June 2012 - National Centre of Organic Farming

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i=Organic Farming Newslettero"kZ 8 vad 2 twu 2012Vol 8 No. 2 June 2012laiknd EditorMk- ,-ds- ;kno Dr. A.K. Yadavjk"Vªh; tSfod [ksrh dsUnz xkft;kcknNCOF, Ghaziabadlgk;d laiknd Assistant EditorMk- nq";Ur xgyksr Dr. Dushyent Gehlotjk"Vªh; tSfod [ksrh dsUnz] xkft;kcknNCOF, Ghaziabadçdk'ku lgk;d Publication Assistantgfj Hktu Hari BhajanlqÒk"kpUnz Subhash ChandraOrganic Agriculture - ThePossible FutureTej PratapStatus of Organic Agriculturein India 2010-11A.K. YadavA case of Organic Potato inBihar: World recordproduction using EcofriendlyAgri Bio InputsPushpa B. Nair et al31115Lkykgdkj Advisord`’.k panz Krishan Chandravfrfjä vk;qä Additional Commissionerd`f"k o lgdkfjrk foHkkxDepartment of Agriculture andCooperationubZ fnYyh@New DelhiIndia Organic NewsGlobal OrganicBook Reviews192430tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i=] jk"Vªh; tSfod [ksrh ifj;kstuk ds vUrxZr tkjh ,d cgqHkk"kh; frekghizdk'ku gSA tSfod [ksrh ds mRFkku] izpkj izlkj o blds fu;ked ra= ls tqM+s ys[k] u;hlwpuk,a] u;s mRikn] fo'ks"kKksa ds fopkj] lQy iz;kl] u;h fodflr izfdz;k,s] lsfeukj&dkUQzsUlbR;kfn dh lwpuk rFkk jk"Vªh; o vUrZjk"Vªh; lekpkj fo'ks"k :Ik ls vkeaf=r gSaA lwpuk i= esaizdkf'kr fopkj o vuqHko ys[kdska ds vius gSa ftlds fy, izdk'kd mRrjnk;h ugha gSAOrganic Farming Newsletter (OFNL) is a multilingual quarterly publication underNational Project of Organic Farming. Articles having direct relevance to organicfarming technology and its regulatory mechanism, development of package ofpractices, success stories, news related to conferences, seminars etc, andnational and international events are especially welcome. Opinions expressedin articles published in OFNL are those of the author(s) and should not beattributed to the publisher.1Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012From Editor’s DeskDear ReadersThrough Organic Farming Newsletter, I was associated with you since 2005and during this period we have collectively witnessed the phenomenal riseof organic agriculture in India during first five years and then consolidationphase during last three years. In spite of some loss in area undercertification during last two years, organic is consistently growing in terms ofexport, domestic market development and the reach of certification system.Introduction of Participatory Guarantee System under Government’sinstitutional mechanism is likely to give further push to the movement andfarmers will be able to access the market with affordable guarantee system.Interventions of Central and State Government programmes has providedmuch needed push and strengthened the confidence and sentiment ofgrowers and market promoters.Research Institutions have also made significant strides during this periodand with multilocational and multidimensional experiments have proved thatorganic agriculture can also yield the comparable yields with no threat tofood security of the Nation.Besides area expansion and market development, country has alsowitnessed significant progress in development of organic input productionindustry, launching of various innovative inputs, rise in utilization of organicmanures, improvement in manure qualities through mineral fortificationsand introduction of regulatory framework for ensuring quality ofcommercialized organic inputs.In my long association with the organic farming and Organic FarmingNewsletter, I feel pride in having in-numerous friends in the form of mycolleagues, scientists, contemporaries, technologists, industryentrepreneurs and above all the organic farmers who taught me the realspirit of organic farming and provided the strength in various ways topromote the cause nationally and internationally. I extend my heartfelt thankto all of you and wish an ever growing organic farming. As I shall behanding over the baton to my successor on 31st July 2012, I thank you allfor the wonderful support, encouragement and recognition and request tocontinue the same to the future torch bearers.Dr. A.K. YadavEditor OFNL and Director, NCOF2Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Organic Agriculture - The Possible FutureTej PratapVice-Chancellor,Shere Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology,Srinagar - KashmirGreen economyAccording to the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP-2011), aGREEN ECONOMY is one that results inimproved human well being and socialequity, while significantly reducingenvironmental risks and ecologicalscarcities. The green economy agendaseeks to promote an economic systemwhich increases human well being over thelong term while maintaining natural capitaland environmental resources so that futuregenerations do not face significantenvironmental risks and ecologicalscarcities. Green economy activities includeorganic agriculture, renewable energy,building retrofits for energy efficiency,ecotourism, public transportation, communityforestry, waste management and recycling,among others.Organic agriculture in India and growthfactorsFrom the state of an