- As per the Union Agriculture Ministry, India is traditionally the world’s largest organic farming country.
- Organic farming is already being done on the basis of traditional knowledge in several parts of India.
- For a sustainable increase in production, the government has been promoting organic farming on priority.
- India has a mission to ensure a successful “Organic Farming Revolution” in India on the lines of “Green Revolution” so that the farming community benefits from it.
Government Schemes
- Through government’s various schemes, approximately 23 lakh hectares of land has been made suitable for organic farming.
- PKVY: In order to promote organic farming, the government has started the ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojana (PKVY), under which 2 lakh hectares has been made suitable for organic farming thereby benefitting 5 lakh farmers.
- National Centre of Organic Farming: The main objective of National Centre of Organic Farming is to promote organic farming in the country.
- Other government institutions like APEDA and Ministry of Commerce, while playing a leading role in improvement and control of certification system, are promoting the export of organic products.
- Organic Value Chain Developmen: The government has initiated the Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern region. The aim of the Ministry is to promote organic farming in hilly and tribal areas as the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in these areas is very low.
- To cover 50,000 hectares under organic farming: The government’s target is to cover 50,000 hectares under organic farming in the North Eastern states, out of which 45,918 hectares have been made suitable for organic farming and 2429 Farmers Interest Groups have been formed, thereby connecting 48949 farmers with the scheme.
What is Organic Agriculture/Farming?
- According to the UN-FAO,
- Organic Agriculture is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs.
- It is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation.
- These are replaced with site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pest and diseases.
