Organic Farming in India: Developmental Issues and Challenges

 

With the advent of green revolution technologies, farmers have started using synthetic agrochemicals like fertilizers, pesticides and high-yielding varieties of crops. Though green revolution boosted the production output per hectare, yet, there are indications that it also caused decline in productivity and production in some areas in the recent past. Against this backdrop, policy makers in India are struggling to deal with the stagnation in its crucial agricultural sector. They have discovered that organic farming initiatives are providing indications on how to reap healthy profits from this sector. Besides, organic farming is gaining a wider acceptance over the last couple of years going by the increasing awareness among consumers.

The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of the ecosystem and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings.

- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement.

Organic farming in India is gaining a wider acceptance over the last couple of years, going by the increasing awareness among the consumers. Earlier, organic products were mainly being exported. Also, it was confined to farmer welfare and localized benefits rather than market improvement. But now, domestic market is developing as many state governments are providing necessary incentives to push its growth further. According to the National Centre for Organic Farming (NCOF), the area under organic cultivation in India is likely to cross the 2.5 million hectare mark by 2012. Already, 332 certifications were issued in 2007. During the same year, domestic market for organic products grew to Rs. 560 cr while exports were to the tune of Rs. 250 cr. India mainly exports its organic products to the US, Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Switzerland and the UK. India is annually producing around 120,000 tons of organic food which was largely included as certified forest collections. As per the Government of Indiaís latest figures, approximately 190,000 acres (77,000 hectares) were under organic cultivation.

Eating organic products is the latest buzz for health reasons as organic products are grown without using pesticides and fertilizers. Compared to conventional farming, organic farming uses renewable resources for conserving soil and water. Besides, it is not subjected to radiation treatment and artificial colors and more importantly, it is not genetically-modified. Organic products cover everything from staple crops such as rice and wheat to vegetables, fruits, pulses, milk and more. Food and Agriculture Organization1 (FAO) defines organic farming as a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system.

Gaining Momentum

With the advent of green revolution technologies, farmers have been using synthetic agrochemicals like fertilizers, pesticides and high-yielding varieties of crops. Though green revolution has boosted the production output per hectare, there are indications that it has also led to a decline in productivity and production in some areas. Besides, the success of contract farming and the green revolution affected adversely natural resources and human health as well as the primary sector. Against this backdrop, policy makers in India are still grappling with the issue of dealing with stagnation in the crucial agricultural sector. They have discovered that small-scale organic farming initiatives near prime cities are providing indications on how to reap healthy profits from this sector. In India, more than 60% of the population that is dependent on agriculture steadily falls into debt trap due to rising costs of fertilizers and pesticides and other input costs. 

Amidst the ongoing food crisis, climate change and the importance of sustainable agriculture, organic farming has emerged as one of the major approaches to sustainable agriculture, globally. It has considerable potential for reducing emissions and raising soil’s water retention capacity, thus leading to better crop yield. Martin Khor, Director, Third World Network, in his presentation at FAO on Food Security Summit, opines that organic agriculture holds an especially favorable position, since it realizes mitigation and sequestration of carbon dioxide in an efficient way. However, he warns that organic agriculture also has its weaknesses, mainly related to productivity and yield losses in some crops and production areas.

Major Issues

Despite the current boom in organic farming, there are a number of myths surrounding organic agriculture that need to be broken. The most common among them include:

Lower Yields Compared to Synthetic Intensive Farming

Most farmers assume that yields in organic farming are very less compared to conventional farming. However, experts suggest that this assumption might not be correct if the right methods of organic farming are followed. In fact in the long run, organic farming yields outscore those obtained by chemical farming. For instance, the effects are even better in horticulture crops. The experience of farmers in Punjab says it all. Punjab, the original hub of the “Green Revolution”, has had its agricultural yields remaining the same for the past many years while the quantity of agro-chemicals required maintaining these static yields have steadily increased. 

Converting this kind of chemical farm often yields less output and needs a few years to increase the yield and stabilize its output even more than a chemical -intensive regime. It therefore, recommended farmers to convert their chemical-intensive farming, gradually over a period of three to four years, to realize higher yields.

Not an Economical Option

Another myth about organic farming is that it is not an economically viable option. However, nothing can be farther from the truth. According to experts, the overall cost of cultivation in case of organic agriculture, is usually lower as compared to chemical farming.

Inefficient Nutrients

Under organic farming, critics say it is difficult to supply enough nutrients by using composts. There is a vast difference if we calculate the percentages of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous in fertilizers and composts. However, advocates of organic farming say the concept of feeding the plant does not exist in organic farming. Unlike chemical farming, in case of organic farming, farmers feed the soil to keep it healthy through various soil organisms and microorganisms which thrive in the soil. This process ensures that soil fertility is maintained and kept alive and vibrant. Using fertilizers in conventional farming is just like swallowing a few tablets and capsules for the entire nutritional requirements. Though we may meet our nutritional needs, the question is how long can we remain healthy?

Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

An important debate about organic farming is that it cannot feed the world. Biotechnology advocates in particular, are becoming very vocal in their claim that there is no alternative to using genetically modified crops in agriculture if we want to feed the world. However, researchers in the US opine that organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming in developing countries and holds its own against standard methods in rich countries.5 Professor Ivette Perfecto, at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, analyzed 293 different examples of published studies on yields from organic farming. Findings of her results can make the critics eat their own words, literally, who said that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture. Her findings published in the journal, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, indicate that organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base.

According to a study published in the journal of Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems of Cambridge University, organic agriculture has the potential to contribute substantially to the global food supply. The study reveals that organic farming produces on an average 92% of the yield produced by conventional agriculture in developed countries, while in developing countries organic systems produce 80% more than conventional farms. Professor Ivette Perfecto points out those poor farmers cannot afford costly fertilizers and pesticides which are needed for intensive agriculture. As organic fertilizer doesn’t cost much, they can easily produce it on their own farms. The debate over whether the world can produce enough organic food is misplaced.

Remedial Measures

Farming policies in India have traditionally not favored organic agriculture though the country has a strong potential for organic farming. The problem is that India is not working to adopt appropriate organic standards and policies like many countries. However, policy makers are increasingly realizing this fact and are introducing many fiscal and risk-reduction strategies to promote organic farming in the country. As organic products are price premiums, farmers are benefiting more than conventional ones. Also, they are now making up for yields or productivity losses that may occur during transition from chemical- intensive forms of agriculture to organic farming; labor costs are higher in former and input costs are lower in the later.

However, organic farmers are still facing some concerns. For instance, most of the market oriented programs of organic products are an arrangement between trading companies and farmers, in which the companies are clearly dominant which puts farmers at a disadvantage. In the process, they receive only a small part of the benefits of organic production. Experts say that providing opportunities for the strengthening of farmer associations and NGOs could help remedy some of these shortcomings. Besides, the most efficient way to do this is by inviting the private sector to provide marketing services and even required investment for organic farming.

On the quality of certification program, India has an uneven system. Moreover, domestic verification and certification systems are time consuming and expensive. Besides, conversion is no less intricate and far more paradoxical. In fact, even in the US, conversion of commercial farmers who have relied on chemical fertilizers and pesticides for many decades into organic farming, have become a daunting task.

Conclusion

Addressing these concerns is the need of the hour in order to stimulate farmers to improve their practices and adopt organic methods. Improved consumer education, with regard to benefits of organic products needs to be done on a priority basis. On the organic research front, though India has begun to invest, these are only small efforts.

Since landholdings are very small in India, farmers must join together in order to apply for group certification that can significantly reduce their individual costs. This will also enables them to own their certification rather than owning a trading firm. To grow organic farming in a big way, policy makers should provide farmer-friendly databases that deliver market knowledge that can prove very cost-effective. On the other hand, the country should do away with fertilizer subsidies which are acting as a hindrance and limiting the scope of adoption of organic agriculture in a big way.

Organic Farming in India

Organic farming was practiced in India since thousands of years. The great Indian civilization thrived on organic farming and was one of the most prosperous countries in the world, till the British ruled it. In traditional India, the entire agriculture was practiced using organic techniques, where the fertilizers, pesticides, etc., were obtained from plant and animal products. Organic farming was the backbone of the Indian economy and cow was worshipped (and is still done so) as a God. The cow, not only provided milk, but also provided bullocks for farming and dung which was used as fertilizers. During 1950s and 1960s, the ever increasing population of India and several natural calamities lead to a severe food scarcity in India. As a result, the government was forced to import food grains from foreign countries. To increase food security, the government had to drastically increase the production of food in India. The Green Revolution (under the leadership of M S Swaminathan) became the government’s most important program in the 1960s. Large amount of land was brought under cultivation. Hybrid seeds were introduced.

Natural and organic fertilizers were replaced by chemical fertilizers and locally made pesticides were replaced by chemical pesticides. Large chemical factories such as the Rashtriya Chemical Fertilizers were established. Before the Green Revolution, it was feared that millions of poor Indians would die of hunger in the mid 1970s. However, the Green Revolution, within a few years, showed its impact. The country, which was greatly relied on imports for its food supply, reduced its imports every passing year. In 1990s, India had surplus foodgrains and once again became and exporter of food grains. Due to increased cost of farming, farmers are falling into the trap of money lenders, who are exploiting them no end, and forcing many to commit suicide.Both consumer and farmers are now gradually shifting back to organic farming in India.

It is believed by many that organic farming is healthier. According to the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD), about 2.5 million hectares of land was under organic farming in India in 2004. Further, there are over 15,000 certified organic farms in India. India is therefore one of the most important suppliers of organic food to the developed nations. No doubt, the organic movement has again started in India.

Source: www.organicfacts.net

 

N Janardhan Rao, Senior Economist.