unknown opportunity inagriculture in the beginning to being talkedabout a viable alternative tool to addresssome of the ills of Indian agriculture, organicagriculture has made a credible performanceduring the past ten years. It is a combinedeffect of farmers’ efforts, NGOs work, Govtinterventions and market forces push toorganic that Indian organic agriculture hasreached a stage where it can swiftly move tooccupy desired space in Indian agriculture.Both, the 11th plan document on organicsector and the Report of the NationalCommission on Farmers, haverecommended it as a tool for second greenrevolution in the country, in particular foragro-ecozones comprising rain fed areas,hilly areas and areas experiencingecological backlash of green revolution. Thefactors attracting attention to organicagriculture include;3i. Increasing prospects of organicagribusiness and demand for safe food.ii. As an option to sustainable developmentof farming based rural livelihoods ofsmall farmers.iii. As an alternative option for thosefarmers who benefitted from irrigatedgreen revolution farming but afterdecades are now facing ecologicalbacklash, in the form of soil salinity andland degradation, which has increasedcost of cultivation and in some cases it isleading to abandonment of farming.The first factor promotes organic as a nichearea for agribusiness and better cashincome to farmers and the second factordominates organic farming priorities of smalland marginal farmers in rained areas, whoare looking for alternatives to reduce inputcosts in farming and options to farm theirlands sustainably, for them it is a livelihoodand food security opportunity.In India, over the past 60 years, the focus ofagricultural research and development hasmainly been on maximizing yields, coupledwith increasing specialization of productionand ever larger farm sizes. Although yieldshave increased substantially, contributing toraising total production, farmers and theenvironment have had to pay the price forkeeping up with this development. Of lateIndian farmers have been experimenting tomake a transition to practices that are moreenvironmentally sound, and potentiallycontribute to the long term sustainability ofagriculture. Organic agriculture is becomingan integral part of these practices. In anationwide survey of organic farmers Partapet al (2008) reported that the factors thatencourage individual farmers to adoptorganic agriculture were continuing risingcosts of agricultural inputs which is makingOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012farming increasingly unprofitable. Farmersare seeking new ways to increase farmincome. While income considerations arepredominant, environmental benefits, healthaspects and farmers’ empowerment areother important factors influencing farmersshift to organic agriculture (Partap, 2006;Partap et al 2008). There is no evidence toclaim that organic agriculture can feed theworld, but the evidence that it could not isunconvincing. In developing countries,organic agriculture with its focus on lowexternal inputs has demonstrated potentialfor increasing the productivity of the millionsof rain fed farmers who cannot affordconventional high input agriculture, and whohave no access to inputs to begin with. Useof productivity per hectare as the criterion forrejecting the value of organic agricultureignores the fact that it is one of the potentialgreen technologies which can facilitateushering in an era of green economy. Whatis more, organic agriculture holds muchgreater promise of achieving sustainableland use than conventional agriculture(Partap 2006). Under this background, thispaper analyzes the economic, ecologicaland scientific potentials of organicagriculture, and advocates that it can beused as a tool for promoting greenproductivity and economy in the country.How Organic Agriculture contributes togreen economyOrganic agriculture is a unique productionmanagement system which promotes andenhances agro-ecosystem health, includingbiodiversity, biological cycles and soilbiological activity, and this is accomplishedby using on-farm agronomic, biological andmechanical methods in exclusion of allsynthetic off-farm inputs. FAO promotes thisunderstanding and perception about organicagriculture, in its own advocacy andprogrammes as well as among its membernations. Countries like USA, where organicagriculture, is mainstreamed, acknowledges,“organic farming as a system which avoidsor largely excludes the use of syntheticinputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides,hormones, feed additives etc) and to themaximum extent feasible rely upon croprotations, crop residues, animal manures,4off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rockadditives and biological system of nutrientmobilization and plant protection”. However,organic is not only about replacing inputs,which is the starting point of the process, itgoes beyond, as enshrined in the fourprinciples of organic farming advocated byIFOAM;i. Principle of health: Organic agricultureshould sustain and enhance the healthof soil, plant, animal, human