Krishi jagran agriculture world april 2015 by Krishi Jagran

Volume I | Issue 4 | April-2015 | `70

AGRICULTURE

W RLD ! Farming Organic Agriculture Need & Importance Organic Seed Production CertiďŹ cation Quality Assurance Systems in organic farming From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness

Echoing Sustainable Environment and Agriculture www.krishijagran.com

AGRICULTURE WORLD AGRICULTURE WORLD Editor Director Sr. Executive‐Editor Executive Editor Head Editorial Associate Editor Senior Correspondent Correspondent

Admin Head Head‐Marketing DGM‐Marketing Sr. Manager‐Marketing Manager‐Marketing Asst. Manager‐Marketing

Sr. Executive‐Marketing

Head‐Circulation Sr. Executive‐Circulation

Head Pre‐Press Designing Office Assistant

M.C. Dominic Shiny Emanuel M.G. Vasan Dr. K.T. Chandy R.K. Teotia G.S. Saini Sanjay Kumar Kumud Shukla Neha Sachdeva Ruby Jain Aniket Shina Kanika Chauhan Kiran Kumari Chetram P.S. Saini Farha Khan K.J. Saranya Hrituparna Banerjee Sara Khan Sarla Singh Sarita Singh Jyoti Sharma Megha Sharma Afsana Malik Sujata Gautam Chunki Bhutia Poonam Bishwakarma Nishant Kr. Taak Chander Dev Bhatt Rahul Singh Abdus Samad Sukumar Dalai Ritika Goel Pooja Bisht Aruna Jana Dharmendra Kumar Yogesh Kumar Devendra Singh Prem Kumar Ranjan

D.D. NAIR VP International Business (Russia & CIS Countries) 6 Mikluho‐Maklaya STR, Moscow, Russia 117198 Mob: +7903729 98 30, Off.: +7499501 99 10 Email: ddnair@krishijagran.com M. Mezhukanal Middle East

E‐16F‐33, Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjha, UAE Ph.: +971502870465, Email: mezhukanal@krishijagran.com

IN THIS ISSUE Organic Farming Concept, Ini a ves, Status and Implica ons..............5 INTERVIEW, Dr. A.K. Yadav...................................................................13 Organic Seed Produc on Cer ﬁca on..................................................16 INTERVIEW, S.P.K. Malik................................................................20 Organic Agriculture Need & Importance...............................................21 INTERVIEW, Neeraj Gula ....................................................................25 Quality Assurance Systems in organic farming .....................................26 Na onal Integra on of Livestock‐crop Organic Farming Project in Thailand..................................................................30 From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness ..............................32 Waste is Wealth: An IARI Hit.................................................................36 Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India..............39

SUBSCRIPTION Year 1 2 3

Rs. 700 1300 1800

US$ 100 200 300

Printed and Published by : M.C. Dominic Agriculture World, 60/9, 3rd Floor, Yusuf Sarai Market Near Green Park Metro Station, New Delhi‐110016 Tel: 011‐26511845, 26517923, Mob: 9313301029, 9654193353 Email: info@krishijagran.com, krishijagran@gmail.com Web: www.krishijagran.com, www.kjcommoditynews.com Printed at : New Pushpak Press Pvt. Ltd. 203, 204 DSIDC Complex Okhla Industrial Area, Phase ‐1, New Delhi ‐ 110020

Editorial

rganic food produc on is a human need of utmost importance for his survival and overall physical and mental development. It is also known as organic farming, natural farming, ecological farming etc. In all these, the word 'farming' can be replaced with 'agriculture'. It is a philosophy and a prac ce of ecological living. Hence the April issue of Agriculture World has rightly chosen the theme “Organic Farming”. Dr. Chadha, former Deputy Director General, ICAR, and president of Hor cultural Society of India, in his scholarly ar cle on “Organic Farming: Concept, Ini a ves, Status and Implica ons” is very informa ve. A er defining briefly the concept of organic farming he presents the global scenario of the same before he comes to the Indian scene which is treated under the heads such as local ini a ves, current status and export and domes c market, accredita on and cer fica on, poten al crops and products, marke ng opportuni es etc. The first experience of any one in organic farming a dip in the produc on and people get scared off. Dr. A.K. Yadav president of ICCOA in an interac on with Krishijagran alleviates such unfounded fears assuring that in few years me the yield becomes at par with conven onal farming. Dr. Himanand Semwal, joint director, USOCA, in his detailed and experience based ar cle on “Organic Seed Produc on Cer fica on” presents a step by step process and procedures of technical and administra ve aspects of organic seed produc on and cer fica on in a very logical and lucid language and in bullet points. The need and importance of organic agriculture is explained by Dr. K. T. Chandy from the points of view of role of organic ma er in the soil and soil organic management emphasizing the need to establish organic ma er cycle in farming. The eleven concluding remarks form a kind of eleven laws of organic farming that should be kept in mind. Dr. A.K. Yadav drawing from his vast experience with GOI in conven onal and organic farming presents various aspects of the quality assurance systems through various procedures in the Par cipatory Guarantee System (PGS) of organic farming cer fica on of organic products. The various steps enumerated in PGS process are very informa ve to anyone who wants to go for organic cer fica on of his crops. Livestock farming is an integral part of the organic farming as they are a necessary link in the organic food produc on chain. Jintana Indramangala shares her five year long experience in an integrated organic livestock and crop produc on system in Thailand emphasizing in prac cal organic ma er recycling of crop residues through animals and animals wastes into soil as organic manures thereby establishing the organic ma er cycle in the farm. One can never forget the business aspects of organic agriculture as it has the three main components of any business, namely produc on, processing and marke ng. A er briefly describing the emergence of organic agriculture in India Manoj Kumar Menon, execu ve director of ICCOA presents his experience of organizing farmers in three villages near Bangalore into clusters for registra on, group cer fica on, training farmers on harvest planning, grading, labeling and packaging for customized deliveries with the help of ICCOA. Organizing organic farmers is key to success in organic farming business and this case study presenta on is an incen ve and a methodology for organic agribusiness. Tradi onally most of the farm wastes like crop residues are burned to get rid of them while the animal dung is used as fuel by most families. However in huge dairy farms the animal dung is a problem to get rid off. The ar cle by kumud Shukla describing the innova ve experience at IARI, Delhi, in compos ng of urban and IARI ins tu onal wastes of crop residues and farm yard manure promotes compos ng in urban areas. Such ventures save energy used in the transport of urban wastes out of the city and also encourage urban people to grow their own food par ally at east. The volunteer programme WWOOF, run by Harish Chander Tewari and Poonam Tewari as described in the ar cle on “Organic Farming Internship” is certainly a global level effec ve promo onal a empt in organic farming. This serves as a model for interna onal coopera on in promo ng organic farming enterprises especially among the youth volunteers from various countries in the world to get a hands‐on‐experience on the same. The interview with Mr. S.P.S. Malik, G. M. soil nutri on products of Excel Crop Care and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India product manager helps us to understand the role played by Excel Crop Care in Sikkim mission. Its product “Madhyam” is a culture of micro‐ organisms developed for accelerated aerobic compos ng of organic wastes. Similarly an interview with Neeraj Gula of Interna onal Panacea Limited which produces biotechnology products like bio‐fer lizers, bio‐pes cides and enzymes is highly informa ve to the organic farmers. M C Dominic Editor‐in‐Chief editor@krishijagran.com

Organic Organic Farming: Agriculture: Concept,Need Initiatives, & Importance Status and Implications

ORGANIC FARMING Concept, Initiatives, Status and Implications

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Organic Agriculture: Farming: Concept, Need Initiatives, & Importance Status and Implications

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

www.krishijagran.com

(Area in million ha)

6 5 4 3 2 1 0

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Years Fig 1a. Total Area under Cer ﬁca on (Cul vated + Wild Harvest)

1400000

(Area in ha)

1200000 1000000 800000 600000 400000 200000 0

03‐04 04‐05 05‐06 06‐07 07‐08 08‐09 09‐10 10‐11 11‐12 12‐13

Years

(Area in million ha)

Fig. 1b. Cul vated Area under Organic Cer ﬁca on

5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0

05-06

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

10-11

11-12

Years Fig. 1c Wild Harvest Collec on area under Organic Cer ﬁca on

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

12-13

Organic Organic Agriculture: Farming: Concept, Need Initiatives, & Importance Status and Implications

1025 Foods Export

840

Textiles Export

Domestic

(Rs crores)

600 500 300 75

100

2005

2006

150

2007

350 100

75 2008

2009

525

300 150

2010

2011

Years Fig. 2 Indian Export and Domes c Market for Organic Products

600

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

2012

www.krishijagran.com

Table 1. Produc on of diﬀerent commodi es under organic management S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Product Name Co on Cereals & millets (excluding rice) Rice (Basma and non‐Basma ) Pulses Fruits and Vegetables Tea Oil seeds, excluding soybean Coﬀee Dry fruits Medicinal & herbal plants Miscellaneous

Produc on (in MT) 2010‐11 2011‐12 552388.47 111382.54 171684.66 40785.61 176683.17 22673.70 42721.61 12956.69 335863.10 8227.74 27684.26 5273.34 360837.17 2849.80 13122.03 1376.54 52369.09 521.46 1792014.86 189.27 221191.96 27.36 APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

www.krishijagran.com

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Organic Agriculture: Farming: Concept, Need Initiatives, & Importance Status and Implications

Dr. K. L. Chadha Former Deputy Director General (Hor culture), ICAR, New Delhi & President, Hor cultural Society of India, New Delhi

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW

www.krishijagran.com

Scaremongering over dip in productivity — A.K. Yadav are reverting to an earlier era of farming. This is wrong, as today's organic farming is as scientiﬁc as conventional farming, aided as it is by the latest technologies. The Government has a vital role to play in the promotion of organic farming. It has spent considerable sums on promoting chemical farming and still continues to subsidies fertilizers on a massive scale. Now, if only 10% the sum involved in this was spent an organic farming, then the problems faced by it could all be ironed out. Does 'Organic' means no use of chemical ?

