Organic farming: Concept and its prospective in Jammu and Kashmir

The concept of organic farming seeks to re-establish the balance of energy in Nature without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This is mainly based upon traditional methods derived on sound ecological principles. In the present paper, such methods were reviewed in the Jammu and Kashmir area.

Journal of Research, SKUAST–J
Year : 2005, Volume : 4, Issue : 1
Print ISSN : 0972-7469.

Title of paper: Organic farming: Concept and its prospective in Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Gupta R.D., Kher Deepak, Jalali V.K.
Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, SKUAST–J, Main Campus Chatha, Jammu-180012

Owing to the ill effect caused by the green revolution like human health hazard, soil and environmental pollution, the concept of organic farming came into fore. The concept of organic farming actualy seeks to re-establish the balance of energy in Nature without using the chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This farming system is mainly based upon traditional methods/techniques derived on sound ecological principles. In the present paper, some such methods have been reviewed under Jammu and Kashmire situation. Prospective of the state from this angle has also been highlighted vis-a-vis its limitation.

There is no doubt that “Green Revolution”, during late nineteen hundred and sixties in India, brought about a specticular increase in agricultural production. In fact, during the era of “Green Revolution”, introduction of high yielding varieties of crops, extension of irrigated areas, use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and enhancing of cropping intensity, made the country self-sufficient in food production. In the “Green Revolution” process, however, the use of organic manures, which was hitherto the main practice in Indian agriculture, diminished considerably. Moreover, with the coming up of the pesticides use of botanic pesticides (prepared from various plant species like neem–Azadirachta indica, drek–Melia azedarach etc.) for control of insects came to standstill. So very soon the deleterious effects of “Green Revolution”, the so-called chemical based farming, came to the fore.

The deleterious or harmful effects of chemical based farming such as accumulation of excessive amount of nitrate in the underground water, occurrence of a sharp decline in the ground water level and its contamination with heavy metals, deposition of phosphate alongwith nitrate in the aquatic ecosystems, presence of pesticidal residues in various food stuffs, caused a number of problems/diseases in human beings, animals and plants. Rise in resistance of pests to chemical pesticides, occurrence of multinutrient deficiencies in soils, thereby resulting into an overall decline in their productive capacity under intensive fertilizer use, are the other deleterious effects created by the “Green Revolution”. All this forced us to return to “Organic Farming”.

Organic farming refers to farming in the spirit of organic relationship. It is such a productive system which shuns excessive use of fertilizers, chemical pesticides, growth regulators, and livestock additions. Organic farming, system mainly relies upon the use of manures, green manuring, botanical pesticides, biocides and cultural methods. Organic farming, however, does not mean reverting to “Stone Age Agriculture”. Various other new concepts or terms used in organic farming system are: Natural Farming, Rishi Krishi, Biodynamic Agriculture, Ecofarming, Do Nothing Agriculture etc.

Organic farming has now much more popularized in India, especially in southern states of the country like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh. Spectacular results obtained by a progressive farmer Mr. V.R.K. Murthy from Dharampur district Tamil Nadu, is one of the glaring example in this regard [1]. He termed intercropping as an insurance against crop failure, as if one crop fails, one has another to rely upon. These days, organic farming has also been initiated in some other states of the country like Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya.

Agriculture of Jammu & Kashmir also requires new dimensions to raise the socio-economic status of the peasants. This can be achieved by adopting natural farming and diversifying agriculture. In the present paper, therefore, an attempt has been made to give brief account of the concept of “Organic Farming” and its prospective in Jammu & Kashmir vis-a-vis limitations of the organic farming.

Published: 12 Jan 2006

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Journal of Research, SKUAST–J