and planetas one and indivisible.ii. Principle of ecology: Organicagriculture should be based on livingecological systems and cycles, work withthem, emulate them and help sustainthem.iii. Principle of fairness: Organicagriculture should build on relationshipsthat ensure fairness with regard to thecommon environment and lifeopportunitiesiv. Principle of care: Organic Agricultureshould be managed in a precautionaryand responsible manner to protect thehealth and well-being of current andfuture generations and the environment.These ethical principles are aimed to inspiredeveloping a holistic vision and strategies.Organic Agriculture is environmentfriendlyOrganic agriculture is generally perceived asa form of agriculture that is more favourablefor the environment than conventionalagriculture. Organic farming comes closestto an environment friendly agriculture withincreased soil conservation and enhancedbiodiversity. Organic farming depends uponecological balances and favourablebiological processes expressed in ecologicalservices like pollination or pest control bynatural predators. It creates more favourableconditions at the species and ecosystemlevel of floral and faunal diversity thanconventional farming systems. Organicmanagement could also be a key to bringingdegraded land back into production andtherefore significantly contribute tosustainable development. It has the potentialto develop sustainable land use systems.Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012The main indicators of green agriculture,used in this section for advocating the caseof organic agriculture as a tool includebiodiversity, landscape, soil, quality of waterresources, climate, air and energy.Soil healthSince organic farming techniques have thepotential to improve soil fertility, soilstructure and soil moisture retentioncapacity, organic agriculture providessolutions to the problems associated withdegradation of dry lands and desertification.Soil care is a main principle in organicfarming. Studies show that organic farmingtends to conserve soil fertility and systemstability better than conventional farming(Stolze et al 200; Shepherd et al 2003).Organic soil management focuses onnutrient cycling with the aim of maximizingagro-ecosystem stability and homeostasis.Restoring the natural ecological balance isseen as essential by organic farmersbecause ecosystem functions areconsidered as a more productive ‘input’(Shepherd et al 2003). The environmentalrelevance of organic matter content is basedon its capacity to improve nutrient availabilityas well as biological activity and to reducethe vulnerability to physical damage. Soilorganic matter strongly influences many soilproperties including bulk density, waterholding capacity, infiltration rate, hydraulicconductivity and aggregate stability (Alfoldiet al, 2000; Shepherd et al 2003). Soilorganic matter (SOM) and humus areimportant components in the organic farmingphilosophy. Fertility is based on organicsubstances such as farmyard manure fromanimal husbandry, compost, green manure,plant residues and commercial organicnitrogen fertilizers. Consequently, there is anextensive supply of organic matter passingthrough aerobic decomposition processes.The research shows that soil organic carboncontent is higher in organic systems than inconventional farming (Goldstein and Young1987; Stolze et al 2000). The organic andagro-ecological systems can significantlyhelp address problems of declining soilfertility by building up local productivecapacity (both ecological and social), ratherthan relying upon external inputs. Chemical5fertilizers cause extreme pH fluctuations inlocalized areas such as those near thefertilizer band (Cooke 1967). In contrastorganic manure can increase the bufferingcapacity of soils, preventing swings in pH,because of additional organic matter.Utilization of composted manure, common inorganic systems has a positive effect on thecontent of organic matter and helps to avoidsoil acidification. Higher biological activitywithin the soil promotes metabolismbetween soil and plants and is an essentialpart of sustainable plant productionmanagement. The role of soil organisms,found abundantly in organic systems, iscentral to soil processes and fertility sincethey render available the elements in plantresidues and organic debris entering the soil(Alfoldi et al 2002). Abundance ofsaprophytic soil fungi with a higher potentialof decomposition of organic material and thedegree of mycorrhizal root colonization ishigher under organic conditions (Elmholt,1996). The above research findings indicatethe potential of organic farming to thoseareas where small and marginal farmersdepend for their livelihoods on rain fed dryland agriculture.BiodiversityThe higher level of agricultural intensity isfeared to have resulted in a decrease inbiological diversity all over the country. Thedestruction of biotypes, as well as thesimplifications of crop rotations, and theincreasing inputs of synthetic fertilizers andpesticides has been responsible for changesin the habitat of many valuable