organic farming 1.o

Conversion of soil to organic

Banning of chemicals- It is a widely known fact that some biological processes of plants involved in acquiring nutrients such as nitrogen e.g. N2 fixation are generally inhibited by adding Nitrogen fertilizer. Soil scientists generally caution against nonjudicial fertilizer use and encourage the use of organic compost otherwise it may lead to the deficiency of micronutrients. Therefore in organic farming systems, there is no place for chemicals.

Low input alternative - In the first year simultaneously sow three different types of legumes in strips, first of 60 days (like moong), second of 90-120 days (Cowpea or soybean) and third of more than 120 days (red gram) in strips. Apply mixture of Compost and vermicompost (2:1) @ 2.5 ton per acre enriched with 4 kg Azotobacter and 4 kg PSB biofertilizers or 4 kg consortia of customized cultures as basal dose at the time of sowing preferably in furrows below the seeds. Seeds of legumes should be treated with crop-specific strains of Rhizobium biofertilizer. Mulch the entire surface with a thick layer of biological mulch and drench the biomass with Jivamrut @ 200 lit per acre. Seedlings will emerge from this layer. If soil is poor in phosphorus then apply 300 kg of low-grade mineral rock-phosphate along with the compost. Apply the second dose of Jivamrut after 25-30 days of sowing with irrigation water or during rains.

To add to diversity 100 plants/ acre of marigold or Hibiscus submarine or any other suitable plant effective as trap crop/plant may be planted randomly throughout the field. Few seedlings of vegetables such as chilies, tomato, brinjal, etc and rhizomes of turmeric, ginger etc can be planted randomly for home consumption

Harvest the pods/ fruits and use remaining biomass for mulch. Collect the crop biomass at the end of strips in the form of heaps and drench with Jivamrut. Sow short duration leafy vegetables (such as fenugreek or spinach) in the space vacated by the first and second crop and mulch the surface with treated biomass. Harvest leafy vegetable and grains and incorporate remaining biomass in the soil at the appropriate time.

In next season apply compost-vermicompost mixture @ 2.5 ton/ha and sow cereal crop with legume as inter or companion crop. After harvest use entire legume and remaining part of cereal crop as mulch. If irrigation facilities are there, take summer legume with some vegetable crop. Recycle entire residue as mulch. Use 3-4 application of liquid manure (such as Jivamruta) during each cropping season for soil application. Now the soil is ready for high value horticultural crops.

High input alternative – Incorporate 2.5-3.0 ton compost/ vermicompost or 1.5 ton of biodynamic compost, 500 kg crushed oil cakes, 500 kg rock phosphate, 100 kg neem cake, 5 kg Azotobacter and 5kg PSB biofertilizer or 4 kg consortia of customized cultures in soil through broadcasting or by drilling in furrows below the seeds. Sow 3-4 types of different crops in strips. 40% crop stand should be of legumes. Randomly plant 100-150 marigold and vegetable seedlings for increased diversity. After harvest incorporates entire residue in soil or use as mulch after sowing of the next crop. For second crop also use similar quantities of manures. Use liquid manure (Jivamruta) @ 200lit/acre 3-4 times during cropping season along with irrigation water. For increased productivity 2-3 sprays of vermiwash or vermiwash+cow urine or Panchgavya can also be provided

In fruit orchards cultivate 3-4 types of legume mixtures as mixed or intercrop in inter spaces along with adequate quantity of manures (as specified above). After pod/ grain harvest mulch the entire soil surface with the left over biomass and drench the biomass with 2 applications of Jivamruta.

After about 12-18 months the soil will be ready for organic cultivation of any crop combination. For next two-three years, along with any crop incorporate legumes as inter or companion crops. Ensure that crop residue always have at least 30% residue from legumes. Also treat crop residue with liquid manure before incorporating into soil or using as mulch. 

Multiple cropping and crop rotation 

Mix cropping is the outstanding feature of organic farming in which variety of crops are grown simultaneously or at different time on the same land. In every season care should be taken to maintain legume cropping at least 40%. Mix cropping promotes photosynthesis and avoids the competition for nutrients because different plants draw their nutrients from different depth of soil. The legume fixes atmospheric nitrogen and make available for companion or succeeding crops. Deep rooted plants drew nutrient from deeper layer of soil and bring them to the  . 

organic farming topic 1

Organic Management 

An Integrated approach

Growing Crops under Organic Management Philosophy - Organic farming management is an integrated approach, where all aspects of farming systems are interlinked with each other and work for each other. A healthy biologically active soil is the source of crop nutrition, on-farm biodiversity controls pests, crop rotation and multiple cropping maintains the system’s health and on-farm resource management with integration of cattle ensure productivity and sustainability. Organic management stresses on optimization of resource use and productivity, rather than maximization of productivity and over-exploitation of resources on the cost of resources meant for future generations. 

