Organic Farming: Concept, Types, Principles and Benefits

Organic farming is a system of management in agricultural production that incorporates a high level of biodiversity with environmental practices to preserve natural resources. Organic or chemical or ecological farming responds to consumers’ growing demands for natural products and consequently allows the preservation of the environment through sustainable rural developments. With this piece of writing, we will understand the objectification of this natural farming and its maintenance by providing numerous other benefits. Figuring out the advantages and disadvantages is also a way to regulate the culture of organic or chemical-free farming and make it potentially the future perspective for our country. The benefits of organic farming are way more to sustain good quality products with efficient methods and knowledge. 

The Concept Behind Organic Farming 

Organic farming is an agricultural practice that doesn’t support the use of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, or synthetic medicines on a general basis in crop production. The benefits of organic farming are a very wide vision to look for in terms of the future agricultural revolution. It pursues to production of healthy, good-quality food in a naturally sustainable way. Organic growers all over the world use ecological managing and maintain the finest natural abundance and natural activity in the soil to improve the farm environment by boosting the farm wildlife. There are some fundamental rules that organic agriculture stands by- 

1. Organic agriculture refers to soil as a living being. 
2. Managing and preserving all life forms in its full diversity is a profound success. 
3. Nature has presented itself as a dais to learn and emulate the best over the centuries. 
4. All life forms are basic parts of the system but are important contributors to their richness in fertility. 

People understand the concept and the values of sustainable organic farming and the abiding by the rules that work in the baseline for practicing such noble work for a better tomorrow. It only addresses the benefits of ecological farming. 

Types of Organic Farming

Organic farming is categorically divided into two types-

1. Integrated Organic Farming: Integrated organic farming is explained as the indulgence of pest management and nutrient management to acquire zero waste process, as the wastes generated from one process can be used as raw material for the other. This escalates the effectiveness of creation without the use of organic agrochemicals. 

2. Pure Organic Farming: this means avoiding all unnatural chemicals. As a substitute, fertilizer, and pesticides are obtained from natural sources these sources are basically from bone meal or blood. It is known as pure ecological farming. 

Principles of Organic Agriculture 

In 2005, the International Federation for Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) classified the principles of organic agriculture. These principles have been showing the benefits of organic agriculture. Now, the roots have been formed on which these principles work, and organic farming is developing and growing. 

1. Principles of Fairness: – This principle shows the importance that those involved in organic agriculture should be able to deliver and get entangled with a good quality of life, and contribute to food control and reduction of poverty. Fairness should be equal to all the parties involved from farmers, workers, processors, distributors, traders, and consumers. 

2. Principle of Care: – Organic agriculture is an existing and active system that responds to inside and outer demands and all its circumstances. Organic agriculture should be assisted in a preventive and responsible mode to safeguard the health & well-being of current as well as future generations and the environment. 

3. Principle of Ecology: – Organic agriculture is usually based on living ecological systems and cycles that work with them and help them sustain. The ecological balance arises through the design of farming systems. Establishment of habits and maintenance of genetic agricultural diversity. 

4. Principle of Health: – Organic agriculture is assembled to produce high-quality, nutritious food that can contribute to preventive health care and well-being to achieve this. It prevents the practice of Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, synthetic drugs, antibiotics, and chemical food additives straight or secondarily in the whole food manufacturing chain.  

Organic Farming and its Dimension in Rural Backdrop 

The practice of organic farming in India was since thousands of years, and effective and utilisation. The great Indian civilization rooted their organic farming and it was the most prosperous result. Where India is one of the wealthy countries until the British Raj. At the time of traditional India, the whole of the agriculture system was pesticide, fertilizers-free. Nothing chemical was used for the production of the crops, people obtained their manure (khad) from plants, vegetable, and animal waste products. Agriculture or farming has been the backbone of the Indian economy and the cow is worshiped as God. The cow was taken care of since that time with immense nurturing and treatment, they were provided with bullocks for using them in fields for farming, and their dung (gobar) was the fertilizer for the crops

Organic farming is in a promotional backdrop based on the wide dimensional benefits of ecological farming, with various factors like catering nourishing food, highly improved farm surroundings, and a good beneficiation to the rural economy. Organic agriculture has taken its scale in the field of development in the past years. It’s been a subject of discussion that organic farming provides high-end benefits in the development of rural livelihood. The local economy has increased with the coming of positive economic multiplications.

Also, making a connection between the consumers and the producers showed little impact on the positivity of economic development. The production of farming is taking a holistic leap in the management system of ecological farming because it promotes the enhancement of agro-ecosystem health, including the biological cycle and biodiversity, and it emphasizes the use of root management practices according to the principles. Considering the high peak environmental benefits of organic production and its benefits in organic farming, the potentiality in agricultural business. Agricultural approaches to rural backdrops and development have always been commending and impactful.

Today’s scenario of growing agriculture with the fact that new technologies and development strategies are created to upscale the market, but the organic form of market is still considered an evolving vehicle for countries like India which is profoundly known (Krishi Pradhan desh). 

Benefits of Organic Farming

The benefits of organic farming are mentioned below- 

1. Soil Protection- The soil has to be very healthy for better crop production. The growing of crops in a surplus amount gives an additional shield to the soil where it’s grown. When the fertility of the soil is high, the produce is surplus. The soil is not exploited by using unnecessary pesticides, or fertilizers, this protects the soil and its fertility for the use of near-future use. 

