments and researches done in the agricultural field. New techniques which are invented are fully in support of the health of the soil.
By these new measures of production, there is so much reduction in toxic substances increasing the quality of the product. Also, with the increasing diseases caused by the artificial production of crops more and more people are shifting to organic farming methods in today’s scenario.
People’s health is another very important factor to shift to organic farming. The high scope of organic farming is also been seen because a lot of people are reshaping their health in their lifestyle.
So, there is a huge possibility for the farmers to get a great response for organic products from the consumers and their opportunities also increase. In addition, the maintenance costs are extremely less in organic farming as this method does not include the use of artificial substances in farming.
Opportunities In Organic Farming
- In organic farming, there are a lot of categories. One can choose any of them and then specialize in that particular category. By this, one will be clear about what they have to focus on and can also achieve success in the market.
- One can go for the production of vegetables and fruits which sums up to 75% of the market in organic farming. But if you are financially stable then this field is a great option as this category can have a loss at times because the products are perishable.
- The production of organic medicines is another good option for generating more income. Medicines are also a huge demand when it is being produced organically. So many people in the medical field prescribe organic medicines to patients to recover at a great speed.
- Organic farming is a very new concept for a lot of people but has a huge scope of success and this can be used smartly to gain profits. From a business point of view, the supply is less and the demand for the products is comparatively more. Therefore, prices for organic products are more than normal but even after that people are buying as if is beneficial.
Future of Organic Farming
Organic farming in India will prosper and will include feeding 1.5 billion people by 2030. The growth rate in organic farming increases 25-30 % every year. By 2020 India will reach 1.35 billion in organic farming. Organic farming is 35% more profitable than conventional farming.
Organic farming methods use good quality soil and air and also helps in biodiversity so more farmers are shifting to organic farming. A large number of investors are looking up to having a business in organic farming as there are many people out there going vegan, organic as consuming conventional and toxic crops are giving major health issues.
There is a very effective and successful future of organic farming in the coming years as organic crops are more healthy and naturally grown as compared to conventional crops. There are large scopes of organic farming as it is cheap and does not include the use of toxic substances, drugs, etc.
FAQ’s
Question 1: How is organic farming done?
Answer: The main methods of organic farming is green manures and compost, crop rotation, mechanical cultivation, and biological pest control.
Question 2: What is used in Organic farming?
Answer: Organic farming is a method of livestock and crop production that needs healthy soil, plants, environment is the main priority along with growing crops. They also use organic waste and biological materials along with beneficial microbes.
Question 3. What are the pros and cons of organic farming?
Answer: Pros: Protection from animals, water-saving, efficient land use, fewer crops import necessary, better for climate, more sustainable, organic waste can be reused and recycled, so many more.
Cons: Pest issues, high certification costs, unpleasant smell, products may be expensive for poor people, organic farming needs plenty of research and knowledge, etc.
HIT Best Agriculture College in Dehradun offers Agriculture Courses – BSc Agriculture, MSc Agronomy (Agriculture) MSc Soil Science, MSc Genetics & Plant Breeding
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Himalayan Institute of Technology – HIT Dehradun was established in 2001 and is affiliated to HNBG Central University & SDSU State University for BSc Agriculture, BSc Forestry, MSc Agronomy, MSc Soil Science, MSc Genetic & Plant Breeding, BHM, BBA, BCA, BSc-IT, BCom (Hons), BCom, MSc-IT, MCom and many other courses. HIT Dehradun is a reputed College located in Dehradun – a fast-growing city in the State of Uttarakhand. The motto of HIT Dehradun is “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow”.
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