Dr.

A.K. Yadav, President, International Competence Centre on Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) and former Director, NCOF (Ministry of Agriculture) has done extensive work in the area of organic agriculture in the last decade. Krishi Jagran interacted with him on current issues relating to organic farming.

There is a myth about organic farming-whether it is feasible in the Indian context ? There are several myths prevalent on the subject of organic farming in India. The ﬁrst of these is that there can be a total switchover to organic farming in the country. Organic farming is an important factor in quality produce, but it is just not possible to turn the country 100% organic. There is, however, no debate on the subject that the quantum of organic produce needs to be stepped up. The second myth relating to organic farming is that it leads to a considerable reduction in productivity. Results from several trials and studies, including one initiated by IARI, reveal that production stemming from organic farming is just about 5% below the level obtained from conventional farming, with the differences varying from crop to crop. The yield from organic grain crops is however, low compared to vegetable crops. In the initial years of any organic farming venture, the yield is reduced. First, there is the requirement to improve the quality of the soil with adequate organic content, micro-organisms etc. When we come to a stage, where, optimum soil quality can be ensured, then possibly the yields from organic farming will match those from conventional farming. Another widespread misconception about organic farming is that those opting for it

It is true that organic farming implies no use of synthetic inputs directly or indirectly in other words, the practice has to be totally free from chemicals right from sowing to the processing of the produce. Exceptionally, there can be a minuscule use of chemicals, but this only to handle some deficiency in the soil and just to improve its organic content. Organic farming can be started on a modest scale initially, but after two to three years farmers can opt for it totally. Farmers can utilize the total biomass produced from the land and convert it to compost or vermicompost, thereby giving a boost to the whole organic cycle. It has been observed by scientists that only 30% NPK is utilized by plants from soil in the case of chemical fertilizers. If farmers add organic manure to the soil, then the plant use efficiency of NPK can be stepped up to 60%. To this end, green manure serves as good a function as cattle manure. There exist many sources for manure other than cow dung. The farmers first priority should be to return biomass to the soil. What are the new technologies in the area of organic farming ? Technologies relating to organic farming cover three areas: (i) seeds (ii) nutrient management and (iii) plant protection. In the case of selection of seeds for Organic farming, GM varieties should be skipped. Any seed variety which gives good yields can be used whether it is grown conventionally or organically. Hybrid seeds can also be grown but there should be no use of chemicals in seed treatment before sowing. As far as organic nutrient management is concerned, at one time there was no option other than using the usual manure. But now several technologies have been developed to fortify manure. If, for example, a deficiency of microelements is recognized, then these are added to the manure. Farmers can also resort to foliar spray with cow urine, 'Panchgavya', 'Jeevamrut' etc. Foliar spray comes in very handy for top dressing. Several plants also find

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

BIO-FERTILIZERS BIO-FUNGICIDES

Manufacturing Bio-inoculants

BIO-INSECTICIDES GROWTH PROMOTERS

Consultancy in Organic Farming

 Result Oriented strain; Tested Globally  Providing solutions for Nutrient, Disease and Pest Management  World class Manufacturing facility  Commercialized more than 40 products

ogi Biol cal Since

P r o v i di n g

 Products Registered under FCO, CIB & RC

lutions

20 Years I

Tel. : 011-43667200-06, Fax : 011-23418889, E-mail : info@iplbiotech.com Website : www.iplbiotech.com, Toll Free No. : 1800 102 2472, Find us at f APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW

www.krishijagran.com

special use in making organic fertilizers, like soyabean khali and neem khali.

come in to play here, so the farmer is not willing to take this route and opts to do things himself. So commitment from the farmer's side is not so good and sometimes even after organic certiﬁcation, test results prove the presence of chemical residue, leading to rejection of export consignments.

Now regarding plant protection technology. In conventional farming, suggests science if four types of crops are grown, then the chances of disease spreading are reduced considerably. In the same way, multiple crops can be resorted to in organic As the present third party certification procedure is farming. Several scientists have been working over the past 20 unsatisfactory, a way should be found whereby costs are years on replacement of toxic reduced for farmers so that chemicals. They have come better commitment is u p w i t h s e v e r a l u s e f u l  Introduction of Participatory Guarantee System under the ensured on their part. To Government's institutional mechanism is likely to give a further solve this problem to an extracts from plants which push to the organic movement and farmers will be able to extent, the system of PGS have anti-insect qualities. In organic farming, the aim also certification was introduced. access the market with an affordable guarantee system. is not to kill useful insects, In this system, there is no  Interventions by Central and State agencies have provided a because they play a external agency to handle much needed push and strengthened the confidence and beneficial role in pollination. matters and farmers sentiment of growers and market promoters. So several biological themselves make their own methods which result in  Research Institutions have also made significant strides and r u l e s f o r f a r m i n g a n d useful botanical extracts with multi-location and multi-dimensional experiments have certification, with a group help greatly in pest proved that organic agriculture can also yield the comparable leader signing on behalf of management. This line of the collective. The National yields with no threat to food security of the Nation. action needs to pursued Centre of Organic Farming  Besides area expansion and market development, country has ( N C O F ) r e g i s t e r s a n d further and persisted with. also witnessed significant progress in development of organic certifies these groups for How about certification ? Is input production industry, launching of various innovative Institutional support. Under the system satisfactory ? inputs, rise in utilization of organic manures, improvement in PGS, there is a binding Apeda provides manure qualities through mineral fortifications and condition on farmers to certification for organic introduction of regulatory framework for ensuring quality of p r a c t i c e o n l y o r g a n i c produce and without this commercialized organic inputs. farming. certification there can be no W h a t a r e y o u r exports. In addition, to recommendation for farmers further organic certification, a third party system was launched going organic ? in 2000 and this was followed by a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) in 2011. PGS will take time to implement, but it is Farmers who are willing to go in for organic farming cannot widely accepted and people are willing to opt for it. do so instantly and completely. First, they need to check out their manure resources and build up the infrastructure for this. The third party certification procedure is good, but in this Only then can they gradually move from conventional to organic system there is no commitment from the farmer's side as he does farming. After the resort to four years of organic farming, any not come through as the 'owner' of the product. Moreover, the crop can be grown. The only thing that has to be kept in mind is certification cost for a farmer is also very high. If farmers resort that there should not be an opting for a select single crop. to certification in a group then there is a requirement for a fourth Instead, a multiple cropping system should be the rule. In the agency to maintain all the documents. In this instance, there are Initial years, 30% of the crop should constitute legumes, because four elements, viz: consumer, grower, ICS (Internal Control these help crops to biologically fix nitrogen in the soil. System) and third party agency. As two institutional hierarchies

SUBSCRIPTION Year

Rs.

US$

700

100

1300

200

1800

300

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Need Certiﬁcation & Importance OrganicAgriculture: Seed Production

ORGANIC SEED Production Certification

rganic agriculture, according to the FAO, ''is a holis c produc‐ on management system, which promotes and enhances agro‐ ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological ac vity. It emphasises the use of management prac ces in preference to the use of off‐farm inputs, taking into account that regional condi ons require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic biological and mechanical methods as opposed to using synthe c materials, to fulfil any specific func on within the system". For its part, the U S DA defines organic farming as follows: ''A system that is designed and mailed to produce agricultural products by the use of methods and substances that maintain the integrity of organic agricultural products un l they reach the consumer. This is accomplished by using , where possible , cultural , biological and mechanical methods, as opposed to using substances, to fulfil any specific fluctua on within the system so as to maintain long‐term soil biological ac vity ,ensure effec ve peak

management, recycle wastes to return nutrients to the land; provide a en ve care for farm animals, and handle the agricultural products without use of extraneous synthe c addi ves or processing''. Table 1 provides a compara ve view of tradi onal and organic farming.

PRINCIPAL AIMS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 

To produce suﬃcient quan es of high quality food, ﬁbre and other products.

To work compa bly with natural cycles and living system through the soil, plants and animals in the en re produc on system.  To recognise the wider social and ecological impact of the organic produc on and processing system.  To maintain and increase long‐term fer lity and biological ac vity of soils using locally adapted cultural, biological and mechanical methods as opposed to reliance on external inputs. 

Table.1 Comparison between the traditional agriculture and organic farming : Characteris cs

Tradi onal agriculture

Organic farming

Basic

Own consump on

Commercial

Major Concern

Survival

Food safety and security

Field prepara on

Local prac se

Mechanical/Improved tech.

