Organic Village Visit in Kerala

What is Organic Farming?

The introduction of chemicals in farming got many delirious at the sight of what they could accomplish. Yields exploded. At the start, the soil was healthy. Any damage brought about by chemical fertilizers was hardly noticeable. Pests had not developed resistance to the chemicals. The technology spread across the world as it was considered the revolution in agriculture. Flash forward to today, and many people are marvelling in organic farming again. This is after learning that conventional farming methods come with a host of problems including health-related diseases like cancer, pollution, degradation of soil and water, and impact on domestic animals.

Organic farming is a technique, which involves cultivation of plants and rearing of animals in natural ways. This process involves the use of biological materials, avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil fertility and ecological balance thereby minimizing pollution and wastage. In other words, organic farming is a farming method that involves growing and nurturing crops without the use of synthetic based fertilizers and pesticides. Also, no genetically modified organisms are permitted.

Reasons For Organic Farming

The population of the planet is skyrocketing and providing food for the world is becoming extremely difficult. The need of the hour is sustainable cultivation and production of food for all. The Green Revolution and its chemical-based technology are losing its appeal as dividends are falling and returns are unsustainable. Pollution and climate change are other negative externalities caused by the use of fossil fuel based chemicals.

In spite of our diet choices, organic food is the best choice you’ll ever make, and this means embracing organic farming methods. Here are the reasons why we need to take up organic farming methods:

1. To accrue the benefits of nutrients

Foods from organic farms are loaded with nutrients such as vitamins, enzymes, minerals and other micro-nutrients compared to those from conventional farms. This is because organic farms are managed and nourished using sustainable practices. In fact, some past researchers collected and tested vegetables, fruits, and grains from both organic farms and conventional farms.

The conclusion was that food items from organic farms had way more nutrients than those sourced from commercial or conventional farms. The study went further to substantiate that five servings of these fruits and vegetables from organic farms offered sufficient allowance of vitamin C. However, the same quantity of fruits and vegetable did not offer the same sufficient allowance.

2. Natural and better taste

Those that have tasted organically farmed foods would attest to the fact that they have a natural and better taste. The natural and superior taste stems from the well balanced and nourished soil. Organic farmers always prioritize quality over quantity.

3. Direct support to farming

Purchasing foods items from organic farmers is a surefire investment in a cost-effective future. Conventional farming methods have enjoyed great subsidies and tax cuts from most governments over the past years. This has led to the proliferation of commercially produced foods that have increased dangerous diseases like cancer. It’s time governments invested in organic farming technologies to mitigates these problems and secure the future. It all starts with you buying food items from known organic sources.

4. To conserve agricultural diversity

These days, it normal to hear news about extinct species and this should be a major concern. In the last century alone, it is approximated that 75 percent of agricultural diversity of crops has been wiped out. Slanting towards one form of farming is a recipe for disaster in the future. A classic example is a potato. There were different varieties available in the marketplace. Today, only one species of potato dominate.

This is a dangerous situation because if pests knock out the remaining potato species available today, we will not have potatoes anymore. This is why we need organic farming methods that produce disease and pest resistant crops to guarantee a sustainable future.

5. To prevent antibiotics, drugs, and hormones in animal products

Commercial dairy and meat are highly susceptible to contamination by dangerous substances.

This means they are fed foods loaded with chemicals and toxins. Drugs, antibiotics, and growth hormones are also injected into these animals and so, are directly transferred to meat and dairy products. Hormone supplementation fed to farmed fish, beef and dairy products contribute mightily to ingestion of chemicals. These chemicals only come with a lot of complications like genetic problems, cancer risks, the growth of a tumour and other complications at the outset of puberty.

Key Features of Organic Farming

• Protecting soil quality using organic material and encouraging biological activity
• Indirect provision of crop nutrients using soil microorganisms
• Nitrogen fixation in soils using legumes
• Weed and pest control based on methods like crop rotation, biological diversity, natural predators, organic manures and suitable chemical, thermal and biological intervention
• Rearing of livestock, taking care of housing, nutrition, health, rearing and breeding
• Care for the larger environment and conservation of natural habitats and wildlife

Four Principles of Organic Farming

• The principle of Health: Organic agriculture must contribute to the health and well being of soil, plants, animals, humans and the earth. It is the sustenance of mental, physical, ecological and social well being. For instance, it provides pollution and chemical free, nutritious food items for humans.
• The principle of Fairness: Fairness is evident in maintaining equity and justice of the shared planet both among humans and other living beings. Organic farming provides good quality of life and helps in reducing poverty. Natural resources must be judiciously used and preserved for future generations.
• The principle of Ecological Balance: Organic farming must be modelled on living ecological systems. Organic farming methods must fit the ecological balances and cycles in nature.
• The principle of Care: Organic agriculture should be practised in a careful and responsible manner to benefit the present and future generations and the environment.

As opposed to modern and conventional agricultural methods, organic farming does not depend on synthetic chemicals. It utilizes natural, biological methods to build up soil fertility such as microbial activity boosting plant nutrition.

Secondly, multiple cropping practised in organic farming boosts biodiversity which enhances productivity and resilience and contributes to a healthy farming system. Conventional farming systems use monocropping that destroys the soil fertility.

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