species. Onthe other hand, organic agriculture dependsupon stabilizing agro- ecosystems,maintaining ecological balances, developingbiological processes to their optimum andlinking agricultural activities with theconservation of biodiversity (Alfoldi et al,1992). Increased biodiversity improves andbuffers ecological services such aspollination, pest control, maintenance of soilfertility, thus strengthening farming systemsand practices. Building on that, someorganic certification organizations haveincorporated biodiversity requirements intotheir standards. The Swiss organicstandards, for example, require farmers toOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012keep 7% of their farmland as semi-naturalhabitats (Bio Suisse, 2001). It is possiblethat organic farming systems can be used byplanners as a tool to balance conservationand production. A review of studiescomparing the effects of organic farming onbiodiversity (Hole et al, 2004) highlightedthat organic farming particularly favoursfarmland wildlife, a chemical free habitat,sympathetic management of non-croppedhabitats and preservation of mixed farming.Studies have so far demonstrated thatspecies abundance and / or richness acrossa wide range of taxa tend to be higher inorganic farms than in conventional farms inthe same locality.Genetic diversityConsidering genetic diversity, speciesdiversity and habitat diversity issues ofbiodiversity on the organic farms, availableevidence of past few decades shows thatthe adoption of high yielding , uniformbreeds and varieties has led to aconsiderable reduction in the number ofspecies and in the number of varieties/breeds within species, used in agriculture(Alfoldi et al , 2002). Even while, indigenousseeds have been shown to perform betterunder drought conditions in rainfed areas,the systems for promoting their wider useare not in place. Scientists only useindigenous crop varieties as a valuablesource of genetic materials for improving thecommercial varieties because of highdegree of natural resistance to insects,diseases and drought stress. Since 1995,the world over, organic farming has beenindirectly instrumental in establishing arescue process for threatened species,varieties and breeds. Since organicagriculture very often promotes the use ofrare native breeds, hence it is making animportant contribution to the in situconservation, restoration and maintenanceof agricultural biodiversity. Thus organicfarming areas may become potentialreservoirs and future sources of geneticdiversity to sustain agriculture. There isalways a richer floral diversity under organicagriculture, which has positive impacts onfaunal diversity, for it offers over winteringsites, refuges and areas with network of6links to other habitats (Shepherd et al 2003).While in conventional farming weeds areconsidered harmful to crop yield, in organicfarming they are considered useful to acertain degree as they provide ecologicalservices (Alfoldi et al 2002). In the context ofpollinators, which greatly benefit from adiversity of flowers, flowering weeds aremore diverse and abundant on organicfarms (Frieben and Kopke, 1996).Uncultivated land, hedgerows inside crops,in allied crops and in neighbouring areas canserve as refuge for beneficial insects suchas parasitoids of aphids (Verkerk et al,1998). Organic farming aims for a greaterdiversity of crops in the rotation ofdomesticated species. Wide crop rotationsare essential as a means of disease andpest prevention. They also contribute tomaintaining soil fertility, particularly if N-fixing legumes are a part of the rotation.While organic farming standardsrecommend cultivating site adapted cropvarieties, farmers are free to use highyielding varieties and breeds also.Nevertheless, the preservation of old landvarieties and breeds is an important functionof organic agriculture (Stolze et al 200).Most information available on faunaldiversity under organic farming, is about soilfauna and birds. In most cases organicfarming displays more faunal diversity thanconventional agriculture. The key factors forthis are: greater fauna-friendly cropprotection management, organic fertilizationregimes, more diversified crop rotations, andmore structured landscapes with seminaturalhabitats and field margins (Stolze etal 2000). Landscape structures are essentialfor the survival of many invertebrates,specially due to favourable food and overwintering conditions.Abundance of soil improvinginvertebrates - Earthworms have manypositive direct and indirect effects on soilquality, both in terms of their effect on soilphysical properties and nutrient cycling.They are vital to soil organic matter turn over(Shepherd et al 2003). They are highlysuitable bio indicators of soil fertility, andthey are known for their sensitivity tosynthetic pesticides and to many agriculturalOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012practices (Mader et al, 1996). Earthwormshelp improve soil structure and provide ahigh concentration of nutrients in a formaccessible to plants. Scientific studies haveshown that organically managed