Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, eco systems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.

- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)

“Organic agriculture is a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs”.

- Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, UN

Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on use of on-farm inputs, minimal use of off-farm inputs and management practices that restore maintain and enhance soil health and ecological harmony. Organic is a labeling term which indicates products produced under the requirements of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) Standards of India which is considered equivalent to Europe’s Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 and Swiss Organic Farming Ordinance for plant products originating from India. That means, the crop produced according to NPOP can be marketed as ‘Organic’ in India and Europe including Switzerland. The crop produced according to National Organic Program (NOP) Standards can be exported to USA. Similarly, there are separate organic standards preferred by importers of different countries. Even though, certification is done according to requirements of various countries, the NPOP India Organic Certification is the basic standards to be followed for export from India. Without this “India Organic” Logo, organic products cannot be exported out of India. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems. In organic agriculture practices, methods are used to minimize pollution of the air, soil and water and contamination from chemicals, heavy metals and GM crops. Organic food handlers, processors and retailers adhere to standards that maintain the integrity of organic agriculture products.

The nutrients ratio has been given in the bracket. These inputs are also useful in building soil structure and improving microbial activity of the soil.

On-Farm Inputs

Off-Farm Inputs

Note for farmers who are under organic certification:

Before using off-farm inputs, check whether these items have been included in the farm management plan provided to certification agency. Approved products should be applied.

• Grow healthy plants. Use good quality disease free seeds/planting materials. Select varieties which are resistant to locally prevailing pests and diseases and adaptable to local agro-climate conditions. Crop diversity has to be practiced. Trap crops and decoy crops are to be sown within and in the periphery of the fields to trap and destroy pests in various stages.

  Table 1. Nematodes and their decoy crops

  Crop	Nematode	Decoy crop
  Brinjal	Meloidogyne incognita M. javanica	Tagetes patula (French Marrigold)Sesamum orientale (Gingelly variety)
  Tomato	M. incognita	Tagetes patula
  Castor bean	Pratylenchus alleri	Chrysanthemum
  Meloidogyne sp.	Tagetes patula	0.4 ton

  Healthy soil and proper tillage: A biologically active soil with good drainage supports vigorous crop growth. Field experiences have shown that plants fertilized by slow release organic nutrient sources such as compost and organic fertilizers are more resistant to insects and diseases. Tillage practices at appropriate times will disrupt insect pest life-cycle and reduce damage.

  Seeding Time:Planting need to be scheduled in such a way that most susceptible time of plant growth does not correspond to the peak of pest cycles

  Strengthening Natural and Biological Control: Use of pest predators and pathogens has proved to be an effective method of keeping pest problem below ETL. Abundant release of Trichogramma sp., Chelonus blackburni, Apanteles sp and Chrysoperla sp can effectively control pest problem in organic farming.

  Table 1. Nematodes and their decoy crops

  Insect population reach pest status if the preventive steps are not taken in time, In such situations farmers can take up spraying of botanical extracts and natural preparations as mentioned below:

  • Bio-fertilizers
  • Water-based or Solvent Extracts - Neem seed kernal extract is prepared by suspending crushed neem seed kernal in water. For extracting “Allenin” from garlic, kerosene is used as a solvent. After extraction this solution is mixed with chilli extract and used against sucking pests
  • Decoctions - For example, plants like Nux Vomica can be boiled in water to get the decoction.
  • Concoctions - Concoctions are mixtures. For example, five leaves mixture which is an aqueous extract of any five latex producing leaves is used to control pests in Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India. Dashparni extract widely being used in Maharashtra is another such example.
  • Fermented Products - Products made by fermenting different botanicals with or without animal dung and urine. These products have rich microbial cultures which help in providing plant nutrients in addition to acting as pest repellents and pest control sprays. For example fermented butter milk and cow dung-urine-asafoetida solution are widely used such solutions.

  Use of off-farm crop protection inputs

  Organic farming practices generally encourage the use of on-farm inputs. In cases where pest incidence is high, and preventive methods fail to deliver the results and farmer is at the brink of losing the crops then use of off-farm inputs can be used as preventive or curative step. A list of popularly available off-farm plant protection inputs have been given below.

  Some of the inputs (especially the permitted chemicals) are allowed as ‘restricted’ in limited quantities; therefore the certifier’s approval should be obtained before using such inputs.

  Microbial Biopesticides

  • Trichoderma harzianum
  • Trichoderma viride
  • Pseudomonas fluorescens
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Bacillus thuringiensis
  • Metarhizium anisopliae
  • Verticillium lecanii
  • eauveria bassiana
  • Nuclear Polyhedrosis Visus (NPV) and Granulosis Visrus (GV)
  • EM-5 (Termin)

  Botanical extracts

  • Neem oil and Azadirachtin based formulation
  • Karanj Oil and Karanjin based formulations
  • Pyrethrin based extracts
  • Sea weeds, sea weed meal, sea weed extracts, sea salt and salty water

  Biodynamic preparation

  • BD 501
  • BD 504 and
  • BD-508

  Permitted chemical alternatives

  • Sea salt and salty water
  • Elemental sulphur, lime sulphur
  • Copper salts/inorganic salts (Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride (used as a fungicide, maximum 8 kg per ha per year).
  • Chlorides of lime and soda
  • Light mineral oils
  • Permanganate of potash
  • Sodium bicarbonate
  • Soft soap
  • Ethyl alcohol,
  • Natural acids (Vinegar)
  • Homeopathic and Ayurvedic preparations