2. Resistance to Pests and Diseases- When we grow crops in healthy soil with ample amount of pH and nutritional position soil helps in strengthening the plant. The plant becomes naturally strong and thick with the cell walls, making it stronger against pests and diseases. 

3. Climate-friendly- The plants produced by organic farming are more climate-friendly as compared to petroleum-based fertilizers and chemicals. The plants produced by organic or ecological farming help store more carbon dioxide, which is universally helpful in reducing the greenhouse effect. In making petroleum fertilizers the utilization of fossil fuel is more, whereas organic farming requires cattle and manual labour. That way, it helps and supports the ecosystem in creating biodiversity. 

4. Opportunity to Grow a Variety of Crops- Organic farming is only limited to producing a variety of crops. It comes with a limited capacity for producing a variety of crops. These can be sold in the local market for a higher price, which is a benefit of ecological farming. It, too, happens by bringing a variety of crops into the local market. 

5. Resistance to Pests and Diseases- The benefits of organic farming are that having adequate pH and nutritional status helps to grow the immune system of the plant. Resistance against pests and various diseases can be achieved without using pesticides or trying to modify them.

6. Better Nutrition- The usage of chemical-free farming leads to the production of food products that are more nutritional consisting of higher nutritional value and content as compared to products produced from significant and conventional methods of farming. Products such as vegetables as well as fruits produced through organic farming are very fresh to eat as well. The flavours and tastes of products produced using the organic agriculture are also substantially better and more natural.  

7. The Healthy Working Environment Around Farms- The non-toxic working environment is created for the working people of the farm. Organic farming aims to stop using chemicals that might create health problems for farm workers. A chemical-free farming environment helps prevent farmers from living and working around it from health problems such as altered mental status, headaches, and other respiratory conditions.     

8. Naturally Processed Fertilizers- Organic farming increases the yield of crops by making fertilizers on-site using natural substances, which include green manure, cover crops, and application of compost.     

Significance of Organic Farming

• Organic Farming has a High Export Yield 

Using biodegradable components helps increase the quality of produced crops extensively. They possess more nutritional values in comparison to those harvested through traditional farming methods. However, these crops come with export potential value for their upgraded health benefits, thereby showing the effectiveness and benefits of organic farming and its significance in a better introduction of foreign currency capital in India. 

• Organic Farming Helps to Maintain Ecological Balance 

The most important power that organic farming holds is its strength to maintain ecological balance. The environment where humans survive is affected by each day with harmful ingredients. It also continuously affects the ecological system, which brings hazardous effects on the ecological system, which in turn has become non-recognisable. On the other hand, organic farming is known for its biodegradable products which do not harm the soil of the planet compared to conventional systems of agricultural methods. Now, it’s justified why this farming practice is essential in maintaining the balance in ecology. 

• The Cost-effective Farming Technique

Organic farming techniques require increased costs and benefits, just like the analysis above; this farming technique requires increased costs on labour expenses. Mechanical pest control along with other methods that need constant labor is a primary feature of chemical-free farming initially overall expenses may seem to be comparatively higher than traditional agricultural methods. However, the price premium and lesser use of expensive agricultural fertilizers and pet control tools make the ecological or chemical-free farming process more cost-effective than conventional agricultural techniques.

• Use of Biodegradable Items Improves Production Quality

Organic farming spots the use of biodegradable items which perform as stronger fertilizers than the synthetic fertilizers used in traditional farming methods. Synthetic chemicals used in these fertilizers can help produce an increased number of crops, but they come at a great price, which is a degradation in the quality of the produced crops. In the case of organic farming, biodegradable elements, which are formed mostly by the remains of dead plants and animals, not only help to improve the fertility of the soil but also enhance the quality of the produced crops. 

• Promotes Increased Amounts of Organic Products 

Chemical-free farming also promotes increased production of eco-friendly items in the market. It will help to decrease the production of toxic, harmful chemicals that are the primary source of pollutants affecting our environment at a large scale. Fewer requirements for inorganic items will lead to lesser use of these harmful elements amongst the general public, saving our environment from further pollution.

Concluding Lines 

Organic farming or agriculture are the terms that have become the most heard and practised farming practices these days. The effective method of adhering to the principles of sustainable development. The strictness of not using any pesticides, chemical fertilizers, industrial synthetic products, and genetically modified process. There are numerous benefits of organic or chemical-free farming. It assures long-term development in the scale of the food sector. Organic farming supports this huge balanced ecosystem, abiding by the values of protecting soil health and biodiversity preservation and saying no to synthetic inputs from anywhere. This stage of agriculture reduces exposure to chemical use, improves soil quality, improves nutrition, and is all under the umbrella of chemical-free farming. The world is benefiting in today’s life from the traditional ways of farming. The shift to a better and healthier lifestyle has happened, entirely improving people’s health and preserving the richness of the soil. There is no doubt that the contribution of the organic movement has made us shift to a better sustainable lifestyle, and we are looking forward to this gratefulness of supplements without disrupting nature. At SwadeshiVIP, we encourage organic or ecological farming practices for a sustainable future and we employ eco-sustainable techniques to obtain our natural A2 milk and other dairy products.