Organic Farming: Antidote to Modern Problems
Kavita Rambal
Department of Botany, Maharishi Dayanand College of Arts, Science & Commerce. Parel, Mumbai 400012 (India) email.kavita.rambal@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
Organic farming in short means farming without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides and without harming soil health. In other words, it can be called as traditional farming, which was being practiced in India, since ancient times. Since it could not cater to the needs of ever-increasing population, it was replaced by modern conventional farming which lead to green and golden revolution. This not only pulled India out of famine and poverty but also made it self reliant and major producer of crops, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Lot of foreign exchange could be saved, but at the cost of negative impacts, like reductions in natural soil fertility, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, ground water, air and soil pollution. This negative impact had directly or indirectly a toll on human health. Monoculture led to loss of essential nutrients as these got replaced by the ones which were used in conventional farming. Many chemical fertilizers, herbicides, weedicides containing arsenic and other heavy metals contaminated the soils. This resulted in biomagnification and ecological imbalance with adverse effect on the health of the people. In order to maintain ecological balance or homeostasis an alternative method which is organic farming came in to being which emphasises the need of maintaining soil health for the production of crops without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and weedicides etc20. People now a days are becoming health conscious with primary focus on consumption of healthy, nutritious and tasty food. For it is a known fact your food determines your health. Many people now are opting for organic produce. These are costlier as compared to conventionally produced fruits and vegetables, thus do not find a favourable market but now slowly it is picking up. In the present study it was observed that awareness has resulted in the increase of demand for organic produce due to its longlasting benefits and taste.