What is organic farming?

Organic farming is practiced in nearly all countries of the world, and a growing number of farms occupy an expanding land area.

The term organic farming goes back to the 1940s when a British writer, Lord Northbourne, describe an integrated farm as a ‘dynamic living organic whole’.

Organic farming means crop rotation – changing the crops grown in a field each season, to build healthy fertile soil that has few pest problems.

Organic farming comprises all agriculture production methods that cultivate the soil or livestock without using substances that endanger life. They do this by employing measures of cultivation according to nature.

This agriculture promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity.

It promotes environmentally, socially and economically sound production of food, fiber, timber etc.

Markets for organic products are growing rapidly within and beyond North America, Japan and Europe.

The organic products are not only being processed and consumed locally. Trade with organic products all over the world is a growing reality and organic products from developing countries.

Many proponents of organic production methods claim this is the only viable strategy for cleaning up the environment and creating a sustainable food system based on contemporary energy and other resources.
What is organic farming?