Source of Irriga on

Uniden ﬁed source

Iden ﬁed source

Cropping intensity / Produc vity

Low

High and be er value

Variety purity

Low concern

High concern

Inputs (fer lity and

Low concern

High concern

plant protec on management) Cer ﬁca on

Not required

Required

Marke ng

Low concern

Serious concern

Crops‐ biodiversity and rota on

Un planned way

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Planned way

INTERVIEW 



 



 



To m a i n t a i n a n d e n c o u r a g e agricultural and natural biodiversity on the farm and its surrounds through the use of sustainable produc on systems and the protec on of plant and wildlife habitats. To maintain and conserve gene c diversity through a en on to on‐ farm management of gene c resources. To promote the responsible use and conserva on of water and all life therein. To use, as far as possible, renewable re s o u rc e s i n p ro d u c o n a n d processing systems and avoid pollu on and waste. To fo ste r l o c a l a n d re g i o n a l produc on and distribu on. To create a harmonious balance between crop produc on and animal husbandry. To provide living condi ons that allow animals to express their natural behaviour. To u lise biodegradable, recyclable and recycled packaging materials. To provide everyone involved in organic farming and processing a quality of life that sa sﬁes their basic needs within a safe, secure and healthy working environment. To support the establishment of an en re produc on, processing and distribu on chain which is both socially just and ecologically responsible.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION 

 



 

www.krishijagran.com in rela on to the requirement of organic standards.  Provide wri en conﬁrma on that a product or process is in compliance with standards.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC SEED There are millions of farmers who do not have sound knowledge about organic seeds and bio‐inputs necessary for organic cul va on. Moreover, organic seed produc on is s ll largely a missing link in the organic food produc on chain. Organic farming requires organic seed. But farmers, so far, have been selec ng and producing their own seed, which does not fulﬁl the essen al requirements with respect to gene c purity and germina on the Quality conscious consumers today do not like heterogeneity in the produce they purchase. Hence, the Govern‐ ment and seed companies have to gear up for the produc on of organic seeds, which requires dual cer ﬁca on. The main problem in organic seed produc on is nutrient management, disease and pest management and weed management. Seed borne diseases , in par cular, require special a en on. The usual criteria for conven onal seed quality also apply to organic seeds.

TYPE OF SEED PROGRAMMES 1. Oﬃcial seed programme: In such a programme, the government bears the complete responsibility for making good quality seed available to the farmer.

2. Semi‐oﬃcial seed programme: This consists of establishing a n a o n a l o r state a ge n c y to produce, process and distribute seeds. This is a more remote form of government par cipa on. 3. Private seed programme: Private enterprise prefers to handle produc on and distribu on of hybrid/high yielding seed varie es.

AGRONOMIC PRINCIPLES FOR ORGANIC SEED 



 



No synthe c input should be applied in any form during the en re cropping period in the farms adop ng organic farming. Mono‐cropping should be avoided and growing of mul ple crops and adop on of crop rota on should be thumb rule. In each combina on of mul ple crops, legumes should a c co u nt fo r a m i n i m u m 3 0 % produc on. Burning of crops residues should not be done. There should be a judicious u liza‐ on of local/on‐farm resources, such as produc on of own seeds, manure, plant protec on tools, biomass Soil erosion should be prevented and conserva on of rain water ensured. Animals are an essen al component of organic farming especially cows and bullocks. Infrastructure needs to be built up for compost, vermicompost and vermi‐wash prepara ons.

This is a procedure by which a cer fica on body assesses a farm or processing unit and assures in wri ng that specific standards are met. The aim is: To help protect the rights of the producer and the consumer. To g i v e u n i q u e n e s s t o t h e commodity/product in the organic market. To build consumer trust and maintain the organic integrity of the finished product. Confirm the fulfilment of label regula ons and of legal rules. Assess the results of the inspec on APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Need Certification & Importance OrganicAgriculture: Seed Production organic cer fica on by the competent cer fying body. Seed treatment: The seeds may require treatment before plan ng if these are not already appropriately treated. This can be easily done on the farm with animal/plant based manure /compost and recommended micro‐ organism prepara on. Seedling dip: Seedlings of various crops are dipped in the suspension of recommended micro‐organism prepara on animal/plant based manure /compost before transplan ng for a minimum of 30 minutes to 12 hours and transplanted immediately a er the treatment. Time of plan ng: The seed crops should invariably be sown at their normal plan ng me. Depending upon incidence of disease and pests, some adjustments can be made. At the me of plan ng there should be sufficient soil moisture for germina on to take place.

FERTILITY MANAGEMENT 

Agro‐clima c region: A crop variety to be grown for seed produc on in an area must be adapted to the photoperiod and temperature condi ons prevailing in that area. Maintenance of bio‐diversity is one of the important requirements for a successful organic farming ecosystem. Seed Plot: The plot selected for seed crop must have the following characteris cs:  Soil texture and fer lity of plot should be according to the requirement of the seed crop.  The seed plot should be free from volunteer plants, weed plants and other crop plants.  The soil of the seed plot should be compara vely free from soil‐borne diseases and insect pests.  In the preceding season, the same crop should not have been grown on this land, this is demanded by the seed cer ﬁca on standards.  It should be feasible to isolate the p l o t a s p e r re q u i re m e nt s o f cer ﬁca on standards. ISOLATION/BUFFER ZONE The seed crop must be isolated

from other nearby fields of the same crop and other contamina ng crops as per requirements of cer fica on standards. The isola on of a seed crop is usually done by providing some distance between seed fields and other fields.

SELECTION/ CHOICE OF CROPS AND VARIETIES The no fied/registered/improved variety for organic seed produc on must be carefully selected. Except in excep onal cases it should sa sfy the following criteria:  The variety should be adapted to the agro ‐clima c condi ons of the region.  High nutrient demanding crop/ variety should not be grown in the first year, but it should be a high yielder.  The variety should posses other d e s i ra b l e a r i b u te s : d i s e a s e resistance, earliness, grain quality etc.  The plan ng material must fulfil the standard fixed for different categories of the seed as well as

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4



In the nutri on of seed crops, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and several other elements play an important role for proper develop‐ ment of plant and seed. In general, an adequate supply of nitrogen is very important for good healthy growth. A n a p p ro p r i ate m u l ‐ a n n u a l rota on, including legumes (fer lity building crops) and crops with different roo ng depths is required. The inclusion in a rota on of green manure or cover crop can consider‐ ably increase the efficiency with which nitrogen is used. Use of beneficial micro‐organism prepara ons improves plant vigour and produc vity. The beneficial micro‐organisms/bio‐fer lizers on applica on to plants, soil or compos ng pits help in mobiliza on of various nutrients through their biological ac vity.

DISEASE, INSECT/PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN 

On‐farm made formula on (animal and plant based) should be used for

INTERVIEW

www.krishijagran.com

disease and insect control.  Iden fied appropriate strains of m i c ro ‐ o rga n i s m p re p a ra o n s should be used under recomme‐ nded condi ons and for the requisite me.  Micro‐organisms that interfere with the life‐cycle of insect pests and pathogens offer a means in that they cannot cause much damage to the crop. Such organisms selec vely target their specific hosts without affec ng other organisms. These organisms include fungi, bacteria and even viruses.

WEED MANAGEMENT Good weed management is a basic requirement in producing good quality seed and non‐chemical weed management (a er Kopke 2000) should be resorted to.

Indirect methods C ro p ro ta o n : C o m p e o n , complementari es and allelopathy Farm hygiene: Cleaning of seed/plan ng material as well as cleaning of machinery and tools. Soil cul va on: Tillage (turning/ non‐ turning) and photobiology. Improvement of compe veness: Seed quality, morphology and vigour of cul vars, distance sowing and strategic fer lisa on and irriga on.

Direct methods Mechanical: Hand weeding, use of chisel nes, disc harrows, spring nes, rotary hoes, brush weeders and mulching . Thermal: Flame weeders, steam weeders and infrared weeders. Biological: Grazing with livestock, classical bio‐control and bio‐herbicide micro‐organisms as weed pathogens.

ROUGING: Adequate and mely rouging is extremely important in seed produc on. Rouging in most of the ﬁeld crops may be done by the following stages as per the needs of the seed crop. (1) Vegeta ve/pre‐ﬂowering stage, (2) Flowering stage , and (3) maturity stage.

SUPPLEMENTARY POLLINATION Provision of honey bees in hives in

close proximity to the seed ﬁelds of crops largely cross‐pollinated by insects ensures good seed set and higher seed yields.

IRRIGATION Irriga on is essen al to obtain good seed yields. In general, lighter soils need more frequent irriga on than heavy ones. Soil with organic ma er is very suitable for deriving the maximum beneﬁts from irriga on.

HARVESTING OF SEED CROPS A er the early field opera ons have been completed and the seed fields approved for field standards, the last field opera on is harves ng. It is of great importance to harvest a seed crop at a me that will allow both the maximum yield and the best quality seed. Harves ng , if done at the appropriate me, gives subsequent good quality seed. The subsequent quality of seed is however, dependent upon the handling of the harvested crop and the care taken during threshing. Every effort should be made to avoid mechanical injury to and contamina on of seeds during threshing. Lot iden ty and status should be specified on the container or bags. The seed produce should be kept status and variety‐wise on separate threshing floors, which should be either cemented or covered with tarpaulins. During threshing, care should also be taken to clean the threshing machine

very thoroughly and to adjust it properly to avoid contamina on, and mechanical injury.