Management Principals - A living soil is the basis of organic farming. A live, healthy soil with proper cropping patterns, crop residue management and effective crop rotation can sustain optimum productivity over the years, without any loss infertility. Organic farming envisages a comprehensive management approach to improve soil health, the ecosystem of the region and the quality of produce. It includes all agricultural systems that promote environmentally sound production of food and fibers. These systems take local soil fertility as a key to successful production, by respecting the natural capacity of plants, animals and the landscape; they aim to optimize quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment. A living soil can be maintained by continuous incorporation of crop and weed biomass, use of animal dung, urine-based manures (FYM, NADEP, vermicompost), biofertilizers and bio-enhancers, special liquid formulations (like vermi, compost tea etc) during a crop’s duration. 

As a thumb rule, crop residues should be returned to the plot, directly or indirectly. Cattle droppings may be returned to the field as compost. As a strategy, the quantity of biomass removed for human food and fiber, cattle feed or firewood from an organic farm should be replaced with any other bio-waste on the farm. But it is important to account for it for preparing the balance sheet of nutrients for each crop being cultivated on the farm. In phosphorous-deficient and acidic soils, some quantity of mineral grade rock phosphate and lime can also be added either by direct application to the field or through addition to compost. The compost can be further enriched by the incorporation of biofertilizers, microbial inoculants, etc. Special composts like biodynamic compost, cowpat pit compost, biodynamic preparations such as BD-500 and BD-501, special formulations like Panchgavya, Dashgavya, Biosol etc are also useful and ensure optimum productivity. Use of EM formulation has also been found effective in soil enrichment and compost making. For high nutrient demanding crops and for intermittent soil enrichment use of oilcake, poultry manure, concentrated manures (a mixture of oil cakes, poultry manure and rock phosphate) can also be an ideal low-cost option of manuring.

Important steps 

While turning towards organic it is essential that the basic requirements of the system and the area are properly understood and long term strategies are addressed first. In most part of the country, poor soil health due to loss of organic matter and soil microbial load is a major problem. Reducing water availability and the increasing temperature is further adding to the problems. Too much dependence on the market for the supply of inputs and energy has made the agriculture a cost-intensive high input enterprise with diminishing returns. We need to address all these concerns and develop a system that is not only productive and low cost but also resource-conserving and sustainable for centuries to come. To start with, the following parameters need to be addressed in first stage

• Enrichment of soil

 • Management of temperature 

• Conservation of rainwater 

• Maximum harvesting of sun energy 

• Self-reliance in inputs 

• Maintenance of natural cycles and life forms 

• Integration of animals 

• Maximum reliance on renewable energy sources, such as solar power and animal power

How to achieve 

1. Enrichment of soil –

 Abandon use of chemicals, use crop residue as mulch, use organic and biological fertilizers, adopt crop rotation and multiple cropping, avoid excessive tilling and keep soil covered with green cover or biological mulch.

2. Management of temperature - Keep soil covered, Plant trees and bushes on bund 

3. Conservation of soil and rainwater – Dig percolation tanks, maintain contour bunds in sloppy land & adopt contour row cultivation, dig farm ponds, maintain low height plantation on bunds.

 4. Harvesting of sun energy – Maintain green stand throughout the year through a combination of different crops and plantation schedules. 

5. Self-reliance in inputs – develop your own seed, on-farm production of compost, vermicompost, vermiwash, liquid manures and botanical extracts.

 6. Maintenance of life forms – Develop habitat for the sustenance of life forms, never use pesticides and create enough diversity. 

7. Integration of animals – Animals are important components of organic management and not only provide animal products but also provide enough dung and urine for use in soil. 

8. Use of renewable energy – Use solar energy, bio-gas and bullock driven pumps, generator and other machines.

Developing organic farm

As organic management is an integrated approach, manipulation and adoption of one or few steps may not yield significant results. For optimization of productivity all the essential components need to be developed in a systematic manner. These steps include: (i) Habitat development, (ii) on-farm facilities for input production (iii) cropping sequence and combination planning, (iv) 3-4 year rotation plan and (vi) growing of crops suiting to the region, soil and climate.

