Organic farming is agriculture that makes healthy food, healthy soils, healthy plants, and healthy environments a priority, along with crop productivity. Organic farmers use biological fertilizer inputs and management practices such as cover cropping and crop rotation to improve soil quality and build organic soil matter. By increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil, organic farmers enhance the soil’s ability to absorb water, reducing the impacts of drought and flooding. Improving soil organic matter also helps it to absorb and store carbon and other nutrients need to grow healthy crops, which, in turn, are better able to resist insects and diseases.

Organic production systems do not use genetically modified (GM) seed, synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Some of the essential characteristics of organic systems include design and implementation of an organic system plan that describes the practices used in producing crops and livestock products; a detailed recordkeeping system that tracks all products from the field to point of sale; and maintenance of buffer zones to prevent inadvertent contamination by synthetic farm chemicals from adjacent conventional fields.

Organic farms use production practices with environmental benefits such as water management practices, no-till or minimum tillage, habitat maintenance for beneficial insects and vertebrates, and biological pest control. These ecologically protective practices contribute to enhanced ecosystem services and benefit water quality, soil health, and biodiversity.

Conventional farming typically uses minimal crop rotations, growing the same single crop year after year on the same land. This practice, known as mono cropping causes the depletion of nutrients and minerals. In order to continue growing crops in this depleted soil, nutrients and minerals must be added back in the form of hydrocarbon based fertilizers and mined minerals such as phosphate. Conventional GM farming is dependent on earth-based non-renewable resources. Monocultures and the resulting poor health open the way for infestations of insects, diseases and weeds. Healthy bio-diverse soil keeps these infestations in check. The lack of biodiversity requires synthetic pesticides and herbicides to be used, further destroying the national soil biology.

The cost of organic food is higher than that of conventional food because the organic price tag more closely reflects the true cost of growing the food: substituting labor and intensive management for chemicals. These costs may include cleanup of polluted water and remediation of pesticide contamination.

Generally, crop rotation with cover crops and compost obtained from animal and plant matter are the main nutrients for the organic farm. The soil texture, organic content and microbial activity of the farm can be improved by maintaining proper cultivation and tillage practices. There are some permitted synthetic substances, which can be used as extra supplemental nutrients for the organic farms.

Sikkim is considered to be the first organic state in India. Organic agriculture in this state started some 13 years ago. All the farm lands in Sikkim together constitute around 76,000 acres and is converted into 100% organic land.

Organic fertilizers are made out of plant, animal matter and some powdered minerals. Most commonly they are termed as soil conditioners rather than fertilizers. Some of the basic advantages of organic fertilizers are:

• Improve the soil structure over a certain period of time.
• Slow release fertilizers, so no need to over fertilize the plants.
• Little or no toxic buildup of chemicals and salts.
• Organic fertilizers are considered to be renewable, biodegradable, sustainable and environmental friendly.
• Can be prepared easily by composting the available cow or poultry manure.

In India, there are many certifying bodies working under the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), who inspect and certify the farms. The charges levied by these agencies are different and it depends on the type of farm and their processing structure. The details can be obtained by visiting the APEDA website. It is important to note that every certification agency or organization has an initial application fee for starting the certification process.