Organic Farming

In this episode, Swati Salunkhe talks about organic farming as a career. Today’s world likes to have healthy food and looks for something real and organic. Organic farming is a simple way of doing farming which is the most natural forms to have a sustainable farming and environment-friendly method. It can be hobby restricted to your balcony, terrace or garden for personal consumption or it can turn into a career if it’s on acres of land and for commercial purposes. Having a background in science, agriculture, horticulture, and floriculture will help. For people who are not from the science background can undergo requisite training and small-time certificate programs. There are agriculture universities offering, certificate or diploma courses in organic farming. The organic farming system in India is very old and is being followed from ancient time. It is a method of farming system which primarily aimed at cultivating land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic waste (crop, animal and farm waste, aquatic waste) and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (bio-fertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an eco-friendly pollution free environment. Several key elements that constitute organic farming are Composting, Crop rotation, Drip irrigation and so on… Experience in weeding, tilling, planting and harvesting are just some of the skills a farmer must be proficient in. Farmers here need to protect the long-term fertility of soils by maintaining organic matter levels, encouraging soil biological activity. They need to provide crop nutrients indirectly by effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures. There are a number of NGO’s as well as Organic Farming Associations across India like The Organic Farming Association of India, Maharashtra Organic Farming Federation and so on which conducts a number of training programs and encourage the movement. Scope in organic farming is high because demand is on increase; be the local product or international product. People are also getting into it privately. There are heavy investments in land. Big companies are getting into it to sustaining the demand and fulfill the need of today’s market.