Organic Farming as a Basis for Sustainable Agriculture - A Review Kaswan Sandeep*, Kaswan Vineet1, Kumar Rajesh2 Livestock Production and Management Section, I.V.R.I, Izatnagar - 243 122, India 1Dept. of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, MPUAT, Udaipur, India 2Division of Extension Education, IVRI, Izatnagar, Bareilly, U.P., India *Corresponding Author: Email ID: deepu02vet@gmail.com, Mob: 09458689509
Online published on 9 May, 2012. Abstract Exhaustion of the natural potential, destruction of the agrosphere and environmental pollution resulting from increased manmade environmental modification expressed as climate change, has posed threat to existence of humankind. Therefore need for a new philosophy of sustainable development aroused. Parity of relations within the triad “human-economy-nature” is the basis for sustainable development. Organic farming unites all agricultural systems that maintain ecologically, socially and economically advisable agricultural production. For ensuring sustainable agriculture, organic farming aggregates following practices i.e. optimization of land use and crop structure; efficient use of available organic fertilizing resources; agro-technical methods to protect crops from weeds; crop rotation; soil-protecting technologies for planned chemical land reclamation; preservation of agricultural and biological diversity at farms and its efficient utilization; stabilization of agro-landscapes through uniform system of field-protecting forest belts; facilitation of proper use and preservation of water resources; usage of renewable resources; harmonious balance between crop and animal production through integrated farming and utilization of indigenous technical knowledge. In view of rising population and demand for food production, conventional farming systems cannot be abandoned but organic farming should be certified where it already exists and promoted to the newer areas to the extent possible because it seems safer bet for sustainable agriculture at a time when advanced technologies are still costly and have to be proved safe for long-term development. Top Key words Organic Farming, Sustainable, Conventional. Top |