Organic Farming: Vermicomposting

Organic farming requires only the inputs from bio wastes and eco-friendly wastes.....
The very most thing that is been used as a fertilizer for the production of organic food is Vermicompost....
There are very many ways the vermicompost can be prepared in a high cost effective manner....

Coir Pith waste:

coir pith waste is found abundantly and they are fired to destroy them....
they contain high lignin and cellulose content. they harm the crops and land... so prior applying they should be composted properly. these can be composted by various methods and used effectively..

1. By the use of EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS (EM), they can be efectively used upon these and allowed to stand still for a period of 2 months. By the end of this yime period these would be ready for feeding the earthworm along with cow dung or poultry waste.

GMO crops…! A serious warning….!

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops have taken their way in to the globe because of the evolution of Recent Advances in Biotechnology. They pose serious threat to our environment and consumers. They are evolved with the help of Genetic Engineering, which includes the incorporation of genes from any bacterium (Bacillus thureingenesis) in to the host plant. These genes are target specific and are mostly against the pests. When the plant grows these genes are expressed, and if any pest feeds on this plant, due to water loss and many other biochemical reactions mortality takes place.

GMO (genetically Modified) death to pest BUT threat to humans…….

As they are genetically engineered and a desired gene is expressed, the crop yield may also contain the modified gene which may result in many health problems to the livings.

Bt cotton was the very first to get popularized around the world as genetically modified crop. As it was the period for the farmers where they were worried with low yield, low price, water scarcity, weed management, pest control and many more, the Bt crop reached every one as a very easier way with good advertisement by the seed company. Even though they had invested huge amount in the seeds their yield was low but had a little control against pests.

As the expected yield was not attained many farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India lost their living (as reported). Also many cattle which entered inside the farm lands of Bt cotton died. This led to the high evidence of GMO crops having serious threat to to environment and living hood.

Guidelines for obtaining Organic Certification

IFOAM

1.Initially , a farm is inspected and a report is lodged with the certification review committee(CRC).If CRC recommends the farm enter the certification system , it will be placed "Under Supervision" for the first 12
months.During this time ,produce or products cannot be sold as 'Cerified Organic" or as 'IN CONVERSION TO Organic".

2.After 12 months , the farm may be upgraded to "In Conversion" if the second inspection is satisfactory.The farm must then complete two years "In Conversion" before it is considered for certifying as "Organic"(otherwise known as "A GRADE Organic")

3.The"In conversion"period may be rteduced - but only where it can be demonstrated a farm had , during the years immediately preceeding conversion , used techniques closely allied to those of organic agriculture and which meet all testing and inspection requirements .Whatever the length of the conversion period , product may not be sold as "In conversion to Organic" until a farm has been under an inspection system for 12 months.

4.In the case of other farm activities not being certified , those activiies must be clearly seperated and the products must be of a different nature from the certified produces or products. There can not be organic and non -organic growing (parallel production)of the same species on the same property-or on any other property under the same grower's management or control.

5.When a defined area is certified , the remainder of the farm must be converted to organic within 10 years.

SKAL INTERNATIONAL

Step 1: Documentation
You contact Skal and ask for the necessary information. After reading this you can decide to an official application.

Step 2: Application
You return the completed application form with a copy of your registration at the Chamber of Commerce, and you pay the application fee.

Step 3: Registration as licensee
After receipt of the application form and the application fee Skal will send you a confirmation of the registration as licensee. As from that moment you are officially registered and you can start the conversion to the organic production method.
Note: you do not yet have the right to use indications referring to the organic production method. After being officially registered within five working days an appointment will be made for the first inspection of your company.

Step 4: Inspection
An inspector will visit your company and make a local survey. The inspector will see to it that the activity applied for does harmonise with the necessary conditions.
If necessary, the inspector will inform you about changes needed in order to comply with these conditions.
The result of the inspection will be registered in an inspection report.

Step 5: Judgement and certification
The inspection report will be judged at Skal. Farmers will receive a letter mentioning the starting date of the conversion period and the expected date of first marketing of organic products. When your company complies with all necessary conditions the activity applied for will be certified by Skal.

Step 6: Rights resulting from certification
Only after certification you are allowed to perform the activities involved. These activities are producing, processing, importing and marketing of products carrying the indication “from organic production” and / or the EKO Quality symbol or the indication “produced during conversion to organic agriculture”.

Organic Certification Process and Guidelines

The organic certification is essential when a consumer purchases an Organic product. This is essential nowadays due to increased demand in the market for Organic produce. The product doesn't have any major differences visually so it is easy to cheat and consumers mistaking a normal for organic produce. There are many certification agencies who provides organic certification when the farmer meets all the stringent procedure mentioned in their list. This certification is valid for certain period of time (mostly one year), and again there will be an inspection from the agencies and extend for a desired time period.

