Introduction

The modern industrial input based agriculture introduced during

sixties, nurtured and supported by the govt. policies over last three
decades, changed the entire scenario. The agriculture which was
essentially a way of life and was inseparable part of our social, cultural
and religious values for over 4000 years was transformed into a food
industry and surplus generating business enterprise.

No doubt initial years of this modern agriculture were really very
impressive and practically transformed Indian Agriculture from
subsistence to surplus generating enterprise. But with higher
productivity, it also brought in various environmental, social and
economical complexities.
Organic Farming
Rush towards a few high yielding varieties and mono-cropping
has not only replaced hundreds of native varieties, but also
compounded the menace of pests. Besides the environmental
concerns, extreme dependence of the technology on the
organized sector produced inputs made it also un-affordable for
small farmers.
 The Need
The Need for shift
for the the shift in Farming
in Farming System
System
The criticism of the conventional (present) agricultural practices is
It is affecting the healthy environment. Pesticide contamination / pollution;
nitrates toxicity due to Nitrogen Fertilizers etc
It is creating potential health hazard in foods. Eg. Pesticide residues.
It is responsible for quality degradation of agricultural products.
Reduced genetic diversity
Increased vulnerability of pests
Soil erosion
Reduced soil fertility
Micro-nutrient deficiencies
It is an energy intensive system.
It is proving expensive to the farmer
Displacement of vast number of small farmers.
What is Organic Farming ??

It is a system of farm design and management to create an

ecosystem, which can achieve sustainable productivity without
the use of artificial external inputs such as chemical fertilizers
and pesticides.
It involves management of resources of agriculture to satisfy
human needs while at the same time maintaining or enhancing
the quality of the environment and conserving natural
resources.
It is a crop production system which avoids or largely excludes
the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and growth regulators.
What is Organic Farming
The system, to a maximum extent rely on natural production
practices such as enriching the soil with organic manuring and
crop rotation, improving moisture status of soil by soil
conservation / water conservation techniques and control of
pests / diseases through bio-control methods.

The system aims at crop production with inputs available on

the farm without purchasing from market. The philosophy is to
feed the soil rather than crop to maintain soil health and it is a
means of giving back to the nature what has been taken from it.

It is ecological, economical and socially sustainable.

What is Organic Matter in the Soil ?
•Soil consist of solid minerals, water, air and matter consists of
living organisms (viz: Bacteria &fungi) dead fresh partially
decomposed plant residues (Humus). Living organic matter is
about 15% of total organic matter.
•It is the Dynamic life source in the soil.
Life in Soil
Life in Soil
 The importance of Organic Matter in the soil

Successful farming is possible only in the living soil.

Presence of microbes indicates sign of living soil.
Through their biological activities they enrich the soil physically as well as
chemically by improving the nutrient status for benefiting the crops grown.
Thus help to minimize chemical fertilizer use.
It also helps to improve the soil moisture holding capacity. Thus helps crops
to with stand moisture stress and raise crops with less irrigations.
 The importance of Organic Matter in the soil
Plants obtain carbon (co2) and oxygen (02) from the atmosphere
and the rest 15 elements from the soil for their growth.
The availability of the essential 15 elements depends on the
presence of organic matter in the soil.
 Different Organic Manures
Following Bulky Organic manures are to be Applied

Farmyard manure and animal

urine
Farm compost
Vermi- compost
Sheep manure
Neem cake
Filter press
Green Manures

Use of Following Green manure and Green Leaf Manuring crops

Glyrecidia maculata
Sesbania speciosa
Crotalaria juncea
Phaseolus aureus (Green gram)
These are the reputed green manure species serving the
purpose with good result
Fast decomposition when applied to the soil and can be
ploughed in.
Green manuring
 Green Manure plants

leuceana

glyricidia
calatropis

custard apple
Alternative Sources of Plant Nutrients – Bio fertilizers
Bio-fertilisers are of Microbial origin containing active strains
of specific bacteria, algae, fungi individually or in combination
which may help in increasing crop productivity. They are also
playing their role in maintaining soil health.
With the rise in the cost of chemical fertilizers, bio-fertilisers
are gaining importance in plant nutrition
 Alternative Sources of Plant Nutrients – Bio fertilizers
 Bio fertilizers are of three categories

i. Biological Nitrogen Fixers: Rhizobium help in the

formulation of root nodules in legume crops
(symbiotically) to synthesize nitrogen in the soil.