Development of farm facilities and habitat Infrastructure –

 Reserve 3-5% of farm space for utilities, such as space for cattle, vermicompost bed, compost tank, Vermiwash/ compost tea unit etc. 5-7 trees should be planted only on this space, as all utility infrastructure need shade. Irrigation well, water pumping infrastructure etc can also be in this utility area. Dig some percolation tanks (7x3x3mt or of any other size depending upon the rainfall and run-off pattern) for rainwater conservation (1 pit per ha) at appropriate places depending upon slope and water flow. If possible develop a farm pond of preferably 20x10 mt size. Keep few 200 lit tanks (1 per acre) for liquid manure preparation and few containers for botanicals. For 5 acre farm, develop 1-2 vermicompost beds, 1 NADEP tank, 2 biodynamic compost beds, 2-3 compost tea/ vermiwash units, 5 liquid manure tanks, five cowpat pits and one underground cattle-urine collection tank. Efforts should also be made to produce sufficient quantities of BD500 (cow horn manure) and BD-501 (cow horn silica). 10-12 horn products are sufficient for 5 acre farm. Use of biodynamic compost prepared with the use of BD502-507 has also been found to be very effective.

Habitat and biodiversity- Management of appropriate habitat for the sustenance of different life forms is an essential component of organic farming. This can be achieved by ensuring crop diversity and by maintaining a wide variety of trees and bushes as per climatic suitability. These trees and bushes will not only ensure the nutrients from air and deep soil layers to the surface layer but also attract the birds and predators, friendly insects and also provide the food and shelter. There may be some loss of productivity due to shading effect but that loss can be compensated with reduced pest problems and natural biological pest control system. In the plains, for a 10-acre farm, plant at least five to six neem trees (Azadirachta indica), one to two tamarind (Tamarindus indica), two gular (Ficus glumerata), eight to ten ber (Zizyphus Sp) bushes, one to two aonla (Emblica officinalis), one to two drumstick and 10–15 wild bushes. 

More specifically, if we classify areas into wet and dry farms, then on the wet farms there should be five to six neem trees, one to two wood apples, one to two star fruit, eight to ten guava or sour soap, three to four drumstick, one to two fig and 10–15 bushes of mulberry, star gooseberry, curry leaf etc, and on the dry farms there must be at least five to six neem, one to two bael fruit, eight to ten ber or custard apple, one to two aonla , one to two drumstick and 10–15 bushes of sasaka , nirgundi (Vitex negundo), Cassia auriculata, C. tora, etc.

In hilly areas, Alnus nepalensis is considered to be a wonderful tree as it fixes good amount of nitrogen. It is being promoted in a cropping system mode particularly in northeastern India. Bushes of Prunus, oak (Quercus glauca), Pinus species along the farm boundary and yarrow (Achillea millifolium), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), lupin (Lupinus sativus), Himalayan stinging nettle (Urtica parviflora), marigold, etc., in between the plots invite a lot of predators and also attract a large a number of pests. Fruit orchards also need to maintain adequate diversity with at least 3-5 types of fruit plants and few non-fruit trees (as listed above).

Major and minor plots should be separated by bunds about 1.5m wide and should be planted with Glyricidia, perennial Sesbania (jayanti), Leucaena leucocephala, cassia siamea, etc. The internal hedgerow should consist of perennial pigeon pea, Crotalaria , seasonal Sesbania, etc. Lops from these trees will provide enough quantity of biologically fixed nitrogen

In between Glyricidia/Sesbania rows insert few plants of pesticidal value such as Adathoda vesica, Vitax nigundo, Calotropis, Datura alba, Ipomea (Besharam) etc. Surrounding the farm or garden, there should be hedgerows or a live fence of coppiced or pollarded, multipurpose, deep-rooted trees and shrubs and medicinal herbs such as Adathoda vasica, Vitex negundo, Jatropha curcas, etc. Ecological diversity is an essential component of any successful organic farming system. Trees on utility space can be allowed to grow fully. Trees and bushes on farm bunds should be placed randomly at sufficient distance and pruned at repeated intervals. Glyricidia plants should be planted at close spacing on all major bunds and all around the farm. They will act not only as biological fence but also provide biologically fixed nitrogen to soil.

A 400 mt long Glyricidia strip can provide 22.5 kg N/ha per year from the year 3 and up to 77 Kg N/ha from year 7 under rainfed conditions. This can be 75-100% higher under irrigated conditions. Three to four harvests can be made under irrigated conditions and two harvests under unirrigated conditions. Never allow them to grow above 5.5 ft to avoid shading effect. Lopping is used as green leaf manure. Simply harvest them and incorporate in soil before sowing or use as mulch.

 we study about Conversion of soil to organic in next post.

principles of organic farming

The Principles of Organic Agriculture

To understand the motivation for organic farming, the practices being used and what we want to achieve, it is important to understand the guiding principles of organic agriculture. These principles encompass the fundamental goals and caveats that are considered important for producing high quality food, fiber and other goods in an environmentally sustainable way. The principles of organic agriculture have changed with the evolution of the movement and are now codified. The principles apply to agriculture in the broadest sense, including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals in order to produce, prepare and distribute food and other goods. They concern the way people interact with living landscapes, relate to one another and shape the legacy of future generations. The principles of organic agriculture serve to inspire the organic movement in its full diversity. They are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context. The Principles of Organic Agriculture serve to inspire the organic movement in its full diversity. 

