Organic Agriculture

 What is Organic Agriculture ?

Organic Agriculture

• can be defined as "an integrated farming system that strives for sustainability, the enhancement of soil fertility and biological diversity while, with rare exceptions, prohibiting synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones".
• is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

Types of Organic Farming

Organic farming is divided into two types, namely:

Pure organic farming

• means avoiding all unnatural chemicals. In this process of farming, all the fertilizer and pesticide are obtained from natural sources such as bone meal or blood meal.
• only using organic means, like biopesticides and organic manures. It completely avoids using any chemicals or inorganic pesticides. It is definitely much harder because of those things, but it is pure, and if you are selling it, food is much more expensive.

Integrated organic farming

• includes the integration of pest management and nutrients management to achieve ecological requirements and economic demands.
• it uses integrated pest and nutrients management, but you still grow your crops from natural resources. That way you can get more crops and have a much easier job, and still eat or sell real, organic food.

Here are some key reasons why organic farming can be described as a step towards sustainable agriculture:

Reduces Exposure To Harmful Chemicals

Organic farming in principle discourages the use of harsh chemicals and therefore, contributes towards the preservation of the natural environment. In fact, research studies have revealed that organic farming can eliminate about 500 million pounds of pesticides and chemicals from entering into the environment annually.

Consumes Less Energy

Organic farming does not rely on the use of synthetic fertilizers as opposed to conventional techniques that are generous with these external chemicals. Avoiding fertilizers contributes to a greater cause of energy conservation. This is because manufacturing synthetic fertilizers consumes a significant amount of energy.

Reduces Nitrogen Run-Off Induced Pollution

The nitro release negatively impacts biodiversity and pollutes the water bodies. In contrast, organic farming does not lead to such nitrogen run-off due to lack of dependence on synthetic nitrogen-based chemicals.

Facilitates Healthy Soil Formation

Organic methods ensure that the soil is healthier and more useful, with its carbon and nitrogen cycle well balanced. Additionally, due to significant retention of beneficial bacteria, the natural nitrogen fixation in the soil also gets a boost. Studies point out that only a teaspoon of organic soil rich in compost can host up to 1 billion helpful bacteria from 15,000 species. This is in stark contrast to the same amount of chemically treated soil that is home to helpful bacteria, less than 100 in count.

Combats the Effects of Global Warming

Organic farming as a sustainable practice also contributes towards curtailing the phenomenon of global warming. An interesting research by The Rodale Institute Farming System examined thoroughly, the comparative outcomes from organic and conventional agriculture. The study revealed that organic farming has the potential to not only reduce carbon dioxide but also slow down the climate change process.

CONSERVATION OF NATURAL AREAS AND BIODIVERSITY

Organic farming assumes active use of crop rotations, as well as the cultivation of rare species of crops. This supports biodiversity and creates a healthy gene pool, which is the basis for the adaptation of new varieties and species. There are also favorable conditions for attracting organisms useful to the organic system, such as pollinators and phages.