* Study the organic standards, which cover in specific detail what is and is not allowed for every aspect of farming, including storage, transport and sale.
* Compliance - farm facilities and production methods must comply with the standards, which may involve modifying facilities, sourcing and changing suppliers, etc.
* Documentation - extensive paperwork is required, detailing farm history and current set-up, and usually including results of soil and water tests.
* Planning - a written annual production plan monthwise must be submitted, detailing everything from seed to sale: seed sources, field and crop locations, fertilization and pest control activities, harvest methods, storage locations, etc.
* Inspection - annual on-farm inspections are required, with a physical tour, examination of records, and an oral interview.
* Fee - Depends upon the certification agency.
* Record-keeping - written, day-to-day farming and marketing records, covering all activities, must be available for inspection at any time.

The term ORGANIC.....?

Organic foods are defined as those foods that are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Pesticides are chemical or control agents made to kill insects, weeds and fungal pests that damage crops. In large amounts these have been found to cause different illnesses including cancer. Organic foods do not necessarily mean toxin-free, as plants produce their own natural toxins and these can contaminate organic products. Also, farmers can use natural pesticides, such as sulfur, nicotine and copper, which can also be found on the foods. Organically raised animals are those raised with organic feed and kept free from growth hormones and antibiotics.

If you wanted to know more about organic foods and Organic farm practices....

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GENERAL OVERVIEW ABOUT ORGANIC FARMING AND PRODUCTS

Organic food

Organic foods are produced under certain conditions which does not harm land, Cultiver, Ecosystem and the yield. They are grown with out the application of synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers which will harm the complete ecosystem.

Food is very important for our life which provides energy to do any task and be active. But nowadays with the high modern technologies and scientific improvement, we have produced fertilizers and Growth promoters synthetically to grow the food crops which in turn increases the yield and decreases the life of the soil (microbial load, Earthworm, essential minerals) finally this land becomes unfit for cultivation.

Organic Farming

Organic food is cultivated with the use of Biopesticides, Beneficial microorganisms (Pseudomonas sp., Azospirillum sp., Azotobacter sp., Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma sp., Rhizobium, Phospobacteria, etc.,), Vermicompost, Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Poultry waste, Cowdung, Coirpith compost, etc.

Effects of Pesticides

There are some studies supporting the effects and side effects of the synthetic pesticides upon the health of farm workers. These studies confirms the health problems like, headache, nausea, skin allergy, irritaion in eye, dizziness and in some cases abdominal pain. Also some studies had confirmed with major health problems like, memory disorders, cancer, depression, miscarriages, birth defects and respiratory problems. The cancer disease occurs majorly with the Organophosphate exposed workers.

Depletion in Avi fauna

Avi fauna is majorly disturbed by the use of pesticides. Many birds in the farm side enters to the crop land in search of their food, which finally leads to disturbed life cycle of some birds due to intake of pesticide sprayed food.

Migratory birds, such as Swainson's hawks, have wintering grounds in Argentina where thousands of them were found dead from monocrotophos insecticide poisoning.

Later there was a high decline in many species of birds and studies found that due to the consumption of feed with pesticidal load, they lost the capability of laying eggs and if layed, the egg shell were very thin and breaks up easily and the next generation failed. Due to this reason many species entered near threatened.

Cost of Organic food

Organic food products typically costs more when compared to conventionally produced food products. This is because they are produced in low quantities, high care is taken to cultivate, risk from pests, initially conversion of conventional to organic land involves high work and initial loss in the productivity. Their cost hikes around 10 to 30% compared to conventional products.

Environmental benefit

Compared to conventional farming techniques, organic farm
Do not release synthetic pesticides
Do not harm land
Do not affect water bodies
Do not harm Animal husbandry/Aquatic life

They produce less waste and recyclable

Organic farming yield

The yield with organic farming is found to be in varying ratios in different parts of the world. They usually produce less yield, about 20 to 30% lesser than its normal yield and by repeated use of organic fertilizers their yield will increases. But initially in the start of conventional to organic farming there should be high input of Organic fertilizers like Vermicompost, FYM, beneficial microbes, etc.,

Organic statistics

Only about 1% to 2% grow organic food crops worldwide. There is a gradual increase in the farming sector for growing Organic food. This has highly reached to the Agriculturists only because of its high demand and cost and not due to the health concern. Only about 30% of the Organic growers are really concerned with the health, ecosystem, green house gases, etc.,

Problems of Conventionally grown crops over organically grown foods

Crops grown using synthetic pesticides provide crude protein in higher amount due to the application of Nitrogen fertilizers but with poorer quality.
A study by Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi has found that - For a 60 kg adult in India:
• Of the 8 pesticides considered, TMDI (theoritcal maximum daily intake) was 149 per cent to an unimaginable 7,218 per cent of US Environmental Protection Agency ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake);
• DDT and Monocrothophos intake was 5,663 per cent and 5,034 per cent of ADI, respectively;
• Chlorpyrifos and Malathion intake were now 2,309 per cent and 204 per cent of their respective ADIs

For a 10 kg child in India:

Of the 8 pesticides considered, TMDI of 7 pesticides were 214 per cent to 7,218 per cent of the USEPA safety limit.