The International Federation for Organic Agriculture Movement’s (IFOAM) definition of Organic agriculture is based on:

The principle of health 

The principle of ecology 

The principle of fairness.

The principle of care 

Each principle is articulated through a statement followed by an explanation. The principles are to be used as a whole. They are composed as ethical principles to inspire action.

1. Principle of health

Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible. This principle points out that the health of individuals and communities cannot be separated from the health of ecosystems - healthy soils produce healthy crops that foster the health of animals and people.Health is the wholeness and integrity of living systems. It is not simply the absence of illness, but the maintenance of physical, mental, social and ecological well-being. Immunity, resilience and regeneration are key characteristics of health. The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings. In particular, organic agriculture is intended to produce high quality, nutritious food that contributes to preventive health care and well-being. In view of this it should avoid the use of fertilizers, pesticides, animal drugs and food additives that may have adverse health effects.

2. Principle of ecology

Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them. This principle roots organic agriculture within living ecological systems. It states that production is to be based on ecological processes, and recycling. Nourishment and well-being are achieved through the ecology of the specific production environment. For example, in the case of crops this is the living soil; for animals it is the farm ecosystem; for fish and marine organisms, the aquatic environment. Organic farming, pastoral and wild harvest systems should fit the cycles and ecological balances in nature. These cycles are universal but their operation is site-specific. Organic management must be adapted to local conditions, ecology, culture and scale. Inputs should be reduced by reuse, recycling and efficient management of materials and energy in order to maintain and improve environmental quality and conserve resources. Organic agriculture should attain ecological balance through the design of farming systems, establishment of habitats and maintenance of genetic and agricultural diversity. Those who produce, process, trade, or consume organic products should protect and benefit the common environment including landscapes, climate, habitats, biodiversity, air and water.

3. Principle of fairness

Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities. Fairness is characterized by equity, respect, justice and stewardship of the shared world, both among people and in their relations to other living beings. This principle emphasizes that those involved in organic agriculture should conduct human relationships in a manner that ensures fairness at all levels and to all parties - farmers, workers, processors, distributors, traders and consumers. Organic agriculture should provide everyone involved with a good quality of life, and contribute to food sovereignty and reduction of poverty. It aims to produce a sufficient supply of good quality food and other products. This principle insists that animals should be provided with the conditions and opportunities of life that accord with their physiology, natural behavior and well-being. Natural and environmental resources that are used for production and consumption should be managed in a way that is socially and ecologically just and should be held in trust for future generations. Fairness requires systems of production, distribution and trade that are open and equitable and account for real environmental and social costs

4. Principle of care 

Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment. Organic agriculture is a living and dynamic system that responds to internal and external demands and conditions. Practitioners of organic agriculture can enhance efficiency and increase productivity, but this should not be at the risk of jeopardizing health and well-being. Consequently, new technologies need to be assessed and existing methods reviewed. Given the incomplete understanding of ecosystems and agriculture, care must be taken. This principle states that precaution and responsibility are the key concerns in management, development and technology choices in organic agriculture. Science is necessary to ensure that organic agriculture is healthy, safe and ecologically sound. However, scientific knowledge alone is not sufficient. Practicalexperience, accumulated wisdom and traditional and indigenous knowledge offer valid solutions, tested by time. Organic agriculture should prevent significant risks by adopting appropriate technologies and rejecting unpredictable ones, such as genetic engineering. Decisions should reflect the values and needs of all who might be affected, through transparent and participatory processes.

In totality, organic agriculture aims at a sustainable production system based on natural processes. Key characteristics are that organic agriculture: 

•  relies primarily on local, renewable resources; 
•  makes efficient use of solar energy and the production potential of biological systems; 
•  maintains the fertility of the soil; 
• maximises recycling of plant nutrients and organic matter; 
•  does not use organisms or substances foreign to nature (e.g. GMOs, chemical fertilisers or pesticides); 
•  maintains diversity in the production system as well as the agricultural landscape; 

 gives farm animals life conditions that correspond to their ecological role and allow them a natural behavior.