DRYING OF SEEDS Drying of seeds to safe moisture limit should be done quickly. There are several precau ons which need to be taken: Dont's ·

Do not start harves ng at moisture percentage more than 18 percent.

A er harves ng, do not leave the harvested crop on the wet ground.

While combine harves ng, do not use the combine harvester for another variety, unless it has been thoroughly cleaned.

STORAGE: ·

Do not store without proper drying.

Do not store in a damp place.

Do not mix it with: another variety, conversion stage and uncer ﬁed por on of same crop/ variety.

Dr. Himanand Semwal Joint Director, U arakhand State Organic Cer ﬁca on Agency (USOCA)

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW

Excel has a via 'Madhyam'

xcel Crop Care limited is well known company for the produc on and Marke ng of agrochemicals, specialized fer lizers, Bio Pes cides and soil Nutri on products. They had also partnered with many state governments and provided training to many farming communi es in IPM and organic cul va on. Krishi Jagran interacted with Mr. SPS Malik, GM, Soil Nutri on Products, of Excel Crop Care and Mr Ranjan Kumar Singh, all India Product Manager to understand the role played by Excel in the Sikkim Organic Mission. Mr. Ranjan has from several state governments ins tu o the Soil Health Services Award from the UP Governor recently for making a valuable contribu on to agriculture extension. The role of Mr. Ranjan in the promo on of the Sikkim Organic Mission has been exemplary. This has been achieved largely through dissemina on of informa on, knowledge and promo on of Aerobic compos ng through Excel's Product , 'Madhyam'. Sikkim will be the ﬁrst wholly organic state in the country by this year end. What role has Excel played in the achievement of this target ? The Sikkim Government decided as early as 2003 to make the state fully organic by 2015. Excel has been working with the state government over the past three years as a resource ins tu on. It has been training farmers in organic farming in 30 'Livelihood Schools' spread all over the state. Apart from this, the government had adopted one village in every district and introduced an integrated farming system (IFS) there. IFS is Integra on of various agricultural departments and enterprises viz., cropping, animal husbandry, ﬁsheries, forestry, etc., in one pla orm, which not only helps supplement the income of the farmers but also helps promote employment. Excel is working in each of these IFS villages on behalf of the Agriculture and Hor culture Departments and helping to create interest in organic farming. It is providing training in Krishi Vigyan Kendras as also at the Panchayat level. Aiding the farmers greatly in taking up organic farming in Excel's product, 'Madhyam' compost (see box). Training is provided to them in how to make organic manure in bulk with the help of 'Madhyam'. Excel has given more than 200 demonstra ons ll now. Earlier, the farmers prac cing organic farming were not

adop ng proper methodologies. They were u lizing raw cow dung as compost which led to infesta on as also problems with weeds. To obviate these difficul es, The company advise them to adopt the 'Madhyam' inoculants. So now the farmers are mixing the cow dung and agriculture biomass with their product and this is adding to soil fer lity. The use of only 1 kg of 'Madhyam' can help prepare 1 tonne of waste compost. Gurbisey Namchi, the village from which Chief Minister Chambling's wife hails, has widely adopted 'Madhyam'. As a result, the potato, tomato, cardamom and ginger crops grown these have benefi ed greatly. Earlier, farmers in the state were not growing potatoes, but a er 'Madhyam' was introduced, they have started cul va ng these on a large scale. Is 'Madhyam' in use in other states ? Punjab, Cha shgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and U ar Pradesh are other states where 'Madhyam' is being u lized with good results. Are you planning to launch any new product? W e h a v e introducing two new biopes cides, Tricho HR and Sudocel, and have got organic cer fica on for these. These biopes cides work effec vely against soil born disease, black rot, wilt Results before and a er Madhyam treatment and root rot.

WHAT IS ' MADHYAM'?

Madhyam is a culture of micro-organisms developed for accelerated aerobic composting of organic waste. Waste to which this product is added becomes more rich organically and can be used in lawns, nurseries or in the farmer's fields. The recommended dose is 1kg for 1mt of organic waste. If the waste is dry, prepare a slurry using 30 ltr. of water per 1 kg of Madhyam and then spray onto the waste. Turn over the compost heap every week for proper aeration. Under normal conditions, the composting process should be A training session in progress One of the livelihood schools complete within 4-6 weeks. APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4 20

Organic Agriculture: Need & Importance Organic Agriculture: Need & Importance

Organic Agriculture Need & Importance

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic OrganicAgriculture: Agriculture:Need Need&&Importance Importance

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

www.krishijagran.com

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW

www.krishijagran.com

Dr. K. T. Chandy He is recipient of na onal & interna onal award for the outstanding work in above men oned ďŹ eld. He is on the Editorial Board of Krishi Jagran Media Group.)

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW

Sustainable Agriculture is Possible Through Biotechnology —Neeraj Gulati

n t e r n a t i o n a l Pa n a a c e a Limited (IPL) is one of the pioneers in agricultural biotechnology primarily engaged in delivering products to maximize agricultural productivity and sustainability. Using fermentation process, IPL manufactures high quality bio-products such as Biofertilizers, Bio-pesticides and Enzymes for the encouragement of organic farming and sustainable agriculture in India. These bio products are approved under Fertilizers Control Order, 1985 and also registered by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee as per Insecticide Act, 1968.Company is maintaining high quality standards of its bio-products,higher than the minimum standards specified by above mentioned two regulatory bodies in India.

IPL focuses on finding “Solutions through Biotechnology” and has diversified its R & D efforts into Agri Biotech, Industrial & Environmental Biotech.IPL is in the continuous process of innovating, designing and developing novel products to find alternates of agrochemicals. Krishi Jagran interacted with Mr. Neeraj G u l a t i , H e a d - M a r ke t i n g o f International Panaacea Limited and discussed about sustainable agriculture through Biotechnology. Q. What are the ill effects of high usage of Chemicals in Indian Agriculture? For the last 50 years, India had worked towards improving the living standards of Indians but all these were achieved through excessive use of chemicals in all forms of life like agriculture, health and environment. Injudicious use of chemical pesticides in agriculture, antibiotics in health care and various toxic chemicals had led to harmful effect on the Mother Nature and the same way on human beings. There are hundreds of such instances of the chemical poisoning. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides is leading to direct poisoning of the food we eat and the milk we drink, it is also poisoning the soil, ground water and rivers. The most damaging fact is that these chemicals leave residues which remain in soil and environment for many years; and hence these poisons accumulate every year, and keep growing in the eco-system.

Q How IPL has catered to these issues and contributed for Solutions? We have solutions to these problems through Biotechnology. International Panaacea Limited with its expertise on Biotechnology is always working to find alternates for agro chemicals through Biotechnology. We have developed bioproducts which have given excellent result in Nutrient management, Insect pest and Diseases management in different crops. These are effective on all types of diseases i.e. soil borne, seed borne and foliar diseases. In case of insect pest management, our products are effective against soilborne insects, sucking pests, lepidopteron pests, mites and nematodes. Large number of farmers and growers are regularly using our products and are getting benefitted by controlling some of difficult to control diseases like Citrus – Quick wilt, g u m m o s i s , c i t r u s c a n k e r, Pomegranate – Xanthomonas, fruit rot, Banana – Wilt & Sigotaka, Papaya – Quick wilt, Cotton – Fusarium wilt, Ginger& Turmeric – Rhizome rot, Strawberry – Wilt & fruit rot, Grapes – Powdery mildew & Downy Mildew, Groundnut – Collar Rot & wilt. What are the services you provide to the farmers through your customer care service "Phaslon Ka Doctor"? We feel extremely proud to inform you that we have started "Phaslon Ka Doctor" a Customer Care Service for all farmers across India

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

INTERVIEW usage of bio fertilisers and bio pesticides has increased farmer status through viable, cost effective and multitasking alternatives for improved crop production. Q. What is current crux in the field of organic & sustainable agriculture?

Non Treated Banana

Banana Treated with IPL

through Toll free number. We have implemented this system in order to accomplish following objectives:

of side effects can be seen like environmental pollution, increase cost of production and seeping of chemicals into food products. Our objective is to promote use of biological products for sustainable agriculture and create awareness among farmers through farmer meetings, campaigns, training programs and by conducting on field demonstrations. With increasing awareness, attention has been shifted to biological alternatives for agrochemicals and pesticides. The

路路路

路

To provide information on better agriculturalpractices; To provide solutions to the farming problems; To provide infor mation on organic and sustainable agriculture; To p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n t o improve productivity and economy.

