27 Facts About Organic farming

Organic farming known as ecological farming or biological farming, is an agricultural system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting.

Organic farming continues to be developed by various organizations today.

Organic farming standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances.

Organic farming can be beneficial on biodiversity and environmental protection at local level.

However, because organic farming has lower yields compared to conventional farming, additional agricultural land is needed elsewhere in the world, which means that natural land has to be converted into agricultural land.

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Organic farming agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

Organic farming methods combine scientific knowledge of ecology and some modern technology with traditional farming practices based on naturally occurring biological processes.

The principal methods of organic farming include crop rotation, green manures and compost, biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation.

For example, Integrated Pest Management is a multifaceted strategy that uses various organic methods of pest control whenever possible, but in conventional farming could include synthetic pesticides only as a last resort.

Organic farming relies more heavily on the natural breakdown of organic matter than the average conventional farm, using techniques like green manure and composting, to replace nutrients taken from the soil by previous crops.

Organic farming farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides.

Organic farming standards require rotation of annual crops, meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different, intervening crop.

Key characteristic of organic farming is the exclusion of genetically engineered plants and animals.

Production materials used for the creation of USDA Organic farming certified foods require the approval of a NOP accredited certifier.

Two studies – both comparing organically- versus conventionally-farmed apples – declare contradicting results, one saying organic farming is more energy efficient, the other saying conventionally is more efficient.

Organic farming methods differ from conventional methods in the impacts of their respective externalities, dependent on implementation and crop type.

Proponents of organic farming have claimed that organic agriculture emphasizes closed nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and effective soil management providing the capacity to mitigate and even reverse the effects of climate change and that organic agriculture can decrease fossil fuel emissions.

Organic farming can build up soil organic matter better than conventional no-till farming, which suggests long-term yield benefits from organic farming.

An 18-year study of organic methods on nutrient-depleted soil concluded that conventional methods were superior for soil fertility and yield for nutrient-depleted soils in cold-temperate climates, arguing that much of the benefit from organic farming derives from imported materials that could not be regarded as self-sustaining.

Organic farming is often presented as a more biodiversity-friendly practice, but the generality of the beneficial effects of organic farming is debated as the effects appear often species- and context-dependent, and current research has highlighted the need to quantify the relative effects of local- and landscape-scale management on farmland biodiversity.

Organic farming agriculture is often considered to be more socially just and economically sustainable for farmworkers than conventional agriculture.

Organic farming agriculture is generally more labour-intensive due to its dependence on manual practices for fertilization and pest removal.

Organic farming has been recognized by local governments for its potential in promoting sustainable rural development.

However, due to the various health concerns with inorganic farming including the possibility of a chronic kidney disease being associated with chemical fertilizers, many middle aged and experienced farmers displayed skepticism towards these new approaches.

Some even resorted to organic farming or utilizing insecticide free fertilizers for their crops.

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Additionally, while organic farming has health benefits, it's a strenuous task which requires more man power.

However, while Sri Lanka was still facing the new challenges of the pandemic, in the 2019 presidential election campaign, the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa proposed a 10-year, national transition to organic farming to declare Sri Lanka as the first nation to be known for its organic produce.