Maarg Manthan · Topic 10.16

Organic Farming

Environment & Ecology › Land, Forest and Soil Resources · Topic 10.16

Organic farming is a production system that avoids synthetic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides, growth regulators and genetically modified organisms, and relies on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manure, compost, green manure, biofertilisers and biological pest control to maintain soil fertility and manage pests. Its principles are health, ecology, fairness and care. Benefits include better soil structure and organic carbon, lower pollution of soil and water, more biodiversity, lower input costs and often premium prices; limits include lower yields during the transition years, labour needs, certification costs and market access. In India the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP, 2001) under APEDA sets standards for exports, the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India) serves domestic markets, the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (2015) and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region promote clusters, and Sikkim was declared India's first fully organic state in 2016.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Land, Forest and Soil Resources

At a Glance

No Synthetic fertiliser, pesticide, GMO
NPOP 2001, exports
PGS-India Domestic certification
PKVY Launched 2015
First organic state Sikkim, 2016
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Land, Forest and Soil Resources

Where Does It Fit?

This is the last topic of the macro on land, forest and soil resources. It builds on soil health and conservation by showing a farming system that rebuilds soil life and avoids chemical inputs. Previous topic: Soil Health Card Scheme. Next topic: Surface Water Resources and Groundwater Resources.

What Are the Methods and Certification Systems of Organic Farming?

Element	Details
Soil fertility	Compost, vermicompost, farmyard manure, green manure, crop residues and biofertilisers such as Rhizobium and Azotobacter
Pest management	Crop rotation, resistant varieties, trap crops, natural enemies, neem and other botanical extracts
NPOP	National Programme for Organic Production, 2001, run by APEDA under the Commerce Ministry; third-party certification for export
PGS-India	Participatory Guarantee System, peer-based certification for the domestic market, under the Agriculture Ministry
Jaivik Bharat	Logo for organic products regulated by FSSAI
PKVY	Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, 2015; supports clusters of farmers in organic farming under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
MOVCD-NER	Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern Region, 2015; links growers to markets

What Are the Benefits and Challenges?

Soil health: more organic matter, better structure and soil life
Environment: less water pollution from chemicals, more biodiversity
Health: lower pesticide residue in food
Income: lower input costs and price premium for certified produce
Climate: more soil carbon and fewer emissions from fertiliser
Yield dip: lower yields during transition
Certification and market: costs, paperwork and limited organised markets
Nutrient supply: enough manure and biomass are needed at scale

What Else Should You Remember?

Principles: IFOAM, the international organic body, lists health, ecology, fairness and care
Transition period: usually two to three years before land is certified as organic
Conversion: a field moves through an in-conversion stage
Vermicompost: compost made by earthworms from farm waste
Green manure: crops such as dhaincha and sunhemp ploughed in to add nutrients
Biofertilisers: microbial cultures such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter and phosphate-solubilising bacteria
Biopesticides: neem, Bacillus thuringiensis and Trichoderma
Integrated pest management: uses many methods and allows chemicals only as a last resort in non-organic systems
Sikkim: declared fully organic in 2016, after a state policy that phased out chemical fertilisers
Organic area: India has a large number of organic producers, but organic area is a small part of net sown area
National Centre of Organic Farming: at Ghaziabad, promotes organic farming and biofertilisers
National Project on Organic Farming: earlier project that set up this centre
Natural farming: Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati under PKVY promotes cow-based inputs such as Jeevamrit and no external inputs
Zero Budget Natural Farming: a related movement popularised by Subhash Palekar
National Mission on Natural Farming: approved in 2024 to promote chemical-free farming
Organic exports: products include tea, spices, oilseeds, rice and cotton
Organic certification logo: India Organic logo is used on NPOP-certified products
Food safety: FSSAI sets rules for organic food labelling
Fertiliser subsidy: high subsidy for chemical fertiliser may reduce organic adoption
Evidence: yield gaps differ by crop and management, so results vary
Link to previous: see Soil Health Card Scheme
Link to next: see Surface Water Resources and Groundwater Resources
Link to soils: see Soil Conservation Measures
Caution: scheme details, organic area figures and state claims should be checked in official sources
Exam hint: learn NPOP, PGS-India, PKVY and Sikkim with years
Buffer zones: organic fields need a buffer from nearby chemical fields to prevent drift of sprays
Record keeping: growers keep records of inputs, sowing, harvest and sales for inspection
Seed and breed: organic systems prefer untreated seed and animals raised without growth hormones
Mixed farming: combining crops and livestock gives manure and fodder on the same farm
Farmer producer organisations: groups pool produce, share certification costs and sell directly to buyers

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Export standard: NPOP 2001
Domestic scheme: PGS-India
First organic state: Sikkim 2016
Current affairs link: Natural farming mission
Common errors: treating natural farming and organic farming as the same

As an analytical point, organic farming can restore soil and cut pollution, but a rapid shift without enough organic inputs and markets can hurt yields and incomes. Gradual conversion, farmer groups and price support make the shift workable.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Inputs Natural
Proof Certification
Gain Soil, safety

What Came Next?

The next macro covers water resources and water pollution, beginning with surface water and groundwater resources. Next topic: Surface Water Resources and Groundwater Resources.

Key People and Terms

Organic farming Chemical-free system
NPOP Organic production programme
PGS Participatory Guarantee System
PKVY Organic cluster scheme
Vermicompost Earthworm compost
Biofertiliser Microbial input

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

NPOP began in 2001.
PKVY began in 2015.
Sikkim organic in 2016.
PGS is for domestic markets.
No synthetic inputs.

Do Not Confuse With

Organic and natural farming Certified inputs system versus no external inputs
NPOP and PGS-India Export third-party versus domestic peer system
Biofertiliser and fertiliser Microbial versus chemical

Memory Hook

Two thousand one NPOP, fifteen PKVY, sixteen Sikkim organic.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for schemes and certification. These points help.

Benefits Soil, health
Limits Yield, market
Way Gradual

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“What is organic farming? Discuss its benefits and challenges in India with reference to government initiatives.”

How to Answer

Define No chemicals.
Schemes NPOP, PKVY.
Limits Yield, market.
Way Gradual.

GS Relevance

Prelims: schemes, certification, Sikkim. GS Paper 3: sustainable agriculture and food safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is organic farming?

Organic farming is an agricultural system that avoids synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms and relies on crop rotation, manure, compost, green manure, biofertilisers and biological pest control. It aims to maintain soil fertility, protect the environment and produce safe food, and its produce can be certified as organic.

What is the National Programme for Organic Production?

The National Programme for Organic Production, launched in 2001 and run by APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce, sets standards, accreditation of certification bodies and procedures for organic production in India. Its third-party certification supports export of organic products and the India Organic logo.

What is PGS-India?

The Participatory Guarantee System of India is a peer-review certification scheme run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for the domestic market, in which farmer groups assure each other that organic standards are followed. It is lower in cost than third-party certification and suits small farmers.

What is the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana?

The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, launched in 2015 under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, supports farmers in forming clusters for organic farming, offering training, inputs, certification and marketing help. It promotes traditional practices and aims at soil health improvement and chemical-free produce.

Which state is India's first fully organic state?

Sikkim was declared India's first fully organic state in 2016, after a state policy that began in 2003 phased out chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It has used organic manure, bio-inputs and farmer support, though challenges such as yields, labour and markets remain.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Sikkim was declared fully organic in 2016.

True

The first such state.

2 NPOP was launched in 2015.

False

It was launched in 2001.

3 PGS-India is a peer-based certification.