We are one of the pioneer in Agrisector in providing these kind of services to our clients. We have set up the benchmarks for the existing players to exemplify. Q. As food security is a big concern, How International Panaacea Ltd. has planned to curve this national issue? Yes, biotechnology is the only solution to meet the growing food re q u i re m e n t s . G r o w i n g w o r l d population and shrinking cultivable land puts tremendous pressure on the agricultural outputs. Apart fromthis,decreasing cultivableland and receding fertility of land, pests and diseases contributes to huge losses in p r o d u c t i o n . G re e n re v o l u t i o n facilitated the increase in production through the use of agrochemicals and pesticides to combat the constraints for yield. However, in the long term lot

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Microbial based bio fertilizers and bio pesticides are the most important ones for practicing organic & s u s t a i n a b l e a g r i c u l t u re . T h e s e microbes have almost all the properties, endowed by nature, to provide solution to existing agroproblems of Indian agriculture andintroduced five decades ago butmost of the farmers still raise eyebrows when talked about these microbes, the reason being their past experiences of using low C.F.U count bio-inputs and inferior strains. We ensure that only the high CFU count i.e., high microbial count biofertilizers & biopesticides with improved shelf life, effective strainswhich are registered and certified are promoted with significant information which International Panaacea limited has been doing since last 20 years.

Quality Assurance Systems in Organic Farming

Quality Assurance Systems in organic farming Preamble Over the past 10 years, it has been proved beyond doubt that organic agriculture has the poten al to ensure economic, social and developmental benefits for farmers in rainfed, hilly and low‐fer lizer usage areas, par cularly for small and marginal farmers. These benefits have also been emphasized by the FAO and are sought to be encashed in many developing countries of Asia, Africa and La n America. In many developing countries, including India, a significant share of agricultural land is under tradi onal or “alterna ve” produc on methods, with li le or no use of agro‐chemicals. Such areas can be converted to organic agriculture, provided the markets are available and a credible guarantee system is put in place to provide organic cer fica on. Realizing the benefits, consumers are also demanding organically grown food and are willing to pay a premium for it. But to help boost sales, there is a crying need for cer fica on.

Organic certification Oragnic cer ﬁca on basically involves a en on to the following elements:



 



Avoidance of synthe c chemical inputs (e.g. fer lizers, pes cides, hormones, an bio cs, food addi ves, etc.) and gene cally modiﬁed organisms. Use of farmland that has been free from chemicals for a number of years (o en, two or more). Keeping detailed wri en produc on and sales records (audit trail). M aintaining strict physical separa on of organic products from non‐cer ﬁed products. U ndertaking periodic on‐site inspec ons.

Purpose of certification Organic cer fica on addresses a growing worldwide demand for organic food. It is intended to assure quality and prevent fraud. Cer fica on iden fies appropriate suppliers of the required products. For consumers, "cer fied organic" serves as a product assurance similar to "low fat", "100% whole wheat" or "no ar ficial preserva ves". Cer fica on is essen ally aimed at regula ng and facilita ng the sale of organic products.

Organic certification systems in India India is among the first few developing countries to have developed and launched a credible third party cer fica on system. The Na onal Programme on Organic Produc on (NPOP) launched in 2000 for export of organic commodi es, served as the sole quality assurance system ll 2006, as there was no quality assurance system in place for domes c markets. To fill the vacuum and ensure a comparable and credible cer fica on system for the domes c market, the provisions of NPOP were no fied under the Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marking) Act. As many as 30 accredited cer fica on agencies are now cer fying organic producers under these two third party cer fica on systems. Produce from about 6.5 lakh ha, belonging to 6 lakh farmers, is being cer fied under this system. Keeping in view the prohibi vely high cost of cer fica on and the complexity in documenta on, a farmer group centric cer fica on system was launched in 2012 under the Na onal

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Quality Assurance Systems in Organic Farming Project on Organic Farming by the D e p a r t m e nt o f A g r i c u l t u re a n d Coopera on, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. An NGO can also run a Par cipatory Guarantee System (PGS). and such systems are in place in some states. Approximately 8500 farmers are being cer ﬁed under these two PGS systems.

Third party certification process Third‐party cer fica on involves in an independent organiza on reviewing the en re produc on, processing, handling, storage and transport process to ensure compliance with organic standards. The process typically includes comprehensive review of cul va on prac ces, including land management, usage of inputs, use of machinery, pest management, post‐ harves ng and processing as well as on‐ site physical inspec ons. All cer fied products bear the cer fier's mark on the packaging to help buyers make educated purchasing decisions.

Methodology The third party cer fica on process starts with the adop on of the Na onal Standard of Organic Produc on (NSOP) on farms followed by the registra on of the produc on unit with one of the accredited cer fica on bodies. Thirty cer fica on bodies are authorized by the Ministry of C o m m e rc e fo r g ra n n g o rga n i c cer fica on for exports. Producers can choose any one of these for cer fica on. In order to get his produce cer fied, a farmer typically is required to engage in a number of ac vi es in addi on to normal farming opera ons. These include: ·

A study of organic standards, which cover in speciﬁc detail what is and what is not allowed for every aspect of farming, including storage, transport and sales. Being compliant with produc on methods and standards, which may involve modifying facili es as well as seeing to supply channels. Undertaking the necessary paperwork, detailing farm history and current set‐up, and usually including results of soil and water tests.

Submi ng an annual produc on plan, detailing everything from seeds to sales: seed sources, field and crop loca ons, fer liza on and pest control ac vi es, harves ng methods, storage loca ons, etc. Preparing for annual on‐farm inspec ons, with a physical tour, examina on of records and an oral interview. Paying a fee to the cer fica on body for annual survellence and for obtaining a cer fica on stamp which is acceptable in the market as a symbol of quality. Record‐keeping rela ng to all ac vi es, with the details being ready for inspec on at any me.

In addi on, short‐no ce or surprise inspec ons can be made and specific tests (e.g. those rela ng to soil, water, plant ssue) may be requested. For first‐ me farm cer fica on, the soil must meet basic requirements of being free from use of prohibited substances (synthe c chemicals, etc) for a number of years. A conven onal farm must adhere to organic standards for this period‐o en, two‐three years. This is known as being "in transi on" or "conversion" Transi onal crops are not considered fully organic. A farm already producing without chemicals may be cer fied organic without any delay. Cer fica on for opera ons other than those rela ng to farms is similar. The focus is on ingredients and inputs as well as processing and handling condi ons. A transport company would be required to detail the use and maintenance of its vehicles, storage facili es, containers and so forth. A restaurant would need to have its premises inspected and its suppliers cer fied as being organic.

Certification procedure in brief ·

Applica on to the cer fica on agency in the prescribed format with necessary farm and process details. Screening of applica on by the cer fica on agency and, if necessary, the seeking of further details/clarifica ons. Cost es mate comprising cer fica on charge, inspec on charge, travel costs, repor ng costs,

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

· ·

· · · ·

· ·

laboratory charges, etc., to be sent for acceptance. Acceptance of cost by the grower/ producer. Signing of agreement between grower/producer and cer fica on agency. The seeking by the cer fica on agency of the cropping/ produc on/ cul va on/ processing plan as well as supply by it of a copy of the standards to be followed by the grower/producer. The raising by the cer fica on agency of an invoice asking the producer to release 50% of the cer fica on cost in advance. Payment of the fee by the grower/producer. Working out of the inspec on schedule. Inspec on on one or more occasion if required, unannounced. Submission of the Inspec on reports to the cer fica on commi ee. Payment of final amount to the cer fica on agency. Grant of cer fica on.

Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) While third party cer fica on is an essen al component of organized trade, there are downsides to the system. The inherent expense and paperwork required in a mul ‐level system discourages many small organic producers from op ng for cer fica on. This limits local and domes c trade as well as access to organic products. In India the complexi es involved in the third party cer fica on system, the prohibi vely high cost and non‐ availability of ready markets. are major deterrents to the organic growth story. In an a empt to reduce to improve ma er a n u mb er o f a ltern a ve methods to guarantee the organic integrity of products have been

INTERVIEW developed for small domes c producers, and these are growing rapidly. Thousands of small producers now associate themselves with these alterna ves programmers, collec vely referred to as Par cipatory Guarantee Systems (PGS).

A low-cost organic certification system In tune with the interna onal trends and IFOAM's PGS guidelines, the PGS mechanism in India is based on a par cipatory approach, a shared vision, transparency and trust. In addi on, it gives the PGS movement a na onal recogni on and ins tu onal structure.

Guiding principles In P G S, the key stakeholders (producers, consumers, retailers, traders and others such as NGOs) are all engaged in the ini al design, and then in the opera on of the PGS process as well as decision‐making. There is a shared vision among all par cipants. Shared Vision ‐ Collec ve responsibility for implementa on and decision‐making is driven by common shared vision. This can be achieved ini ally through their par cipa on and support in the design and then by joining it. This may include commitment in wri ng through signing an applica on/ document that includes the vision. Transparency ‐ Transparency is created by making all stakeholders, including producers and consumers, aware of exactly how the guarantee system works, including the standards and rules. There are clearly defined and documented systems and how decisions are transparent. Public access is ensured to all documenta on and informa on about the PGS groups, such as lists of cer fied producers and details about their farms as well as non‐ compliance ac ons. Trust ‐ PGS is built on the bedrock that producers can be trusted and that the organic guarantee system can be an expression and verifica on of this trust. The aim of this system is to be non‐ hierarchical at the group level. This is reflected in the overall democra c structure and through the collec ve responsibility of the PGS group in sharing and rota ng responsibility, by

www.krishijagran.com engaging producers directly in the peer review of each other's farms; and by transparency in the decision‐making process. An ins tu onal structure of sorts, has been achieved by networking the groups under a common umbrella through various facilita ng agencies, regional councils and zonal councils. The Na onal Centre of Organic Farming is the nodal opera ng office, being the custodian of data, defining policies and guidelines and undertaking surveillance through field monitoring and product tes ng for residues. Regional councils and facilita ng agencies help the groups in capacity building, training, and knowledge/ technology dissemina on as well as data maintenance.

