HRD in Organic Farming and Organic Products

HRD in Organic Farming 

and Organic Products 

Prof. M. K. Salooja 

DR. S.K. Yadav 

School of Agriculture 

Indira Gandhi National Open University, 

New Delhi

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 

Organic Agriculture is a 

sustainable and environment 

friendly production system 

that offers cultural benefits.

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 

• It relies on five capital assets for success: 

• natural, 

• social, 

• human, 

• physical and 

• financial and 

• as such contributes to build up stocks of these 

resources over a period of time. This helps in 

dealing with many of the factors that lead to 

food insecurity. 

(APEDA)

WHY ORGANIC ? 

• Healthy food: Contains no toxic 

substances-safe 

• Natural & Good taste 

• Higher benefit cost ratio due to 

less external input use and 

premium price (20-25%) 

• Takes care of Environmental 

concerns of Farming

Present status of Organic 

Farming-World 

Crop/Agriculture 

• Worldwide, 31 million hectares of land 

is under organic farming 

• Managed by 70,000 farmers 

• 138 countries growing organic food 

• Australia has maximum land under 

organic farming 

• USA sales over US$26 billion


Farming-World 

Animal Husbandry 

• Organic Animal husbandry -7.2 % (59 US 

billion dollars) of the total organic product 

business 

• Argentina is largest exporter of organic beef 

• Largest organic egg consumer is Israel. 

• France and Italy export Organic Cheese


Farming-India 

Crop/Agriculture 

• 3.95 mha (0.96 mha cultivable and rest forest area) 

land is under organic farming 

• Rank at 33 rd in world in terms of area under organic 

farming 

• Rank 88 th in terms of the ratio of agricultural land under 

organic crop to total farming area. 

• India produced 1,624,339 MT certified organic produce 

during 2009-10 

• It also produced 10,887 MT cotton during 2009-10 –the 

largest producer of organic cotton

Contd…….. 

• Madhya Pradesh has highest area under 

organic farming (1.1 mha or 52%) 

• Maharashtra is at second (0.96 mha or 

33.6%) 

• Orissa is at third (0.67 mha or 9.7%) 

• Uttrakhand and Sikkim are organic States


Export from India 

• India exported 135 organic products under 15 categories 

during 2009 

• It valued US$116 milliom 

• Average growth of organic market in India is 50% 

• Among the products exported , cotton is at top followed 

by basmati rice and honey . 

• The demand of Indian organic products is 

increasing in Europe 

• There are 294 organic exporters in India

Major Organic Food Products 

Exported during 2009-10 

• 5,250 MT organic Basmati rice 

• 2,962, MT Honey 

• 2,727 MT Tea 

• 1,922 MT dry fruits 

• 1,834 MT processed food 

• 1,396 MT Sesame

Contd… 

• India exports its 70% organic products to Europe 

followed by the US (20%), South –East Asian 

countries(5%), Japan (3-5%)

India’s Achievement in the area 

of Organic Food production 

• Development of NPOP (National Production for Organic 

Production) document by APEDA, Ministry of Commerce . 

This include all the internationally accepted Norms and 

Standards for organic agriculture and organic animal 

husbandry. 

• Brand India- India Organic Logo 

• 20 Accredited Certification 

Agencies (ISO-17011)

Contd… 

• Introduction of Group certification for small and 

marginal farmers 

• National Project on Organic Farming 

• Capacity Building through Service Providers. 

• Financial and Technical support for setting up of organic input 

production unit such as Fruits and Vegetable market waste 

compost, Biofertilizers and biopesticides and Vermiculture 

hatcheries. 

• Human resource development through training and 

demonstration. 

• Awareness creation and market development. 

• Quality Control of Organic Inputs

Major Areas of Organic Food 

Production 

The following specific areas will further strengthen 

the organic food production and its safety: 

• Good Practices in all the areas 

• Certification 

• Accreditation of agencies 

• Traceability 

• Food Safety and Quality Management 

• Safe processing and product development

Issues 

• Productivity 

• Cost intensive production 

• Higher Price 

• Research support for Nutrition 

and Taste 

• Food Security( H.R. 875 is called 

the Food Safety Modernization 

Act of 2009)

Requirement of HR in the 

Organic farming and product 

There is dearth of Human Resource in the 

following categories to support the organic 

farming in India: 

• Inspectors in the certification Bodies 

• Certification Counselors 

• Market facilitators 

• Group managers 

• Food Safety inspectors 

• Trained analysts in the labs 

• Trained technicians in the food processing units 

• Input producers

Level and Types of 

Programmes 

• Awareness and sensitization: for 

Framers, processors, Consumers 

• Certificate and Diplomas for 

Supervisors, Extension functionaries 

and Trainers 

• Tertiary level 

PG Level for Farm Managers, 

Research Studies

Present status of HRD in 

Organic Farming 

• No full fledge educational programme is 

available in the area of organic farming 

• Short Term Trainings for input producers 

and extension workers at National 

Centre for Organic Farming 

• Awareness and short term trainings 

about the certification by few agencies 

•

Certificate in Organic 

Farming 

• This is a distance education programme 

offered by School of Agriculture, IGNOU, 

New Delhi 

• The programme was developed with full 

financial and academic support of APEDA, 

Ministry of Commerce, GOI 

• The programme is offered through 

different institutions as Study Centers

Features of the Programme 

• Eligibility -10+2 or 10+BPP(IGNOU) 

• Fee-3800/ 

• Duration :min:6months, maximum:2 yrs 

• Counseling : 

• Theory and practical -50:50


• Introduction to Organic Farming 

• Organic Production System 

• Inspection and Certification of 

Organic Produce 

• Economics and Marketing of Organic 

Produces


• Preparation of Compost (including 

vermicompost) 

• Preparation of Plant Based Bio-pesticide 

Introduction to Organic Farming 

• Visit to Organic farm and Product Sale 

outlet 

• Visit to Grow Group 

• Development of Internal Control System 

Project Formulation for Finance

Evaluation methodology 

• Term End examination : 40% weightage 

• Assignment :10% 

• Practical examination : 50%

Others programme to 

support the organic foods 

• Post Graduate Programme in 

food Safety and Quality 

management –developed with the support of 

APEDA

Job Prospects 

• Inspector in certification bodies 

• Group managers 

• Counselors 

• Market Facilitators 

• Trained organic farmers 

• Input producer 

• Food safety officers 

• Trained technicians in the processing units

Major issues in HRD 

• Research to support the claims 

• ODL interventions to enhance the coverage 

• Convergence between ODL and conventional intuitions 

for quality training 

• Translation of Study materials in the regional languages 

• Sponsoring of the learners 

• Development of educational programme for the farmers 

and professionals 

• PPP collaboration

Thanks

HRD in Organic Farming and Organic Products

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?