In today’s time where people are falling prey to chronic diseases easily, who would like to risk their life with the harmful pesticides and fertilizers? You should know that there is a way to rescue ourselves from these life threatening chemicals and that is Organic Farming. Organic farming is not a new concept; it is being practiced from ancient times. Organic Farming is a farming method which aims at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way that the soil is kept alive and in good health by use of organic wastes (crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials.
Organic farming is done to release nutrients to the crops for increased sustainable production in an eco-friendly and pollution-free environment. It aims to produce crop with a high nutritional value. There are various methods by which organic farming is practiced are as follows:
1. Crop Diversity: Now a days a new practice has come into picture which is called -Polyculture- in which a variety of crops can be cultivated simultaneously just to meet the increasing demand of crops. Unlike the ancient practice which was -Monoculture- in which only one type of crop was cultivated in a particular location.
2. Soil Management: After the cultivation of crops, the soil loses its nutrients and its quality depletes. Organic agriculture initiates the use of natural ways to increase the health of soil. It focuses on the use of bacteria that is present in animal waste which helps in making the soil nutrients more productive to enhance the soil.
3. Weed Management: -Weed-, is the unwanted plant that grows in agricultural fields. Organic agriculture pressurizes on lowering the weed rather than removing it completely.
4. Controlling other organisms: There are both useful and harmful organisms in the agricultural farm which affect the field. The growth of such organisms needs to be controlled to protect the soil and the crops. This can be done by the use of herbicides and pesticides that contain less chemicals or are natural. Also, proper sanitization of the entire farm should be maintained to control other organisms.
5. Livestock: Organic farming instigates domestic animals use to increase the sustainability of the farm.
6. Genetic Modification: Genetic modification is kept away from this kind of agricultural set up because organic farming focuses on the use of natural ways and discourages engineered animals and plants.
[“source-ndtv”]
