Organic Farming

The practice of farming described as ‘organic’ is being promoted under many names including natural farming, biological farming, Agnihotra farming, ecological farming, homa farming etc. Organic farming offers an opportunity for smallholders to improve their production without relying on external capital and inputs and to gain premium prices using organic production methods. In India, there has been significant increase in the area under certified organic farming during the last 13 years. Presently, about 1.44 million ha area is under certified organic cultivation and India ranks 9th in terms of total land under organic cultivation. Further, India has the largest number of certified organic producers (about 0.84 million) and accounted for 1.18 million tons of certified organic produce. This book has 30 chapters and provides a comprehensive coverage of diverse topics of organic farming including history, concept and principles, nutrient management, pest management, nutritional quality of organic produce, organic livestock production management, organic processing of meat, other forms of organic farming, economics, case studies, certification, market, and policy issues. The extensive coverage of topics is complemented with suitable references, making this an essential reading particularly for students of agricultural sciences. This book will be a valuable resource for students, teachers, researchers and extension personnel interested in organic farming.