An Evaluation on Recent Status and Prospects of Organic Farming: International and National Overview: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives in Organic Farming

Abstract

Organic agricultureis a holistic production management system which promotes and enhancesagro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soilbiological activity. It emphasizes, the use of management practices inpreference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regionalconditions require locally adapted systems. Organic farming emerged as apotential alternative for meeting food demand, maintaining soil fertility andincreasing soil carbon pool. Organic production systems are particularlysuitable to smallholder farmers as these systems depend on the sustainable useof local resources and on farmers’ traditional knowledge and social networks.The shift to organic farming also offers health benefits for consumers andcontributes to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Foodsecurity as a priority for organics may also involve enabling women’sempowerment since they hold a central role in providing nutrition for thehousehold. This review paper attempts to bring together differentissues in the light of recent developments in organic farming. The aftereffects of green revolution have encouraged the farmers to take up organicfarming. This paper has reviewed the global and Indian scenario with referenceto organic farming. The potential for organic farming, especially in thedryland regions has been discussed. It has been argued that organic farming isproductive and sustainable, but there is a need for strong support to it in theform of subsidies, agricultural extension services and research.