ii. Phosphate Solubilisers: Phosphorus fixation is a

common phenomenon. Micro organisms such as
pseudomonas and aspergillus can produce several
organic acids and thus help to convert unavailable
P to available ‘P’ which is called P- solubilisation.

iii. Mycorrhizae: Denote symbiotic association

between certain fungi and plant roots. This
development helps in the uptake of several
nutrients from the soil and improve plant growth
and productivity.
Nitrogen Fixation by Legumes
Organic Pest Control –Non Pesticidal Management Technologies
Conservation/protection of predators and parasites
Growing trap/catch crops all round
Pheromone traps and their use
Pest prevalence- pest threshold levels, surveys, actions.
Use of Bio-Control agents in control

Pheromone Trap for Cotton Pink

Bollworm
 Organic Pest Control –Non Pesticidal Management Technologies

Bio-Pesticides
Nuclear Poly Hydrosis Virus (NPV)
Bacillus thuringiensis
Neem seed Kernel suspension/Neem formulations
Trichoderma viride

NPV affected Helicoverpa

Requirements of Small farmers to convert to Organic farming:
1.The intended conventional farmer should either be owner of a
land/leased land.

2.The farmer should be willing to do away with the use of chemical

fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides/growth regulators.

3.The farmer should be willing to continue with organic farming and not
switch over to conventional farming as and when felt.

4.The farmer should register with a certification agency for organic

certification.

5.The farmer should have the sustainable capacity to wait for a period of
three years (for plantation crops) and two years for annuals for
obtaining 100% organic status.

6.The farmer should be willing to abide by the NPOP requirements and

familiarize with the relative NPOP requirements (Chapter-III of NPOP).
Requirements of Small farmers to convert to Organic farming:
7. provide buffer zone all around the cropped area selected
for organic farming (Normally 3 mts width buffer zone is
required). In case there is no room for creation of buffer
zone, the farmer should treat the crop of equal width as
buffer zone and exclude the produce for organic
certification purposes.

8. The farmer should prepare a field map of his land showing

the drainage and irrigation sources etc.

9. The farmer is obliged to ensure soil fertility by appropriate

cultivation measures (mulching, legumes cover crops, green
manure etc.) and to minimize erosion.
Requirements of Small farmers to convert to organic farming:
10. The farmer should follow crop rotation with leguminous crops.

11. The farmer should maintain the following records to comply with
NPOP standard requirements:

a. Farmer Diary (Comprehensive record detailing day to day

activities carried out by the farmer relating to use of seeds,
fertilizers, bio-pesticides, livestock particulars, harvest records
,sales records etc)
b. Annual Organic Management Plan
c. Ownership / Leased document
d. Details of in-house inputs produced with evidences
e. Details of outsourced inputs with evidences
f. Test reports if any.

12) In case the farmer decides to join a group, he should be prepared

to abide by the requirements of groups certification as indicated in
the NPOP standard.
Requirements of Group of Farmers in a Village to convert to Organic Farming:

A group of homogenous farmers practicing organic agriculture

come under one umbrella to form a small holder groups for the
reason of getting organic certification, developing Internal
Control System (ICS) for meeting the requirements of
certification.