It is important to note that the three segments of the population that are most susceptible to the ill effects of pesticide exposure are infants, childern and expectant mothers. Childern below five years are more susceptible to pesticidal residues in the mother feed and the food provided to them and they are highly vulnerable to endocrine disruptors and developmental neurotoxins.

Compared to the grains and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables consumed contains more pesticidal residues because they are reaching consumers fastly from the farm. These residue accumulation can be minimized bu washing thoroughly in running water or by peeling the outer skin. But peeling the outer skin also minimizes the B-complex vitamins and minerals because they are present just under the skin of the vegetables and fruits. The only better way is to consume organically grown foods.

CONVENTIONAL FARMING VS ORGANIC FARMING

Conventional farming	Organic farming
Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth.	Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.
Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease.	Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.
Use chemical herbicides to manage weeds.	Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds.
Give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.	Give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors. Use preventive measures — such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing — to help minimize disease.

ORGANIC FOODS & NUTRITIONAL QUALITY

A nutrient decline study by US Department of Agriculture in 43 garden crops found that there has been a statistically significant decline in nutritional levels between 1950 and 1993 with regard to Protein, Calcium, iron, phosphorus, riboflavin and ascorbic acid. The decline ranged from 6% in protein to 38% in riboflavin. The decline could be attributed to modern farming methods involving high yielding hybrid varieties, poor soil fertility, depletion of soil micronutrients, loss of soil microorganisms. The nutritional quality of Organic food is much better because of emphasis on creating a natural ecosystem, soil fertility & conservation and non use of fertilizers, pesticides and using appropriate varities.

There are many specific ingredients present in vegetables and fruits which helps in promoting health and provides micro and macro nutrients. They are highly rich in fiber content and antioxidants. In organic food the concentration of antioxidant is found to be higher and they are helpful in neutralizing cell damage caused by free radicals and dioxygen or peroxide molecules also called reactive oxygen or nitrogen species. The total supply of antioxidants circulating in the body is the sum of antioxidant enzymes and acids manufactured by the body plus antioxidants consumed in foods.

Flavonol (which acts as antioxidants ) concentrations are highest in or near the peel of fruits since their biosynthesis is stimulated by light. In green leafy vegetables, the outer leaves often contain flavonol concentrations more than 10 times the concentrations found in inner leaves. As a result of this pattern of concentration in fruits and vegetables, consuming the outer portions of produce is a key strategy in increasing flavonol intake. Consuming organically grown fruits and vegetables can help prevent the loss of peel or outer covering thereby preserving flavonol and other vitamins and minerals working as antioxidants. Organically grown fruits had higher levels of flavonoids.

Why buy organic products……?

They meet stringent standards.

They tastes great.

They reduces health risks.

Increases the life time.

Organic farming respects our water sources.

Organic farming builds soil.

They work in hormony with nature

Organic producers strive to preserve diversity.

Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy.

Health Benefits of Organic Food - Scientific evidence

HIGHER NUTRIENT LEVELS
Official food composition tables, including data compiled by the US Department of Agriculture, reveal that since the 1940s the mineral levels in fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy have declined substantially in conventional foods. Combine this with earlier (pre-ripened) picking, longer storage, and more processing of crops, and it's not surprising that we may be getting fewer nutrients in our food than we were 60 years ago.
We can expect also that phytonutrients, many of which are antioxidants involved in the plant's own defense system, will be higher in organic produce because crops rely more on their own defenses in the absence of regular applications of chemical pesticides. Evidence is emerging that confirms this expectation. Higher levels have so far been found of lycopene in organic tomatoes, polyphenols in organic potatoes, flavonols in organic apples, and resveratrol in organic red wine. A recent review of the subject estimated that organic produce will tend to contain 10-50% higher phytonutrients than conventional produce.