Organic agriculture is also a sustainable and environmentally friendly production method, which has particular advantages for small-scale farmers. Available evidence indicates the appropriateness of organic agriculture for small farmers in developing countries like India. Organic agriculture contributes to poverty alleviation and food security by a combination of many features, such as; 

•  increasing yields in low-input areas; 
•  conserving biodiversity and natural resources on the farm and in the surrounding area; 
•  increasing income and/or reducing costs; 
• producing safe and varied food; 
•  being sustainable in the long term.  

  The evaluations by IFAD in India and China (Giovannucci, 2005) reported that the income of participating farmers can increase substantially by adopting organic practices of farming. Certified production gives access to a premium market, or simply just better market access.

Organic Agriculture

 Concept and Scenario

Introduction

 Organic agriculture has grown out of the conscious efforts by inspired people to create the best possible relationship between the earth and men. Since its beginning, the sphere surrounding organic agriculture has become considerably more complex. A major challenge today is certainly its entry into the policymaking arena, its entry into the anonymous global market and the transformation of organic products into commodities. During the last two decades, there has also been a significant sensitization of the global community towards environmental preservation and assuring of food quality. Ardent promoters of organic farming consider that it can meet both these demands and become the mean for the complete development of rural areas. After almost a century of developing organic agriculture is now being embraced by the mainstream and shows great promise commercially, socially, and environmentally. While there is a continuum of thought from earlier days to the present, the modern organic movement is radically different from its original form. It now has environmental sustainability at its core in addition to the founder's concerns for healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people.

Concept of organic farming

 Organic farming is very much native to this land. Whosoever tries to write a history of organic farming will have to refer India and China. The farmers of these two countries are farmers of 40 centuries and it is organic farming that sustained them. This concept of organic farming is based on following principles: 

•  Nature is the best role model for farming, since it does not use any inputs nor demand unreasonable quantities of water
• The entire system is based on intimate understanding of nature's ways. The system does not believe in mining of the soil of its nutrients and do not degrade it in any way for today's needs.
• The soil in this system is a living entity
• The soil's living population of microbes and other organisms are significant contributors to its fertility on a sustained basis and must be protected and nurtured at all cost
•  The total environment of the soil, from soil structure to soil cover is more important

In today's terminology it is a method of farming system which primarily aims at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic wastes (crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an eco-friendly pollution free environment.

 As per the definition of the USDA study team on organic farming “organic farming is a system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, feed additives etc) and to the maximum extent feasible rely upon crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rock additives and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection”

 In another definition FAO suggested that “Organic agriculture is a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs”.

 In philosophical terms organic farming means "farming in spirits of organic relationship. In this system everything is connected with everything else. Since organic farming means placing farming on integral relationship, we should be well aware about the relationship between the soil, water and plants, between soil-soil microbes and waste products, between the vegetable kingdom and the animal kingdom of which the apex animal is the human being, between agriculture and forestry, between soil, water and atmosphere etc. It is the totality of these relationships that is the bed rock of organic farming.

The world of organic agriculture

As per the details released at BioFach 2010 at Nuremberg, the organic agriculture is developing rapidly, and statistical information is now available from 154 countries of the world. Its share of agricultural land and farms continues to grow in many countries. The main results of the latest global survey on certified organic farming are summarized below:

The growing area under certified organic agriculture

• 35 million hectares of agricultural land are managed organically by almost 1.4 million producers. 
•  The regions with the largest areas of organically managed agricultural land are Oceania (12.1 million hectares), Europe (8.2 million hectares) and Latin America (8.1 million hectares). The countries with the most organic agricultural land are Australia, Argentina and China. 
•  The highest shares of organically managed agricultural land are in the Falkland Islands (36.9 percent), Liechtenstein (29.8 percent) and Austria (15.9 percent). 
•  The countries with the highest numbers of producers are India (340’000 producers), Uganda (180’000) and Mexico (130’000). More than one third of organic producers are in Africa. 
•  On a global level, the organic agricultural land area increased in all regions, in total by almost three million hectares, or nine percent, compared to the data from 2007. 
•  Twenty-six percent (or 1.65 million hectares) more land under organic management was reported for Latin America, mainly due to strong growth in Argentina. In Europe the organic land increased by more than half a million hectares, in Asia by 0.4 million. 
•  About one-third of the world’s organically managed agricultural land – 12 million hectares is located in developing countries. Most of this land is in Latin America, with Asia and Africa in second and third place. The countries with the largest area under organic management are Argentina, China and Brazil. 
• 31 million hectares are organic wild collection areas and land for bee keeping. The majority of this land is in developing countries – in stark contrast to agricultural land, of which two-thirds is in developed countries. Further organic areas include aquaculture areas (0.43 million hectares), forest (0.01 million hectares) and grazed non-agricultural land (0.32 million hectares).

