Organic farming: Its relevance to the Indian context

Increasing consciousness about conservation of environment as well as health hazards associated with agrochemicals and consumers' preference to safe and hazard-free food are the major factors that lead to the growing interest in alternate forms of agriculture in the world. Organic agriculture is one among the broad spectrum of production methods that are supportive of the environment. The demand for organic food is steadily increasing both in the developed and developing countries with an annual average growth rate of 20-25%. Organic agriculture, without doubt, is one of the fastest-growing sectors of agricultural production. However, there are certain issues that should be clarified before wego for a large-scale conversion to organic agriculture. The most important issues are Can organic farming produce enough food for everybody? Is it possibleto meet the nutrient requirements of crops entirely from organic sources? Arethere any significant environmental benefits that accrue front organic farming? Is the food produced by organic farming superior in quality? Is it economically feasible? In this article, we review these aspects of organic farming. InIndia, vast stretches of arable land, which are mainly rain-fed and found in the Northeastern region where negligible amount of fertilizers and pesticides are being used and have low productivity, could be exploited as potential areas for organic agriculture. Considering the potential environmental benefits oforganic production and its compatibility with integrated agricultural approaches to rural development, organic agriculture may be considered as a development vehicle for developing countries like India, in particular.