Principles of Organic Agriculture

The principles of Organic agriculture are as follows:

a) The principle of health: OA should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal and human as one individual.

b) The principle of ecology: OA should be based on living ecological systems ad cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.

c) The principle of fairness: OA should be built on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities.

d) The principle of care: OA should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well being of current and future generations and the environment.

AIMS of OA

• Sustainability of natural resources (soil, water, climate, biodiversity, climate, nonrenewable energy)
• Improvement in soil health
• Takes care of environmental concerns of farming
• Minimize cost of cultivation
• Healthy food: No toxic substances – SAFE
• Augmentation of profits: Higher B:C ratio due to less external input use and premium price.

BENEFITS of OA

• Improvement in soil health
• Prevent environmental degradation
• Useful to regenerate degraded areas
• High premium prices
• Low investments / high profits

CONSTRAINTS

• Yield losses during transition phase.
• Organic farming is labor intensive.
• Lack of adequate technical support.
• Lack of convincing research data.
• Availability of organic inputs locally.
• Problems of plant protection.
• Certification is costly & difficult.
• Absence of organized market.

Strategies needed

• Research efforts for region specific technology.
• Formulation of package of practices with due emphasis to rainfed/ dryland agriculture.
• Adequate institutional support at grass root level.
• Govt. initiatives to provide financial support & subsidies.
• Reduction in the cost of certification.
• Utilization of ITKs (Indigenous technical knowledge).
• Creation of domestic market with less rigid standards.