Organic Farming in India Rural Economy

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The role of Organic Farming in India Rural Economy can be leveraged to mitigate the ever-increasing problem of food security in India. With rapid industrialization of rural states of India, there has been a crunch for farmland. Further, with the exponential population growth of India, the need for food sufficiency has become the need of the hour. Furthermore, the overuse of plant growth inhibitor, pesticides and fertilizers for faster growth of agricultural produce is detrimental to human health and the environment as a whole. The proposition of Organic Farming in India Rural Economy holds good, as an alternative to arrest this problem. The introduction of the process of Organic Farming in India Rural Economy is a very new concept. The huge furor over the overuse of harmful pesticides and fertilizers to increase agricultural out put has in fact catalyzed the entry of Organic Farming in India Rural Economy. The process of organic farming involves using of naturally occurring and decomposable matter for growth and disease resistance of different crops. The concept of organic farming in India dates back to 10,000 years and it finds its reference in many Indian historical books.

Agriculture was the main source of livelihood in India and the use of naturally occurring matters for increased productivity, disease resistance and pest control was always in use, since time in memorial. The use of oil cakes, cow dungs, neem leaves, etc. is still practiced in India to ward of pests and used as preservatives. The use of chemical fertilizer for increased productivity started from late 1850s. In India, the first use of chemical fertilizer for increased agriculture productivity started from 1906.

The main advantages of Organic Farming in India Rural Economy are as follows -

  • Organic fertilizers are completely safe and does not produces harmful chemical compounds
  • The consumption of chemical fertilizers in comparison to organic fertilizers is always more, especially in unused cultivable lands.
  • Moreover, chemical fertilizer needs huge quantities of water to activate its molecule whereas, organic fertilizers does not need such conditions.
  • Further, chemical fertilizers almost always have some harmful effects either on the farm produce or on the environment.
  • Furthermore, it can also produce harmful chemical compound in combination with chemical pesticides, used to ward-off harmful pests.
  • It is estimated that there is around 2.4 million hectare of certified forest area for collection of wild herbs.
  • The actual available area for cultivation of organic agriculture in India is much more than that is identified and certified so far.
  • India has around 1,426 certified organic farms.
  • India produces approximately 14,000 tons of output annually.
  • It is estimated, that around 190,000 acres of land is under organic farming in India.
  • The total annual production of organic food in India in the last financial year was 120,000 tons.
The Indian states involved in organic farming in India are as follows - .
  • Gujarat
  • Kerala
  • Karnataka
  • Uttarachal
  • Sikkim
  • Rajasthan
  • Maharashtra
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Himachal Pradesh
The main organic agricultural products of India are as follows-
  • Bajra-mustard-wheat
  • Chilly
  • Cereals-cereals
  • Cereals-pulses
  • Kholar
  • Maize
  • Ginger
  • Soybean
  • Large cardamom
  • Passion fruit
  • Dungarpur Pulses-cereals
  • Bajra
  • Mustard
  • Til
  • Wheat
  • Nagour Guar-cumin
  • Guar-wheat
  • Moong
  • Mustard
  • Ganganagar Cotton
  • Bhilwara Urd
  • Jaisalmer Bajra
  • Bharatpur Bajra and wheat
  • Jhunjhunu Pulses and wheat
  • Alwar Wheat and bajra
  • Banswara Maize
  • Cotton-grass
  • Jaipur Guar

(Last Updated on 19 May 2011)