The basic elements of an ICS:

A documented description of the ICS
A documented management structure
One person responsible as Manager
An internal regulation (production standard, conversion
rules, sanctions etc.) Conversion rules, i.e. traditional
farming/virgin land/known field history
8. Requirements of Group of Farmers in a Village to convert to Organic Farming:

The basic elements of an ICS:

Requirements of Group of Farmers in a Village to convert to Organic Farming:

A contract between the Group and the Certification

Body
Identified Internal Inspectors
Training of Personnel: Manager, Internal Inspectors,
Producers and Handlers
Some form of formal commitment of Growers
Field records, maps for each farm
Annual Inspection Protocols
A farm Inspection report/form, filled in Per Farm
Requirements of Group of Farmers in a Village to convert to Organic Farming:

An approval committee that decides to enter the producer on

the Growers List
Use of internal sanctions
Regularly updated Growers List
Use of risk assessment to address risks, threats to integrity of
organic production
Use of social control/community surveillance (depending on
culture)
Documented post harvest procedures, including product flow
and quantities
Requirements of Group of Farmers in a Village to convert to Organic Farming:
Principles of Organic Production to be included in internal organic standard:
Sustainable Soil Management:

Green manure
Cover crops, mulching
Compost (plant residues, livestock manure)
Restricted use mineral fertilizers
No chemical fertilizer (e.g. no urea)
Use of Organic Seeds or seeds without chemical treatment
Control of pests, diseases, weeds by appropriate cultivation
measures, mechanical measures, protection of natural enemies
Restricted use of some organic pesticides
No use of chemical pesticides
Conventional seeds & planting stock only under certain
conditions
No use of Genetically Modified Organisms
 Organic Certification
It is a certification process for producers of organic food
and other organic agricultural products. In general, any
business directly involved in food production can be
certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food
processors, retailers and restaurants.

Requirements vary from country to country, and

generally involve a set of production standards for
growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that
include:
 Organic Certification
Purpose of certification
Organic certification addresses a growing world wide demand
for organic food. It is intended to assure quality and prevent
fraud. For organic producers, certification identifies suppliers of
products approved for use in certified operations.

For consumers, "certified organic" serves as a product

assurance, similar to "low fat", "100% whole wheat", or "no
artificial preservatives". Certification is essentially aimed at
regulating and facilitating the sale of organic products to
consumers. Individual certification bodies have their own service
marks, which can act as branding to consumers.

Most certification bodies operate organic standards that meet

the National government's minimum requirements.
 ORGANIC FARMING
CERTIFICATION PROCESS -
INDIVIDUAL OPERATOR
 Application from Farmer ORGANIC FARMING CERTIFICATION
PROCESS - INDIVIDUAL OPERATOR
Signing of contract

Maintenance of :
Implementation of NPOP Standard by the
farmer 1..Farmer Dairy

2 Ownership record
3 Field history sheet
conducting of inspection by CB as per 4 Farm map
checklist 5 Harvest record
6. Farm input record
Submission of C/A’s actions on NC’s by the 6 Recommendation Report
Farmer 7 Processing flow chart if applicable
8 Sample copy of purchase, sales and stock
register
Review and approval by CB 9 Sample copy of processing log book
10.Processing capacity declaration if applicable.

Positive
Recommendation NO Letter to Farmer

Yes Upload to Trace net for Granting of Certificate to Farmer

 ORGANIC FARMING
CERTIFICATION PROCESS -
FARMER GROUP
Application from Farmer Group
Signing of contract
ORGANIC FARMINGCERTIFICATION PROCESS
- FARMER GROUP
Implementation of Requirements by each member
farmer and internal inspection of all the members by
the PG

Implementation of ICS Requirements Attachments

1. Project area map
2. Approved farmers list
3. sample copy of internal inspection report
4. copy of the format of the agreement between the
operator & group
Conducting of Farmer Group ICS Audit
5. One sample copy of the evaluation of the competency of
by CB the personnel and provision of training.
6. Internal control systems annual report
C/A’s by farmer group for 7. internal organic standard implemented

NC’s Submission of 8. farmer diary

C/A’s actions on 9. sample copy of purchase, sales and stock register

maintained by the group.
Review and approval by CB NC’s by the farmer 10. sample copy of the processing log book if applicable
11. process flow chart if applicable
Positive 12. processing capacity declaration if applicable

Recommendation NO
Inspection by CB minimum :
Letter to Square root of the total
Yes Farmer group member farmers

Upload to Trace net for Granting of Certificate to Farmer Group

Presentation prepared by: S M Ahamed Ali