Organic farming is a type of farming which involves use of eco-friendly technologies, for sustainable development. Organic farming helps in maintaining and restoring the ecological balance.
Organic farming – Benefits
Some of the benefits of organic farming are listed below:
Protects the ecosystem
Organic farming prevents the harmful effects of other conventional farming practices which involves heavy usage of pesticides and chemical fertilizers which ultimately enters the food chain thereby destroying the ecosystem by harming the soil, livestock, and water sources.
Cheaper Substitutes
In Organic farming, the inputs required are locally produced and they are cheaper substitutes to chemical fertilizers, High yielding variety seeds and pesticides.
Growing Demand and more Income
- The demand for organic farming produce is growing across the globe with each passing day.
- Green status is given to Supermarkets and retail chains that sell organic produce.
- The produce is free of pesticides and the nutritional value of food grown through organic farming is more, as per research studies done across different countries.
- The price of organic food is 10% to 100% more than conventional farm produce.
- Hence, organic agriculture will help in generating more income through exports, as there is demand for it across the world.
Disadvantages of Organic Farming
Some of the disadvantages of organic farming are given below:
- There is a problem of marketing the products.
- To promote organic farming, there needs to be an appropriate agricultural policy.
- Convincing and popularising organic farming among farmers.
- Organic produce has a shorter shelf life.
- Lack of proper infrastructure for organic farming.
- In the initial years, the yield of organic farming is not more than conventional farming.
- There is limited choice when it comes to production of off-season crops.