soils havegreater number of earthworms compared toconventional farmlands. A possible reasonfor this could be that organic productiondepends more on a high, sustained supplyof organic substances from plant residuesand manure than conventional farming.Pesticides can adversely affect earthworms,and beneficial arthropods either directly viacontamination or through alteration of themicrohabitat and a reduction of their prey.Researchers have also found greaterdiversity and abundance of soil and surfaceliving arthropods such as spiders, beetles,parasitic flies and wasps and many otherinvertebrate species in organic farmingsystems compared to conventional farmingsystems (Feber et al 1997, 1998, Stolze etal 2000; Tybrik et al 2004).Diversity of landscapes and birds forecological functionsOrganic farming generally provides a goodpotential for landscape diversity. Stockdaleet al (2001) indicated that semi-naturalhabitats are intrinsic in organic regimes/landscapes where their management iscentral to the philosophy. They are also ofgreat functional importance for nutrientcycling and processes of succession e.g.colonization (Tybrik et al, 2004). Organicfarming does indeed tend to have a positiveinfluence on habitat diversity, withinparameters of limitations. Birds are wellsuited indicator organisms that show theenvironmental status and landscapeinfrastructure, including agricultural land.There is always higher bird density onorganic farm lands than on conventionalagriculture areas (Rhone-Poulnec, 1997;Alger 1998). Because of increased food andprey availability (Brown, 1999) smallmammals were greater in organic thanconventional agriculture fields.Carbon sequestration functionsGlobal climate change (green house effect)is considered one of the most threateningenvironmental problems. On a global scale7agriculture is responsible for roughly 15% ofthe trace gas emissions (Stolze et al 2000).However on a per hectare scale, moststudies found lower (up to 40-60%) CO 2emissions from organic systems (Burdick1994), the main reason being disuse ofchemical fertilizers and pesticides.Therefore, sustainable agricultural strategiesincluding recycling of organic matter,tightening nutrient cycles, and low tillagepractices may rebuild organic matter andreduce losses from the system. The diversityof organic crop rotations protect the fragilesoil surface and may even counteractclimate change by restoring the organicmatter content ( Haas and Kopke ,1994).The carbon sink idea of Kyoto Protocol maytherefore be accomplished efficiently byfarming organically (Alfoldi et al 2002).There is a huge potential for CO 2sequestration in India. Agro-forestry holdsthe highest potential of agricultural carbonsequestration in our country.Efficiency and Productivity Potentials ofOrganic AgricultureA large proportion of the Indian agriculturalland is dependent on erratic rainfall. As aresult of global warming, this proportion islikely to increase a great deal. Therefore,organic farming with its attention to SOMcontent, could well be a much more resilientand safe form of agriculture with respect toglobal food security than conventionalfarming. If productivity under conventionalagriculture is achieved under unsustainableconditions of high subsidies, high fertilizerdosages, unsustainable groundwater use,frequent chemical sprayings, andunacceptable externalized effects (e.g.surface water pollution), then countingorganic agriculture is less productive, thansuch unsustainable forms of conventionalagriculture, does not hold true on grounds ofecological economics of farming (Roling,2006). Instead of treating organic agricultureas an inconsequential niche market ofproducts produced only for selectconsumers, agricultural research institutionsshould consider it as a rich opportunity forinnovative research. Organic agriculture isfar behind in research investment, eventhough the opportunities for its developmentOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012are much greater than the outcome ofsqueezing the last little drops out of theconventional approach. The preoccupationof scientific community with productivity perhectare, ignores the increasing evidencethat it is not supply factors, such asproductivity per hectare, but demand factors,such as market opportunities, that determineagricultural development outcomes in ourcountry. The green revolution technologies,tend to ignore the need to cultivate andnourish the ecological services on which weand other higher life forms depend. Theseecological services include: provision offood, fuel, and fibre; a stable climate;protection against cosmic rays; the provisionof clean and safe drinking water throughhealthy hydrological systems; an effectivecarbon cycle; biodiversity; purification of theair, etc. In conventional agriculture the focuson crop ecology got replaced by a focus onfarming as a measure of increasingproductivity. A comparison of the threesystems: a conventional grain based farmingsystem, an animal-based organic system,and a legume-based system, highlightsrelevance of ecological services (RodaleInstitute) as follows:• Because of the greater organic mattercontent in the soil, and hence theincrease of water retention, both maizeand soybean in the organic systems didmuch better during drought years, than inthe conventional system.