PGS process 

PGS Standards, basic opera onal manuals, procedures, documents, formats etc are available on the website http://ncof.dacnet.nic.in ;  10 to 50 Farmers belonging to one village or two‐three close by villages make up a group and collec vely pledge to opt for organic farming.  Group registers with Regional Council (R C). At present the Na onal Centre of Organic Farming (NCOF), Ghaziabad and its six Regional Centers of Organic Farming ( R C O Fs), located at Bangaluru, Bhubaneswar, Imphal, Panchkula, Jabalpur and Nagpur are working as Zonal councils and Regional Councils;  Recogni on of P G S group is granted by RC on veriﬁca on of data;  Training and knowledge on PGS opera onal systems is a prerequisite for recogni on of a group, which is provided by the NCOF and its six RCOFs;  Capacity building of group members is ensured by peers in the group;

PGS Green and PGS organic (for under conversion crops)



Regular mee ngs and peer inspec ons are organized;  At the end of season, a collec ve decision is taken on the status of each farmer;  The en re informa on is provided to the RC on‐line or off‐line in hard copies including peer appraisal sheets and details on crop yield farmer wise;  On document assessment and direct surveillance reports RC decides on the cer fica on status of the group;  RC grants Scope cer ficate along with logo, PGS number and farmer sub code;  Consumer can access details about farmer group with PGS number;  N C O F and R C O Fs undertake regular sur veillance, collect samples being sold or produced under PGS and get these analyzed for residue to ensure compliance.  Residue analysis results kept in the public domain.  Results are also linked to co n c e r n e d g ro u p , p rov i d i n g addi onal trust.  Defaulter group's are kept under surveillance and kept out of the cer fica on process.

Dr. A.K. Yadav Former Consultant, Ministry of Agriculture, GOI Former Director, Na onal Centre of Organic Farming, GOI APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

National Integration of Livestock-crop Organic Farming Project in Thailand

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

www.krishijagran.com

• manageagro-ecological system • treat animal respectfully • enhance animal health • feedlocally organic feed stuffs

Quality control system

• farmer organization • internal control system

 local green market  farmer market  direct to consumer

Organiclivestock technique

Marketing channels

Fig. 2: 3 systems of organic learning

LIVESTOCKS cattle, swine, duck, laying hen, native chicken

ANIMAL FEEDS rice bran, broken rice, weed, plant by products

MAIN CROP Organice Jusmine Rice

Alternative Markets - Farm gate sale - Farmer market/CSA - Rice for export & domestic

ORGANIC MANURE

BACKYARD Native plant, vegetable, fruit

Livestock products - Duck egg/meat

- Chicken egg/meat - Pork - Beef

Fig. 1: Interrela onships of crops & livestock systems

Jintana Indramangala Thai Organic Agriculture Founda on Rice Department, Kasetklang, Bangken Jatujuk, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND Email: Jintana.indra@gmail.com

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness

From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness Strategies and Success Story 1. Introduction Ever since the beginning of the Organic agriculture movement, the basic principles have been to create and establish the best possible rela onship between earth and its resources, including all its inhabitants. Globally, t h e re h a s a l s o b e e n s i g n i fi ca nt sensi za on during the last decades towards environmental preserva on and assuring of food quality. Organic farming is being promoted as an ideal alterna ve which not only addresses the environmental, food safety and sustainability concerns, but also has the poten al to feed the world. In India, a major challenge today is grounding the needed policy support in mainstreaming of organic agri‐sector. In the last five years, with the efforts of Central and State Governments and various stakeholders, a founda on has already been laid for the growth of organic farming and its market development in India. But looking to the poten al and size of the country, efforts need to be intensified and focused through appropriate policies.

1.1. Organic agriculture perspec ve under Indian condi ons In India, in the past 15 years with the increasing demand/markets for organic products the cer fica on and regula on of the organic sector came into being and thrived. However, discussion and debates con nues on whether organic agriculture should be equated with cer fied organic farming, which is basically a third‐party assurance for commercial and marke ng mechanism. Organic farming is an agriculture that takes into account and employs knowledge, skills and understanding of naturally occurring processes to maintain and enhance soil fer lity and control insect‐pests and diseases; while the cer fied organic farming is essen ally the same but there is an addi on of checks and balances for monitoring the en re process. About 74% farmers in India are small and marginal farmers. Organic agriculture is most relevant to them. In this farming system, a piece of land is used op mally and to its fullest

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

poten al to produce a range of crops and/or animals in a manner which can healthily feed a small family, and maintain soil health and produc vity by a g r i c u l t u ra l p ra c c e s b a s e d o n principles of organic farming. Pests (both insects and diseases) are also controlled and managed by the selec on of crop mixes and using biological control measures. 1.2. Emergence of organic agriculture in India The organic agriculture in India has developed from two streams. The ﬁrst stream emanates from sustainable agriculture oriented farmers perceiving organic agriculture as a development tool for improving net income from fa r m i n g t h ro u g h a h o l i s c a n d integrated farm‐produc on system; The second stream comprised of entrepreneurs and enterprises working with groups of farmers or large‐scale farmers with a view to capturing its export opportuni es. From the state of an unknown opportunity in agriculture in the 1990s to being talked about as a viable

www.krishijagran.com alterna ve tool to address many ills of Indian agriculture, organic agriculture has come a long way in the past 15 years. It is the combined effect of farmers' efforts, NGOs work, Govt interven ons and market forces that Indian organic agriculture has reached a stage where it can swi ly move to occupy a prominent space in Indian agriculture. As a consequence, with less than 42,000 ha under cer fied organic farming during 2004, the organic agriculture has grown almost 17 fold during the last 15 years!! By 2014, India has brought more than 7.23 lakh ha area under organic cer fica on process. Year‐wise growth of cul vated area under organic management is shown in Figure‐1 below. Na onal Project on Organic Farming, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (i.e. Na onal Agriculture Development Project) and Na onal Hor culture Mission schemes of Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce, G ov t . o f I n d i a h a s s i g n i fi ca nt l y contributed to this growth. Other than the Union Government (Central), as many as 12 Indian states have defined their own organic policies; and four of them have also declared their inten on to go 100% organic in due course of me. Recently under the new Govt at the Centre, the Union Ministry of Agriculture has also launched a new

scheme 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana' to promote organic agriculture and alloca ng a budget of INR 300 crores for these ini a ves. For quality assurance the country has interna onally acclaimed cer fica on process in place for export, import and domes c markets. By 2015, India has 25 accredited cer fica on agencies looking a er the requirement of cer fica on process and the products cer fied by them are accepted in countries all over the world.

2. Future prospects & Markets G l o b a l d e m a n d fo r o r g a n i c products is growing at 15‐25%. The sales of organic products worldwide are touching US$ 100 billion and are expected to cross USD 200 billion by 2020. Consumer demand for organic products s ll is concentrated in North America and Europe; but new markets are emerging albeit slowly in the Asian region. The market for organic products from India and within India has also developed signiﬁcantly in the last 10 years. The trade es mate In India shows that the market for organic products has crossed Rs. 4000 crores, including food as well as non‐food. In 2014‐15, India exported to a value of Rs. 3500 crores worth of organic food products and the domes c markets within the country has crossed Rs. 600 crores.

3. Organic Agribusiness: A CASE STUDY of Market-linkages

Area (ha)

1400000 1200000

1180000

1000000

1020000 865000

800000

820000 A.

600000

538000

723000

400000 200000 0

Although India has tradi onally been a country with organic systems of farming, the modern scien ﬁc, input‐ intensive agriculture had resulted in deple on of many resources, e.g. loss of soil fer lity, micro ﬂora and fauna, l o w e r e d g r o u n d w a t e r, l o s s o f biodiversity, etc. But with the increasing consumer consciousness about the safety and quality of foods, sustaina‐ bility of the agrisystems and accumula‐ ng evidences that organic farming can be equally produc ve, the organic farming has emerged as an alterna ve system.

173000 76000 42000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Interna onal Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) is a networking and interface organiza on owned by the stakeholders and based in Bangalore, India. It works towards the promo on and growth of Organic Agriculture in India. It is a knowledge and learning centre for all aspects of organic agriculture and serves all sec ons of stakeholders. It also has a special emphasis on crea ng market linkages for organic clusters/projects from all parts of the country. The story below is of a key ini a ve of ICCOA to help and train conversion of farmers from conven onal agriculture to organic agriculture and to provide

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

From Organic Agriculture to Organic Agribusiness in extension and organic prac ces to communicate the beneﬁts of Organic Agriculture. They also enrolled 120 farmers to cover 150 hactares under vegetable cul va on in these three villages. The enrolled farmers were trained on Organic Farming and registered as farmers under the Cer ﬁca on Programme.

market‐linkages. This ini a ve covers a series of ac vi es, viz.: Organising interested farmers into clusters.  Registra on of farmers for cer fica on program (through the Small Holder Group Cer fica on program ) and for Training on organic farming prac ces  Tra i n i n g fa r m e rs o n H a r ve st planning, Grading, Labeling and Packing for customised deliveries.  ICCOA supported logis cs and final delivery to retail stores/customers. 