LOWER PESTICIDE RESIDUES
Most pesticide-residue safety levels are set for individual pesticides, but many samples of fresh produce carry multiple pesticide residues. Rules often do not take into account the "cocktail effect" of combinations of pesticides in and on foods. Research is emerging confirming the potential for such synergistic increases in toxicity of up to 100-fold, resulting in reproductive, immune and nervous system effects not expected from the individual compounds acting alone.
Israeli researchers have linked symptoms such as headaches, tremor, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrhoea with dietary intakes of pesticides. Belgian research has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstreams compared to women who did not have breast cancer. Hawaiian researchers following 8,000 people for 34 years have found that increasing consumption of conventional fruit and juice (and the pesticide residues they carry) raises the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Vyvyan Howard, toxico-pathologist at the University of Liverpool, UK, comments on the trend towards organic food on the part of health-minded consumers:
"People are applying the precautionary principle to their own lives by purchasing food that has not been produced by industrial methods. From the simple stance of hazard avoidance, organically produced food is the best option that we have."

The British Medical Association appears to agree:
"Until we have a more complete understanding of pesticide toxicity, the benefit of the doubt should be awarded to protecting the environment, the worker, and the consumer—this precautionary approach is necessary because the data on risk to human health from exposure to pesticides are incomplete."

Elizabeth Gillette's landmark 1998 paper in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives showed how a combination of low-level environmental, household and dietary exposures caused subtle yet measurable developmental deficits in children. Gillette research study had comparison of children in two nearby isolated villages in Mexico, one in which pesticides were routinely used in their farming, and one in which they were not. Everything else was the same between these two villages—genes, diet, lifestyle, climate, culture, etc. The study found significant differences between the two groups in both mental and motor abilities (with the children who were exposed to pesticides scoring at a much lower level), as well as an increase in aggressive behavior.

In 1995 an Australian study of breast milk found that infants are regularly exposed to several pesticides at levels greater than maximum recommended exposures. In Canada, a direct correlation has been observed between pesticide contamination of breast milk and increased risk of otitis media in Inuit infants.

University of Queensland marine biologist Dr Simon Costanzo reported in the March 2005 issue of Marine Pollution Bulletin that antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are common in the sewage and waterways of the state capital Brisbane, potentially posing a threat to human health and the environment. The British Medical Association has warned that antibiotic resistance is "one of the major public health threats that will be faced in the 21st century," while the World Health Organization has called for a reduction in the use of antibiotics in agriculture.

The research study on the amount of the heavy metals aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury provided, Aluminum have implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer's disease. It's content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. Lead toxicity can adversely affect our children's' IQ. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. Mercury, which can cause neurologic damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods.

NUTRIENTS FOUND HIGHER IN ORGANIC FOOD:

* Chromium is a micronutrient that is low in Western diets. Its deficiency is associated with the onset of adult diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Chromium (heavy metal) was found to be higher in organic foods by an average of 78%.
* Selenium is one of the antioxidant nutrients that protects us from damage by environmental chemicals. It is protective against cancers and heart disease. It was found to be an average of 390% higher in organic foods.
* Calcium, needed for strong bones, averaged 63% higher in organics.
* Boron, which has been shown to help prevent osteoporosis (along with calcium), averaged 70% more.
* Lithium, which is used to treat certain types of depression, was 188% higher.
* Magnesium, which reduces mortality from heart attacks, keeps muscles from spasming, and eases the symptoms of PMS, averaged 138% more.

Organic farming - Eco-friendly

Environmental benefits of Organic farming
The Rodale Institute has reported that organic farming systems use 30% less fossil fuels than other farming systems. They have also found that organic farming tends to hold more carbon in the soil, reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

“No food has higher amounts of beneficial minerals, essential amino acids and vitamins than organic food”. Research from around the world has supported this statement. There is not always a difference between organic food and other food, but when there is a difference, organic foods do have higher amounts of these beneficial substances.

Eco-friendly Organic farming

    * Topsoil erosion: One-third of our nation's topsoil has eroded due to modern industrialized farming practices. Not only does each lost inch cause a 6% drop in farm yields, but it also leads to increased flood exposure as a result of siltation.
    * Toxic runoff: Pesticide-heavy runoff from farmland into rivers, lakes, and streams takes a toll on wildlife. Riparian habitats within watersheds are destroyed by chemical contamination. Additionally, the conversion of wild habitat to agricultural land significantly reduces fish and wildlife populations through erosion and sedimentation, the effects of pesticides, removal of riparian plants, and the diversion of water.
    * Decreased biodiversity: With its emphasis on yield, uniformity, market acceptability and pest resistance, present-day agricultural norm sacrifices variety of species. Before the advent of modern industrialized agriculture, farmers produced roughly 80,000 species of plants; today farmers rely on about 150. The increasing reliance on a small number of crop species means declining nutritional variety for consumers as well as increased strain on overburdened farmland.
    * Health risks: Heavy reliance on pesticides by conventional farmers is suspected of leading to increased rates of cancer and reproductive problems in humans. More than 80% of the most commonly-used pesticides today have been classified by National Academy of Sciences researchers as potentially carcinogenic -- and are routinely found in mothers' milk.