 Almost two-thirds of the agricultural land under organic management is grassland (22 million hectares). The cropped area (arable land and permanent crops) constitutes 8.2 million hectares, (up 10.4 percent from 2007), which represents a quarter of the organic agricultural land.

Continent wise growth  

•  Africa - In Africa, there are almost than 900’000 hectares of certified organic agricultural land. This constitutes about 2.5 percent of the world’s organic agricultural land. 470’000 producers were reported. The countries with the most organic land are Uganda (212’304 hectares), Tunisia (174’725 hectares), and Ethiopia (99’944 hectares). 
•  Asia - The total organic agricultural area in Asia is nearly 3.3 million hectares. This constitutes nine percent of the world’s organic agricultural land. 400’000 producers were reported. The leading countries by area are China (1.9 million hectares) and India (1 million hectares). Timor Leste has the most organic agricultural area as a proportion of total agricultural land (seven percent). Organic wild collection areas play a major role in India and China, while Aquaculture is important in China, Bangladesh and Thailand. 
•  Europe - As of the end of 2008, 8.2 million hectares in Europe were managed organically by more than 220'000 farms. In the European Union, 7.5 million hectares were under organic management, with almost 200’000 organic farms. 1.7 percent of the European agricultural area and 4.3 percent of the agricultural area in the European Union is organic. Twenty-three percent of the world's organic land is in Europe. 
•  Latin America - In Latin America, 260’000 producers managed 8.1 million hectares of agricultural land organically in 2008. This constitutes 23 percent of the world’s organic land. The leading countries are Argentina (4 million hectares), Brazil (1.8 million hectares), and Uruguay (930'965 hectares). 
•  North America - In North America, almost 2.5 million hectares are managed organically, representing approximately 0.6 percent of the total agricultural area. Currently the number of farms is 14’062. The major part of the organic land is in the U.S. (1.8 million hectares in 2008). Seven percent of the world’s organic agricultural land is in North America. Despite tough economic times, U.S. sales of organic products, both food and non-food, reached 24.6 billion US dollars by the end of 2008, growing an impressive 17.1 percent over 2007 sales, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2009 Organic Industry Survey. 
•  Oceania - This region includes Australia, New Zealand, and island states like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu. Altogether, there are 7'749 producers, managing more than 12.1 million hectares. This constitutes 2.8 percent of the agricultural land in the area and 35 percent of the world’s organic land. Ninety-nine percent of the organically managed land in the region is in Australia (12 million hectares, 97 percent of which is extensive grazing land), followed by New Zealand (100’000 hectares), and Vanuatu (8'996 hectares).

How to register for organic farming.

Government launches organic farming portal

The government launches organic farming portals central government has launched a portal linked to organic farming with an aim to promote organic farming. The goal of this partnership is to encourage the farmers of the country to do organic farming. Because in our country chemical farming is being done a lot by the farmers. The government hopes that with the help of this portal and with the help of government schemes, the chemical farming being done in the country is reduced.

Other things related to the organic farming portal

• Through this portal launched by the government, farmers of the country will also be informed about important schemes of the central government, such as traditional agricultural development schemes, national agricultural development schemes and etc.
• Through this portal, farmers will also be able to sell their agricultural products at a reasonable price and traders will be able to buy agricultural products directly from the farmers with the help of this portal.
• Farmers will have to register themselves in this portal to sell their organic goods through this portal, and traders to buy these goods. The procedure to register in this portal is mentioned below.
• How to register.
• To get yourself registered, first, you have to go to the official website of this portal http://www.jaivikkheti.in/.
• A home page will open as soon as we go to this website. On the top right of this home page, you will see "Register" written and you have to click on it.
• After clicking, another page will open and you will have to register yourself on this page. Any farmer or any other person can get this registration done. If you want, you can go directly to this http://www.jaivikkheti.in/Buyer/Buyer/RegisteredAs.aspx instead of the home page. This link is related to registration.
• After you register yourself, another page will open, and on this page, you will be asked for your personal information and you will have to fill this information correctly. After filling the information correctly, you have to click on the submit button. In this way, you will be registered.

Disadvantages of urea.

Urea travels from life to poison

A recent study evaluates nitrogen status in India for the first time, suggesting that excessive use of urea has severely affected the nitrogen cycle.