The interven on at the back‐end for conver ng a land from conven onal to organic agriculture concludes with the receipt of cer fica on. The real challenge starts when the farmer decides to go “Organic”. During the ini al periods of “in conversion”, the farmers' produce cannot be marketed as “Cer fied Organic”. Without the cer fica on, the consumer doesn't accept the crop as “Organic” and hence do not pay a premium over the conven onal produce. Since there is a likelihood of drop in yields during the ini al phase of “in conversion”, it is all the more important that the farmers need to be supported during this period with be er prices.

3.2 Procurement Program‐ While the organic cer ﬁca on program was a government funded project, ICCOA was not originally mandated to market the crops under the “in‐conversion”. But ICCOA realised the importance of helping farmers in marke ng to sustain their interest levels in Organic Agriculture. ICCOA promised to develop a procurement program for the listed farmers. A small group of proac ve farmers was created to drive the marke ng ini a ve. They were trained by ICCOA's team on harves ng, sor ng, grading, packing and labelling. The parameters for all these ac vi es were created in consulta on with the large retail chains with a na onal presence. 3.3 Harves ng

3.5 Packing The packing was done at the respec ve villages as desired by the retail chains that expressed their willingness to market these “organically grown” produce. The farmers grew around 15 diﬀerent vegetables. The vegetables were categorised into three grades for packaging depending the size of each individual vegetable. The large vegetables like ridge gourd, bo le gourd, cucumber etc were not packed but sold as individual pieces with a small s cker of the label aﬃxed on it. The medium sized vegetables like tomato, chow‐chow etc were packed in netlon bags. The smaller ones like chillies, beans etc., were packed in plas c pouches and sealed.

The farmer groups started realising that the right me and method of harves ng a fruit/vegetable was cri cal for its keeping quality. It also ensured that the consumers received the produce with the right size for consump on. They created sheds for sor ng, grading, packing and labelling.

3.6 Labelling The label was developed in house at ICCOA, using the consumer insights gained through a qualita ve market research. ICCOA decided to leverage the consumers' fear around quality of food. The safety label is given below:

3.4 Sor ng and Grading T h e h a r ve ste d p ro d u c e wa s

While the core theme was safety, the label also communicated the key

ICCOA took up this challenge and started a pilot with a project of 'Organic vegetables produc on' in three villages of Bangalore Rural – Chickballapur, Doddaballapur and Devanahalli. This pilot was started in September 2010. 3.1 Farmers Cluster Forma on and Development ICCOA deployed ﬁeld staﬀ trained

brought to the sheds in the villages. During the ini al days representa ves from ICCOA helped the farmers to sort t h e ve geta b l e s w i t h re s p e c t to parameters like length and girth of the vegetables, colour etc. The sorted vegetables were then graded into A, B and C. While grades A&B were meant for the retail chains, grade C was taken to the nearby markets and sold as conven onal vegetables.

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

www.krishijagran.com

beneﬁts of “Organically Grown” produce, namely‐ 'Healthy', 'Chemical‐free', 'Tasty' and 'Safe'. The label also declared the source of the produce. I C C O A conﬁdently lent its name as an assurance for “quality” and a mark of credibility to the claim. The packed and labelled vegetables were later transported to the distribu on centres of each retail chain in crates. The transporta on was organised locally by the I C C O A representa ves with the help of the buyers. The crates were provided by one buyer with a usage fee, while ICCOA purchased crates for supplies to the other retail chain/outlets. 3.7 Retail Chains The retail chain that ini ally s u p p o r t e d I C C O A fo r r e t a i l i n g Organically Grown Vegetables was Safal, the F& V retailing arm of Mother Diary. Later Spencer Super Markets also joined the fray by commencing retailing

of “Organically Grown” vegetables at selec ve stores in Bangalore. Major retail chains especially Spencers, Heritage Fresh an d some stand‐alone stores provided racks dedicated for displaying these vegetables. ICCOA ex tended marke ng support by crea ng well designed merchandising collaterals like header cards, shelf strips and labels. These collaterals at the stores guaranteed visibility for the category and also helped the consumers diﬀeren ate between conven onally grown and organically grown vegetables. The retailers paid a premium of 15% over conven onal mandi prices for these 'under conversion organic vegetables'. The payment for the produce was made on a weekly basis. This was disbursed to the farmers a er deduc ng only the transporta on charges. 4.Way Forward The no. of outlets selling “organically grown” vegetables has steadily climbed up. ICCOA set up a stall a t t h e Fa r m e rs Fa i r / Fe s va l i n Bangalore to sell these vegetables as a promo onal tool. The ini a ve was a big hit, paving way for opening more outlets. Many stand alone stores, individual entrepreneurs and house wives have shown interest to commence this business. While mul ple models of reaching the p ro d u c e t o t h e c o n s u m e rs a r e discussed, priority is given for the

following: 4.1. Marke ng through Retail Chains (they have good foo alls of the right target group and therefore gets visibility) 4.2. Marke ng through stand‐alone stores willing to provide dedicated spaces for organic fresh to the consumers (ladies in apartment complexes have shown interest in this model) 4.3. Launching a direct‐to‐home model through entrepreneurs and push carts Bangalore (the basket‐ delivery or carts shall carry a minimum of 6‐10 vegetables depending on the seasonal availability). I C C O A from its grass‐root experiences has realised that the market linkage programs associated with the Organic Conversion Programs are the only way of sustaining the farmers during and a er conversion. T h e fa r m e r s w o u l d g o b a c k t o conven onal agriculture, if they do not get be er realisa ons for their produce. This would mean wasted a empts for conversion. Hence success of this ini a ve is cri cal and the same can be shared as a model for replica on in every Organic Conversion Program under way in India.

Manoj Kumar Menon Execu ve Director Interna onal Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture,(ICCOA) India APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Waste is Wealth: An IARI Hit

ndia has already enjoyed the fruits of four decades of post‐green revolu on and this largely due to the use of high‐yielding varie es and increased extensive use of chemical fer lizers, though, has created several problems like deteriora on in soil fer lity environment degrada on, human health hazards and food insecurity, as well, of course higher fer lizer cost. Issues such as these rela ng to sustainability in the agri‐

increased agricultural produc on, there is also a huge amount of resultant agro‐ wastes produced in the country. Disposal of such organic wastes from various sources like the domes c sector, agriculture, animal husbandry and industry has posed serious environm‐ ental hazards and economic problems. Generally, wastes from gardens, lawns fruit and vegetable markets is collected and dumped in municipal landﬁlls, not only occupying a large space (more than

Moo, Moo & Model !

“Bovine resources come in to play in the generation of IARI's crop residue compost, there is generous use of cow dung to get the mix right.This is supplied by the Delhi Pinjrapole Society's, Gosadan, located in Kishan Ganj. Previously, this dung produced at the Gosadan went waste, getting and drained into the waterbodies and adding to pollution woes. With IARI's decision to utilise the dung, the problem of the society was solved and today dung from 800 animals at the Gosadan is used by IARI's Biomass Utilization Unit. This has led to a win-win situation for both the parties involved”. produc on system and environmental stability have renewed the interest among farmers and research workers in non‐chemical sources of plant nutrients like biofer lizers, farmyard manures, green manures, composts etc. With

sy n o ny m o u s w i t h u n c o n t ro l l e d dumping which leads to severe water and soil pollu on. In addi on to these air pollu on is caused due to the burning of crop residue from the ﬁelds. This leads to the produc on of greenhouse gases and loss of valuable plant nutrients that can be processed into fer lizer. In this context, recycling of agro‐ wastes through compos ng and vermi‐ compos ng are the key means for the produc on of organic manure and its use as soil nutrient supplements to replace par ally the use of chemical fer lizers, thereby making for a happy mixed use both organic and inorganic nutrients.

50 %) but causing a lot of pollu on because of its high biodegradability. This also results in the loss of poten ally valuable nutrients. In India, most common prac ces of waste disposal are

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Fig.1 Fine quality leaf compost

www.krishijagran.com Table 1. Produc on of IARI compost (in tonnes) during 2013‐14 Product Crop residue compost

Produc on

Distribu on

Sales

Balance

5000

2650

2315

Leaf compost

600

511

311

Vermicompost

4.0

0.6

2.4

2.0

Fig. 2: Vermicompos ng at IARI campus

IARI model for Agro-waste composting Agro‐waste, the Indian Agriculture Research Ins tute (IARI) has developed a model of compos ng, which involves the conversion of agricultural waste in to diﬀerent types of composts. For this perspec ve, it has established a Biomass U liza on Unit helmed by Dr. Shiva Dhar Principal Scien st, Division of Agronomy and his. All agro‐wastes like crop residues bio‐wastes of vegetables, fruits and hor culture crops from IARI Research Farm and leaf li er of trees as well as from grass and prunings of gardens and lawns from IARI campus is collected and recycled in three ways viz: (i) through the prepara on of Crop Residue mixed Farmyard Manure (CRFYM) (ii) by prepara on of leaf compost and (iii) prepara on of vermicompost. Thus, I A R I ' s B i o m a s s U l i za o n U n i t produces about 5000 tonnes of good quality compost annually (Table1).

