Writer: Bivek chaube
Adress- Buddhavumi municipality , kapilvastu.
Study place.- Institute of Agriculture science, Banaras Hindu University
B.Sc (Hons) Ag, Part- II
Before keeping shade on ORGANIC FARMING lets know the reasons for which the concept was brought in agriculture system. Before green revolution only organic farming was practiced, where natural pesticides and natural manures were the used source for production but this caused issue of food scarcity and food security to the growing populations. These issues resulted GREEN REVOLUTION.
The green revolution technologies used high yielding varieties, chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, mechanization, and irrigations. Although these technologies increased production but were not sustainable. Issues such as stagnation or fall in productivity, decline in soil fertility, salinity problem, lowering of water table and environmental pollutions.The deleterious effects of excessive and unbalanced use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers on human health, animal health and the environment have been reported time and again. Health effects of such conventional farming are asthma, cancer, hormone disruption, neurological effects. These impacts again made everyone to think and practice back the ORGANIC FARMING. The scientists have realized that the green revolution with high input use has reached a plateau and is now sustained with diminishing return.
ORGANIC FARMING CONCEPT :
As per United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) "organic farming is a system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs and to the maximum extent feasible rely upon the crop rotation, crop residues, off farm organic waste and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection"
MAJOR OBJECTIVE:
The major three objectives to organic farming are:-
1) Firstly it minimizes farmers suicides by reducing their dependence on farming inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides,
2)Secondly it helps provide healthy food for society,
3) Thirdly it helps combat climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emission.
ORGANIC FARMING AS REMEDY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE:
There is a misconception that industries and automobiles are major contributor to greenhouse gases emission. In fact, agriculture is one of the major contributors to climate change. Urea used as fertilizer with 1kg of nitrous oxide causes as much damage as 298kg of carbon dioxide.
COMPONENTS OF ORGANIC FARMING:
Vermicomposting
Green leaf manures
Manures and bio fertilizers
Animal husbandry
Biological management
PRINCIPLE OF ORGANIC FARMING:
Maintain long term fertility of soil
Avoid all types of pollutions resulted due to agricultural technique
To produce food stuff of high nutritional capacity
To work in favour of environment
Historic background of Organic farming in Nepal:
The organic agriculture is very common word in Nepali agriculture sector. Over a century, traditionally farmers in hills and mountains are following the farming practice, which is similar to organic farming. However, many of them have no idea that their traditional practice is called organic agriculture. Because of the lengthy certification process the products produced through organic means do not get recognition as organic products. The traditional farming knowledge and skill give the positive point for promoting the organic agriculture in Nepal.
FUTURE OF ORGANIC FARMING:
Organic farming will continue where consumer believes organic food is superior, where farmer can obtain premium price from being certified organic and where it is not economically viable to use fertilizer and pesticides. Organic farming can serves as a significant producer of food in developing countries like Nepal where fertilizers are too expensive. A present burning issue in farming is the decline in fertility of soil and fall in productivity which can be solved only by practicing the organic farming. Since in Nepal like country most of farmers belong to poor class and they can adopt this method to fetch more prices in market.
People are becoming more conscious about their health. They prefer the organically produced vegetables and other Agricultural produce. Organic farming is free from various chemical such as pesticides, fertilizers. Instead farmer prefer cow dung, organic wastes , green manures as a source for nutrients which not only protect the soil from physical and chemical damage but also improve the potential and water holding capacity and maintain the soil texture. Application of chemical fertilizer and pesticide harms the biological component and microbes which is the friend of farmer, and naturally protect and preserve the soil factors. Soil pollution can be lowered down by Organic farming. Although at initial stage the production might me quite low than the conventional method, but it provide both food security and nutritional security. Farmer need not to run here and there for chemical fertilizer, but they can themselves makes the organic fertilizer by vermicomposting and this help in recycling the waste properly. The animal they rear can also be a source of dairy and meat. This is the single investment method, where farmer need to invest only once for buying cattle for dung, vermicomposting pit and earthworms and after that only recycling is enough to supply the requirements.
The real taste and nutrients can be obtained only through the produce of organic farming. We know that No chemical is beneficial for us. So joint effort should be made by we youth to promote the organic farming method. For any civilization to prosper, agriculture has to be healthy and sustainable. We need to focus on promoting organic agriculture and agricultural practices that are stress-free, violence-free, and chemical-free.
Some challenges in the way of organic farming revolution;
*There is little awareness among farmers about the current trends in agriculture, such as contract farming, which has the potential to boost sustainability in organic farming. Farmers are also facing issues with certification. Non-certified organic products do not fetch the market premium. This is because organic farmers are currently scattered, making certification a cost-intensive process.
*Many of the farmers in Nepal face problems that the organic products are not perfect in shape, size and color in comparison with products produced by the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. So they are in fear about the consumer preference as they (consumer) prefer by evaluation with their eyes and organic products are hard to compete in the market. They do not concern about the way of production and nutrient content of the product. They think that organic products are expensive and hard to be affording it. At village level the local seeds are completely replaced by the hybrid and imported varieties especially in cereals and vegetables.
*Research organizations like NARC, NARDF give least priority on organic farming. There are limited.
*Now a day’s particularly youth are distracting from the agriculture field. They think once they have some academic degree, it’s not good to work in the agriculture field and playing with mud, plough and FYM.
*Lack of clear vision from government sector is one of the serious drawbacks for the slow development of organic farming in Nepal.
Recommendations to improve status of organic farming:
The policy and program should emphasize the organic food rather than market and business oriented agricultural system.
The cost of production is high and Nepalese farmers cannot compete with the Indian and other international market. Hence Government must provide support to the organic farmers groups, cooperatives in order to minimize the cost and mass production.
There is need to document the innovations from the local level to national level. Research and studies can generate certain findings and evidence based knowledge which can be shared with the likeminded working agencies and directly to the farmers.
There is need of packaged program so that a farmer could be self equipped and prepared for the process of certification..
Incrporation of courses related to organic production is necessary in the education programs of primary and secondary school level, universities and training institutions for developing professionals in this field.
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