Are urea days gone? This question is because the urea, which increased the yield by many times, bothered the farmers, they are now crying tears of blood. Now the yield is decreasing and the complaints of desertification of the land are also increasing, so farmers have started to quit urea. A recent study evaluates nitrogen status in India for the first time, suggesting that excessive use of urea has severely affected the nitrogen cycle. It is also harming the environment and health. Akshit Sangomla and Anil Ashwini Sharma investigated all aspects of urea

“This time we added urea four times to our one-acre field. Suppose you put more than 200 kg of urea in the fields, but the yield was less than last year. Now this urea has become a mess of our life. If you put it in the fields then there is trouble and there is no question of not putting it. " At present, there is no cure for this confusion of 82-year-old farmer Nandan Poddar of Bukhari village in Begusarai district of Bihar. Urea has become the life of their fields whose crop is being cut as poison.

Urea was used throughout the country after the Green Revolution (1965–66) with the aim of making the country strong in agriculture. Says Poddar, "In the early years, farmers were not duly informed about this urea in many areas of the country. Rather, the sack of urea was put quietly in the fields at night, even when this did not happen, the village sarpanch was urged to use the urea farmers in their respective fields. ” During 1966-67, the government continuously urged all farmers to use urea. He said that we felt that the loss due to farming would turn into profit through the use of urea. It happened exactly the same. We were happy with the increase in yields. Although initially, we were afraid that our crop might get destroyed due to the use of urea. For the first time in 1967, we put only four kg of urea on one acre. When the crop was ready, we could not believe our eyes. Because for the first time we were seeing that the yield of wheat was three times higher.

Poddar told that earlier we used to put four quintals (400 kg) in the same field by putting cow dung manure. Now we were seeing that the yield of wheat directly exceeded 1200 kg. Not all of us are sure what miracle it is. Seeing the increased yields in my fields, the other farmers of the village also added urea to cooperative farms in their fields in the next year ie 1968 and they too were stunned to see their respective crops. After all, who will be a farmer after getting three times more crop, who will not be happy. Urea had become the hero of the fields upon seeing it.

The government also did not leave any stone unturned in the promotion of urea. This propaganda started from the top started to hit the bottom and the farmers started praising it like the film heroes of Pepsi and Cola do. This was also the reason. Indian farmers have seen very few times of distress. The sky and the ground used to swing in expectation. What does a farmer want? The produce of his fields fed his family. And when it started getting more than three times the normal yield of the fields, it seemed as if Goddess Annapurna was pleased.

Nitrogen is essential for plants because it makes nutritious substances restrictive. Plants prepare food through chlorophyll and protein synthesis. Naturally, these essential nutrients are present in the soil through the diazotroph bacteria. They are present in the roots of plants like lentils. But this natural presence after the Industrial Revolution was not enough as it was unable to provide food to the growing population. For this reason, artificial fertilizer was invented to supplement the naturally present nitrogen.

Poddar says that was a strange time. Poured urea was going to the fields, but the intoxication of the produce was climbing us. And we kept on increasing this intoxication. We doubled the amount of urea in our fields the following year (1969) as we now began to realize that the more urea we put in, the better the yield. This time instead of four, we put the entire ten kg of urea in an acre field. As per the expectation, the yield of 2000 kg wheat was increased from three to five times ie 1200. Farmers in the country around three to five times urea in their fields around 1975 became a common thing. It is also true that their production was also increasing at the same rate. But there was no far-reaching program of giving any authorized information from the government to the farmers in this regard. The result was that the farmer was continuously increasing the use of urea in his fields.

He told that we could not even think in the dream that the urea that we have understood to be gold is slowly wasting our fields. Between 1985 and 1995, adding 125 kg of urea per acre increased the yield ten to 12 times. From here we started coming down. Yields in agriculture started to decrease while we increased the quantity of urea year after year. In 1997 we added 175 kg of urea and found what? Same ten times. That is, by increasing urea, the yield of fields was not increasing but was decreasing.

According to Devanandan Chaudhary, 80, of Salauna village in Begusarai, Bihar, the use of urea makes the well and pond water no longer drinkable (Ashutosh)

 Yields have been steadily decreasing since 1995. The indiscriminate use of urea for forty years has left the fields barren. After all, once again, farmers started applying manure of cow dung etc. in their fields. This did not increase the yield, but it also decreased. But by 2010, cow dung manure was also not easily available. Today's situation is that farmers are not getting any hay by putting 225 to 250 kg of urea in one-acre field. Because in any case, it is necessary to produce 12 times of 15-20 years ago. Now all the efforts are failing. Recalling the old times, Poddar says that 50 years ago, the Prime Minister of our country was urging us to use urea. Today, after five decades, when our fields are going to be completely destroyed, the present Prime Minister (in Mann Ki Baat, aired on December 26, 2017) is now appealing for the least use of urea. Not only this, now the government is also reducing the subsidy on urea. 72,438 crore subsidy for urea was placed in the 2015-16 budget, which was reduced to Rs 70,000 crore during 2016-17. Poddar made an estimate that in the last 50 years, we used about 6,610 kg of urea in an acre field and got about 5,337 quintals (wheat and rice).