Innovative Technology CRFYM is mostly sourced from crop residue and ca le dung and urine, with the former comprise fresh ca le dung and urine on a weight basis. This manure is prepared through a process termed wind‐row compos ng which

Fig.3 Wind rows (crop residue and cowdung)

involves the placing of the mixture of raw materials in long narrow piles called wind rows (Fig.3),which are s rred and turned over on a regular basis. This method is known as anaerobic method of rapid compos ng. The height of the wind rows depends upon the raw materials used. It is about 1.5‐2.0 m for dense materials and 3.0‐ 3.5 m for light‐ volume materials such as dry leaves and stover of crop residues. The width varies from 2.5 to 3.0 m depending on the size of turning‐mixing machine. Bucket loaders with a long reach mounted on tractor is used to make these wind‐rows of the desired size and shape. A specialized 'Turning‐cum‐Mixing Machine' is employed for s rring, mixing and turning over the wind‐rows

Fig. 4: Microbial consor um applica on

and also mixing of the microbial consor um (Fig.4). This method reduces me and labour involved considerably. The liquid microbial consor um (diluted 1:100 or 1:50 with water) is sprayed on the wind‐rows at

the me of the first turning over. Op mum level of moisture in the compost heap is maintained by frequent sprinkling of water (Fig.5). This compos ng basically involves aerobic process, exposing the compost material to oxygen, with aerobic microorganisms breaking down organic ma er and producing carbon dioxide, ammonia, water, heat and humus in the process. The intermediate compounds that are produced are further oxidized and there is no risk of phytotoxicity. The heat generated in windrows also helps to destroy many plant pathogens as well as killing weed seeds. Ini ally for the first two to three days the temperature in the wind‐rows is around 20‐45oC, allowing mesophilic organisms to mul ply rapidly, mostly on easily decomposable organic compounds such as sugars and amino acids. These generate heat by their own metabolism and raise the temperature to 50‐70oC, at this level their own ac vity gets suppressed. Thermophilic fungi and bacteria then dominate and con nue the process of compos ng with the temperature of the compost rising to 65 o C or higher. This heat kills all pathogens and weed seeds. The ac ve compos ng stage is followed by a curing stage and the wind‐row's temperature declines gradually. At this stage another group of thermophilic fungi start to grow. These fungi decompose cellulose and hemicellulose. Curing of the compost provides a safety net against the risks of using immature compost, such as N hunger, oxygen deficiency and the toxic effects of organic acids on plants.

Home-grown technology

Urban composting is a emerging as a promising thrust area and waste generated from home and cities can be used for activities like kitchen gardening and urban agriculture. This leads not only to better tasting and more nutritious food but also helps avoid the harmful effects of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. IARI's composting model offers a unique means for urban composting, converting different types of waste into valuable compost. Most of the garbage generated in big cities can be utilized with the help of this model. Waste, which earlier just used to be burnt, is now converted into valuable produce. Another positive element in this scenario is that the energy used for transporting food to urban markets can be saved considerably, with cities growing a portion of their food locally, thereby also helping reducing the carbon footprint. In addition, such a venture also helps provide employment in gardening, nurseries, consultancy, waste recycling as well as the marketing and selling of organic produce. APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Waste is Wealth: An IARI Hit

Fig. 5 : Turning and mixing of compost

The ac ve compos ng stage generally lasts three to six weeks depending upon the nature of substrate and the frequency of the turning over process. Where nine weeks is the goal, the wind‐rows require turning once or twice during the ﬁrst week and every 15 days therea er (Fig 6). The whole process of compos ng takes about 60‐ 65 days. The C:N ra o of CRFYM produced by the wind‐row method varies from 15.4 to 20.5 depending upon the type of raw material used. It contains about 4.8 to 7.0 % humus, 0.4 to 1.0 percent N, 0.2 to 0.4 per cent P and about 1.0 percent K depending upon the type of crop residue. It also contains secondary nutrients like Ca (0.6‐0.95%) Mg (0.7‐0.9%), and micro‐ nutrients like (Fe 135‐158 ppm), Mn (65‐75 ppm), Zn (15‐22 ppm) and Cu (3‐ 5 ppm). CRFYM is an excellent for soil amendment, consuming a nutrients in balanced propor on while contribu ng valuable organic ma er to the soil. The la er is needed for the growth of soil microorganisms, to improve water‐ holding capacity, to improve soil structure, for pH buﬀering and the organic complexing of nutrients making these more available for uptake by plants. The main role of the CRFYM thus is to add organic ma er, all

nutrients in op mum amount and to increase the humus content of soil. Apart CRFYM, Leaf compost and vermicompost are also prepared in IARI. The material collected from gardens, prunes foliage and branches, dry leaves of trees from campus, etc converted to leaf compost using the same method as used for CRFYM. When leaves decomposed the material is subjected to sieving to remove semi or un‐decomposed material and other non‐degradable material. Thus, the compost obtained from sieving ready to use. It is a very good compost for nurseries, po ed plants, lawns and kitchen gardens. Vermicompost is made by using earthworm species Eisenia fe da. The substrate used for prepara on of vermicompost mainly cowdung and c ro p r e s i d u e o r l e a f l i e r. F o r prepara on of vermicompost various low cost modules have been used. For this, minimum external input have been standardized and protocol has been developed. Total prepara on cost of vervicompost varies from Rs. 20000 to 35000 per tonn.

Revenue Generation The es mated average costs of I A R I crop residue compost, Vermicompost and Leaf compost are Rs.

Table.2 IARI compost prices

Product

Buyer

Crop residue compost

IARI

1.00

ICAR ins tutes

1.50

Private customers

3.00

IARI

4.00

ICAR ins tutes

7.00

Private customers

10.00

IARI

2.00

ICAR ins tutes

3.00

Private customers

5.00

Vermicompost

Leaf compost

Rate (Rs/kg)

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

1.00, 4.00, 2.00 per kg, respec vely. This cost is very low when compared to similar products from private par es. In the market and some private nurseries are selling compost in good a rac ve packing from Rs 10 to Rs 40 per kg. Moreover, these compost have no assurance about their quality and content. This is one important factor in the huge demand for item Delhi and nearby ci es. Compos ng also helps, I A R I generated considerable revenue. In 2013‐14 its compost units generated composts worth Rs. 480301.5 through sales and distribu on of diﬀerent types of compost in the Ins tute. The compost units also helps to save about Rs. 40,00,000 by providing this compost for IARI ﬁelds. In sum, the IARI compost unit genera ng revenue of about Rs. 40 to 45 lakhs annually.

Conclusion Food and agricultural commodi es are wasted at various points in the food supply chain star ng from produc on and ending in consump on but these wastes can be processed into organic manure/composts through compos ng. I A R I model of rapid compost‐ ing using aerobic windrows method and microbial inoculants not only increases the quality of prepared compost but also reduces period of decomposi on . Off‐farm materials can also be brought in and added to the waste to generate compost. To recycle agro‐wastes from various sectors efforts are needed at the household as well as the community level. The IARI model of compos ng provides a unique model for conver ng the agricultural waste into valuable compost. This model of biomass u liza on unit can be adopted by offices, ins tu ons, parks, ga rd en s , p a n c h ayat s a s well a s residen al colonies. It offers scope for greatly reducing the costs involved in field‐based management while also helping reduce pollu on in urban area.

Kumud Shukla Associate Editor, Krishi Jagran

Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India

ORGANIC FARMING INTERNSHIP

and Volunteer Programs in India

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India

Andhra Pradesh Bihar Assam Goa Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh J & K(Ladakh), Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Orissa Punjab Rajastan Tamil Nadu U ar Pradesh U rakhand West Bengal

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

5 2 4 4 8 7 16 1 29 17 5 13 1 2 5 19 18 7 18 3

INTERVIEW

www.krishijagran.com

A WWOOFer's team, two local indians, volunteers from Austria, Israel, Australia, Swiss, Sweden, America, Portugal, Germany

A volunteer with a bag of leaves for the trees

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4

Organic Farming Internship and Volunteer Programs in India

Mr Harish Chander Tewari is an Agriculture Micro-Biologist and did research on composting from G.B.Pant Agriculture University . He has vast experience of working in more than 10 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia at various projects related to Livelihood improvement, Water Management and Organic Agriculture . These projects were funded by SIDA, World Bank, IFAD, Department of Bio-Technology (Govt of India) etc. He is presently the Director of WWOOF India Pvt Ltd company . Presently there are more than 187 member Organic farms and many Ngos in WWOOF India network. ¹Harish Chander Tewari, ²Poonam Tewari ¹WWOOF India, Haldwani, U arakhand, India, ²G.B.P.U.A.&T., Pantnagar, India, Email: sewak1@rocketmail.com, poonam1tewari@rediﬀmail.com www.wwooﬁndia.org

APRIL 2015 | AGRICULTURE WORLD | Issue-4