Organic Agriculture in India

chillibreeze writer — Roshan P M

In the face of increasing evidence that chemical fertilizers and pesticides are harmful not only to humans, but also to livestock, the relevance of organic agriculture is increasingly becoming evident. In India, organic methods have been used since centuries, and it is only in more recent times that chemical fertilizers and pesticides came to be used widely. With a little bit of effort and by the adoption of modern techniques, it is easy to revert back to the more beneficial organic form of agriculture.

Reasons for Use of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides came to be widely used in India during the 1960s as a result of the 'Green Revolution' initiated by the Indian government, under the supervision of M. S. Swaminathan. This was necessitated by the severe scarcity of food grains which was caused in the 1950s and 60s as a result of increasing population as well as natural calamities.

Price of ‘Success’
After a few years of using these chemical fertilizers, farmers noticed that the soil had lost its fertility. Also, larger amount of fertilizers had to be used to get the same yield as before. The previously very effective pesticides also started getting ineffective against pests and rodents, as they became immune to it.

Less obvious, but more dangerous, was the effect on the health of humans as well as animals due to increased use of pesticides. Many new diseases have been caused due to the prolonged exposure to these. The increased cost of farming led to farmers relying more and more on moneylenders, who lent money at exorbitant rates. With the frequent failure of crops as well as the constant harassment of moneylenders, many farmers were rendered helpless.

Back to Organic Methods
Due to these reasons, many farmers in India started switching back to the traditional and mainly organic methods of agriculture. Traditionally, fertilizers and pesticides in India were produced from plant and animal products. Thus, the switch was not too difficult. Moreover, the demand for organic food increased both in India as well as abroad, as more and more people realized the harm caused by the extensive use of chemicals.

Benefits of Organic Agriculture
The benefits of adopting organic agriculture are manifold both to farmers as well as consumers. The use of organic fertilizers and pesticides has been found to make crops more resistant to diseases and pests over a period of time as against chemical fertilizers. The input costs of using organic fertilizers and chemicals are much lower than chemical ones. Moreover, the problem of pests becoming resistant to pesticides was not encountered. As crops are healthier and robust, they are more resistant to droughts, causing less loss to farmers.

Besides farmers, consumers too, stand to gain in many ways by switching over to organic produce. One of the major benefits is that the consumer can safely consume organic food products in the knowledge that no harmful chemicals were used in their production. Organic products are more nutritious, and in many cases, also taste better than those produced using chemicals. It is also found that food produced organically last longer than conventionally produced ones.

Problems
Notwithstanding the many benefits, the spread of organic agriculture in India has also been affected by difficulties. One of the major problems is the lack of a clear backing and support by the government for organic agriculture. Another is the lack of awareness among farmers about modern methods of organic farming and its advantages. Farmers in India are also by and large unaware of the modern techniques of making compost.

The problems encountered in marketing of organic produce have also hindered its growth in the country. It is very important that organic produce is marketed at a premium price over conventional produce, so that it becomes viable for farmers to adopt these methods regularly on a large scale. There is huge international demand for organic produce, but so far, the output in India has been insufficient to meet this demand

Even in the face of problems, organic agriculture has been able to capture the interest and imagination of both farmers and consumers in India, and with proper support from the government, is sure to grow. The increasing demand for organic produce worldwide as well as within the country will fuel its growth, and in the long term is sure to cause many beneficial results in terms of better health of humans and livestock, profitability, land yield, and lesser damage to the environment. Adoption of modern techniques and adherence to international standards will result not only in India meeting domestic needs, but also producing enough to capture a major share in the international market.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in March, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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