How dangerous can grasshoppers be in a corona crisis?

How dangerous can grasshoppers be in a corona crisis?

Locusts coming from Pakistan change their path with the wind, followed by Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh, then Uttar Pradesh. These locusts may soon reach Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
Leaving the Rajasthan desert, locusts are now reaching many states, they cannot even imagine how dangerous these locusts can be. A bunch of them can ruin the entire crop in a short time. These desert locusts coming from Pakistan enter India through Rajasthan and Gujarat, changing their path along the way the wind turns. These locusts have reached Rajasthan, followed by Madhya Pradesh, then Uttar Pradesh. According to experts, these locusts may reach Maharashtra, Odisha and Punjab, Haryana and Delhi soon.
Every year locusts come in Gujarat, where they are controlled, but this time the Corona crisis gave them a chance to move forward. According to the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, India has been facing locust attacks since 1812.
The locust warning organization works under the Ministry of Agriculture to control locusts in India. Dr. KL Gurjar, Deputy Director of Locust Warning Organization (LWO) explains, "Locust attacks in India occur only in Rajasthan and Gujarat, they are desert locusts that migrate from Pakistan to India. They come to the desert for breeding. The breeding time of these locusts is from June-July to October-November. " In India, more than 2 lakh sq km area comes under the scheduled desert area. The Locust Warning Organization and 10 Locust Circle Offices (LCOs) of the Government of India have been created in Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Phalodi, Barmer, Jalore, Churu, Nagaur, Suratgarh) and Gujarat (Palampur and Bhuj). Dr. KL Gurjar further adds, "Several locust warning organizations have been created in Rajasthan and Gujarat to control locusts, from where locusts are monitored. Locusts move in the direction the wind moves. . " Amidst large grasshopper contingents reaching across western and northwestern India, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAC & FW) has stepped up operations to control locusts in affected states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. To date, these locust teams are active in Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Sikar, Jaipur districts of Rajasthan and Satna, Gwalior, Sidhi, Rajgarh, Betul, Dewas, Agar Malwa districts of Madhya Pradesh. The locust party kills most crops such as maize, moong, urad, sugarcane, vegetables, mangoes, etc. Wherever they see greenery, they attack them and lick the whole crop.
Initially, when locusts were attacked in Rajasthan, experts from Integrated Management Centers (IPM) were also called in many states across the country. Rajiv and several of his colleagues from the Integrated Management Center (IPM) were also called to Jaisalmer. Rajiv says, "We moved to Jaisalmer in April, when locusts reached Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, we are going to locust control till now Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi." Presently 200 locust circle offices (LCOs) are carrying out surveys and control work in coordination with the district administration and agricultural field machinery of the affected states. Locust control works are in full swing in coordination with state agricultural departments and local administration. So far locust control work has been carried out in 21 districts of Rajasthan, 18 districts of Madhya Pradesh, one district of Punjab and 2 districts of Gujarat. Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Dausa of Rajasthan to effectively control locusts beyond desert areas; Temporary control camps have been set up at Mandsaur, Ujjain and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. Pakistan comes through Iran. In February this year, Pakistan declared a national emergency in view of locust attacks. After this, locusts started coming to India from April 11 as well. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are also facing a similar situation for the last few months. In December 2019, locusts destroyed crops spread over 25,000 hectares in Gujarat.
The area affected by the outbreak of desert locusts is about 30 million square kilometers, including the whole or part of 64 countries. These include Northwest and East African countries, Arabian Peninsula, Republic of Southern Soviet Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, and the Indian subcontinent. Locusts occur in large numbers in the arid and semiarid region when locusts occur in small numbers during the outbreak-free period, which then spread from the Atlantic Sea to northwest India. Thus they are found in an area of ​​about 16 million square kilometers in 30 countries. Till now (as of 26.05.2020), LCOs have taken control of locusts in an area of ​​47,308 hectares of a total of 303 locations in Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in coordination with district administration and state agriculture department. 89 fire extinguishers for spraying pesticides to effectively control locusts; 120 survey vehicles; 47 control vehicles with spraying equipment and 810 tractor mounted sprayers were deployed during different days as per requirement.