• Although the input of organic material wasroughly the same for all three systems,the organic animal and legume systemsretained more carbon in the soil resultingin an annual soil carbon increase ofrespectively 981 and 574 kg per ha,compared to only 293 kg in theconventional system.• In 2004, soil organic carbon content wasrespectively 2.5 and 2.4% in the organicsystems, versus 2.0% for theconventional. Soil nitrogen content wasalso higher for the organic systems.• Nitrate leaching did not differ a great dealbetween the three systems. But soilsfarmed with the two organic systems hadgreater populations of arbuscularmycorrhizae fungi than did conventional8system soils, and greater biodiversity interms of earthworms, etc.• Abundant biomass above and belowground in the organic systems helped toenhance biological controls and toincrease crop pollination. In the case ofmaize production, the inputs of energy interms of fossil fuels, for machinery,fertilisers, seeds and herbicides, wererespectively 28% and 32% less for theorganic animal and legume systems thanfor the conventional system. Croprotations and cover cropping, typical oforganic agriculture, reduced soil erosion.• Conclusion: benefit of ‘ecologisation’ ofconventional agriculture are costeffective.A Vision for Organic agriculture in IndiaUnder the backdrop of the parallel growth oforganic farming approaches, one, by thesmall farmers in rain fed areas as a foodsecurity and livelihood strategy, two,ecological backlash in green revolutionareas, and three, as agribusiness and exportopportunity, India needs to define a longterm vision and growth strategies for organicagriculture in India. Further, variety ofconcerns making different countries promoteorganic agriculture for different reasons, helpus understand priorities India should framewith respect to organic agriculture. Theinternational experiences and ongoingdevelopments in organic sector andemerging agricultural scenario in thecountry, lead us to identify the followingcorner stones of the foundation on which wecan build the organic sector in this country;i. Organic agriculture becomes low costsustainable option of farming in thecountry, particularly by the small farmersin rain fed areas and helps improve theirfood and income security.ii. Organic agriculture gets mainstreamedand helps achieve ecological andeconomic sustainability of Indianagriculture in general i.e. clean water,environment and helps preservebiodiversity.iii. Organic agriculture helps produce andsupply adequate safe and nutritious foodto the producers (farmers of India) andconsumers of the nation.Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012iv.Organic becomes a foreign exchangeearner for the country and that India isable to take at least 3% share of globalorganic market. It will lead to organicagriculture becoming an agribusiness/entrepreneurship opportunity andprovide employment opportunities downthe supply chain.Organic agriculture missionMoving towards the organic vision requiresdefining a mission to move ahead. The milestones of this organic mission can be;i. Mainstreaming organic farming to reducecost of production, and reduce the needfor subsidies on chemical fertilizers.ii. Over 10 million hectares is brought underorganic agriculture by 2020. It will havesaved over Rs 10,000 crores on subsidieson fertilizers and other related inputs.iii. Profitability increased by reducing inputcosts. Nation too benefits by savings onfertilizers.iv. Produce Rs 30,000 crores worth oforganic commodities by 2020; wherein80% production is for domestic and 20%for export.v. Build strong institutional capacities andhuman resources in the country toimplement appropriate organic strategiesboth at the national and state level so asto achieve the mission targets. Weakinstitutional capacities are the biggestchallenge India faces today in movingforward to mainstream organic sector.vi. India becomes main producer andsupplier of a variety of niche organiccommodities, so much in demand in theinternational market.ReferencesAlfoldi, T. and Niggli, U. 1994. Input andoutput of energy for different crops inbiodynamic, bio-organic andconventional production systems in along term field trial in Switzerland. In:Borin, M. and Sattin, M. ( eds)Proceedings of the third Congress of theEuropean Society for Agronomy, PadovaUniversity, Padova. PP.650-651.Alfoldi, T., Fliebach, A., Geier, U., Kilcher, L.,Niggli, U. Pfiffner, L., Stolze, M., andWiller, H. 2002 Organic agriculture and9the environment. In Scialabba, N. E.-H.andHattam, C. (eds) Organic agriculture,environment and Food Security. TheFood and Agriculture Organizations ofthe United Nations,Rome.Alger, K. 1998. The reproduction of cocoaindustry and biodiversity in SouthernBahia, Brazil. Cacao Workshop inPanama ( March 30- April2, 1998).Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre,Washington, DC.Baudry, J., Burel. F., Aviron, S., Martin, M.,Ouin, A., Pain, G., and Thenail, C., 2003.Temporal variability of connectivity inagriculture landscape: do farmingactivities help ?Lanscape Ecology 18 (3) :303- 314. BioSuisse 2001. Richtlinien flulr dieErzeugung, Verarbeitung und denHandel von Erzeugnissen ausbiologischer (okologischer) Produktion.Bio Suisse, Basel. British Trust forOrnithology.1995. The effects of organicfarming regimes on breeding and winterbird populations : Part I: SummaryReport and Conclusions. British Trust forOrnothology, Thetford.Cooke, G.W. 1967. The control of soilfertility. English Language Book Societyand Crossby Lockwood Staples, London.Fliebach,A. 1998. Mikroorganismen inOkobeden zeigen grobere Vielfelt undhohete Abbauleistung. Okologie undLandbau 106: 38-40.Frieben,B., and Kopke,U.1996. Effect offarming systems on biodiversity. In :Isart,J. andLlerena,J.J. (eds) Organic Farming in Landuse systems. Proceedings of the FirstENOF [ European Network for ScientificResearch Co- ordination in OrganicFarming .University of Bonn,Bonn. Pp11-21.Goldstein,W.A., and Young, D.L. 1987. Anagronomic and economic comparison ofa conventional and a low input croppingsystem in Palouse. American Journal ofAlternative Agriculture. 2. 51-56Haas, G., and Kopke, U. 1994. Vergleich derKlimarelevanz okologischer undkonventioneller Landdewirtschaftung. In:Enquete- Kommission Schutz derOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Erdatmosphare der DeutschenBundstages (ed.). Schutz der GrunenErde Klimaschutz durch umweltgerechtelandwirtschaft und erhalt der Walder.Economica Verlag, Bonn. Pp.92-196.Cochrane, W.W. (1958). Farm Prices, Mythand Reality. Minneapolis: Univ. ofMinnesota Press. (Especially Chapter 5:The Agricultural Treadmill, pp 85-107ppPartap, T. 2006 India Organic Pathway-Making Way for Itself. The InternationalCompetence Centre for OrganicAgriculture . www.iccoa.org PP187Partap T., Vaidya C.S., and Ganguly, R.2008. Organic Farmers Speak onEconomics and Beyond : A nationwidesurvey of farmers experiences in India.West Ville Publishers New Delhi.Parrot,N. and Marsden, T. 2002. The RealGreen Revolution. Organic andAgroecological Farming in the South.Green Peace Environmental Trust,London.Pfiffner, L. and Mather,P. 1997. Effect ofbiodynamic, organic and conventionalproduction systems on earthwormpopulations. Biological Agriculture andHorticulture 15:3-10.Pretty,A.W. and Ball, A. 2001. Agriculturalinfluences on carbon emissions andseuestration: A review of evidences andthe emerging trading options. Centre forEnvironment and Society. mUniversityof Essex.Rhone-Pouline 1997. Rhone-PoulineAgriculture. Farm Management Study.7th Annual Report. Rhone-Pouline,Ongar.Roling, N. I. 2006. Organic Agriculture andworld food security: A reaction to thechallenge by Fresco, van Kasteren andrabbinge. Main points of the academicdebate with Frank Wijnands, RudyRabbinge and Huub Loffler,Capitulatiezaal, Hotel De Wereld,Wageningen, March 23, 2006.Scialabba,N.E.-H. and Hattam,C. (eds).Organic Agriculture, Environment andFood Security. Food and Agriculture10Organization of the United Nations,Rome.Scialbba, N.E.-H., Gande,C. andHenatsch,C. 2002. Organic Agricultureand Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture . FAO, Rome.Shepherd, M., Pearce,B., Cormack,B.,Philipps,L., Cuttle, S., Bhogal, A.,Costigan, P., and Uniwin,R. 2003. Anassessment of the environmentalimpacts of organic farming. ADAS,wleverhampton.Steffen, W., A. Sanderson, J. Jäger, P.Tyson, B. Moore, P. Matson, P.Richardson, F. Oldfield, H. Schnelhuber,B. Turner & R. Wasson (2004). GlobalChange and the Earth System: a planetunder pressure. Heidelberg: SpringerVerlag, IGBP Series, 40pp.Stockdale, E. A., Lampkin, N. H., Hovi, M.,Keatinge, R., Lennartsson, E. K. M.,Macdonald, D. W., Padel, S., Tattersall,F. H., Wolfe, M. S., and Watson, C. A.2001. Agronomic and Environmentalimplications for organic farming.Advances in Agronomy 70: 261-327.Stolton,S. 2002. Biodiversity and organicagriculture. IFOAM, Tholey - Theley,Germany.Stolze, M., Piorr, A., Haring, A., andDabbert, S. 2000. The environmentalimpacts of organic farming in Europe.University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart-Hohenheim.Thenail,C., and Baudry,J. 2004. Variationsof farm spatial land use patternaccording to the structure of thehedgerow network, landscape: a casestudy in north east Brittany. Agriculture,Ecosystems and Environment 101 (1):53-72.Tilman,D. 1998. Greening of the greenrevolution. Nature 396:211-212.Unwin, R.J., Bell, B., Shepherd M., Webb,J., Keatinge, R and Bailey,S. 1995. Theeffect of organic farming systems onaspects of environment .MAFF, London.Wright, J. (2005). Perspectives on theemergence of a more ecological farmingand food system in post-crisis Cuba.Wageningen: University, PublishedDoctoral Dissertation.Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Status of Organic AgricultureIn India 2010-11A.K. YadavNational Centre of Organic Farming19, Hapur RoadGhaziabad, UP – 201 002Growth in areaEmerging from 42,000 ha under certifiedorganic farming during 2003-04, the organicagriculture grew 29 fold during the period upto 2008-09. By March 2011 India hadbrought more than 4.43 million ha areaunder organic certification process. Out ofthis cultivated area accounts for 0.77 millionha while remaining 3.65 million ha was wildforest harvest collection area. It wascombined effect of enthusiastic farmers,NGOs, Central and State Governments andmarket forces push. Now practically all 30states are represented on organicagriculture map of India. Both the streams oforganic; certified and non-certified aregrowing and projects in spite of beingcontinuously organic are opting in or out ofthird party certification system dependingupon the need for certification in directmarketing. Area under organic certificationprocess which has seen rapid growth till theyear 2008-09 is now under consolidationphase. Absence of effective marketingchannels, withdrawal of some Central andState Government support programmes andintroduction of complicated TRACENETsystem for certification under NPOP haspushed some of the grower groups (may betemporarily) out of certification system. Yearwisegrowth of total cultivated area underorganic certification process is shown inTable 1. State-wise details of cultivated andwild harvest collection area during 2010-11are given in Table 2 and total production ofraw organic commodities from total areaunder organic certification process are givenin Table 3.Export of organic commodities - In spiteof dwindling area and threat of BT cotton toorganic cotton the export of organiccommodities continued to grow in doubledigit. The growth in export, in terms of totalquantity, in terms of total value in INR and interms of total value in US$ was 22, 33 and41% respectively. Details of variouscategory of products exported to differentcountries are given in Table 4.As per the information provided by APEDA,Ministry of Commerce, details of variousorganic products exported to differentcountries was as follows for the year 2010-11.1. 19 Categories; >300 products2. Exported quantity - 69837 MT3. Value of export quantity - Rs. 699 Crores(USD 157.22 million)4. Top exported products (in decreasingorder) : Oilseeds, Cotton & textiles,Processed Food, Basmati Rice, TeaExport Destinations1. EU : 44% by volume; 52% by value2. Canada : 22% by volume ; 14% by value3. US : 19% by volume ; 17% by value4. Asia : 13% by volume ; 15% by valueDomestic Organic MarketWith more than 5 lakh farmers and morethan 0.77 million ha cultivated area underorganic certification, India producespractically all types of organic commodities.As per the estimates during 2009-10, Indiaproduced various organic commoditiesvaluing at Rs. 5640 crores (at Farm Gateprices, based upon the produce data ofcertification bodies as calculated by NCOF).Out of this only limited quantity wasmarketed under organic brand.11Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Table – 1 Growth of area under organic managementS.No. Years Area in ha under organic certification processCultivatedWild harvest(organic+in-conversion)1. 2003-04 42,000 NA2. 2004-05 76,000 NA3. 2005-06 1,73,000 NA4. 2006-07 5,38,000 24,32,5005. 2007-08 8,65,000 24,32,5006. 2008-09 12,07,000 30,55,0007. 2009-10 10,85,648 33,96,0008. 2010-11 7,77,517 36,50,000Table – 2 State-wise total area (in ha) under organic certification process during the year2010-11 (as on March 2011)State Name Organic CultivatedIn-conversion Wild Area ( in Hac)cultivatedAndhra Pradesh 6070.90 6279.72 2000Arunachal Pradesh 243.10 0.00 0Assam 2001.76 45.33 0Andman 0.00 334.68 0Bihar 0.00 1303.62 0Chhattisgarh 321.99 126.94 8000Damna & Diu 0.00 0.00 0Delhi 127.50 138.82 0Goa 13044.65 259.05 0Gujarat 42267.48 6251.43 0Haryana 2343.06 12420.55 0Himachal Pradesh 2265.46 1781.41 627855.12J&K 640.50 135.98 0Karnataka 9128.01 10400.63 69200Kerala 3870.27 2727.38 0Lakshadweep 0.00 12.13 0Madhya Pradesh 270955.70 27407.18 2568209Jharkhand 0.00 0.00 24300.00Maharashtra 124547.04 50298.44 2500Manipur 2336.72 455.31 0Meghalaya 1564.05 855.62 0.0001Mizoram 4471.60 8072.53 0Nagaland 654.00 949.54Orissa 16883.73 6218.56 1315.26Punjab 2118.22 3907.57 0Rajasthan 57566.93 9145.26 151000Sikkim 1391.04 27.31 308Tamilnadu 3244.61 829.98 30803.5Tripura 203.56 144.83 0Uttar Pradesh 17212.43 23800.40 70632UTTARAKHAND 9513.76 2073.03 93879.2West Bengal 5014.94 1110.78 0TOTAL 600003 177513.98 3650002.07512Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Table 3. State-wise details of total area under organic certification process and totalproduction of raw organic commodities (both cultivated and wild harvest) during theyear 2010-11.State NameTotal Area Under CertifiedOrganic Cultivation( in Million Hectares)Total Production (in MT)Andhra Pradesh 14350.62 59470.76Arunachal Pradesh 243.10 2127.29Assam 2047.09 14716.95Andaman & Nicobar 334.68 4189.10Bihar 1303.62 15153.35Chhattisgarh 8448.93 1695.82Delhi 266.32 2172.26Goa 13303.70 28262.50Gujarat 48518.91 191667.84Haryana 14763.61 119789.39Himachal Pradesh 631901.99 74973.30J&K 776.48 10382.95Karnataka 88728.64 220901.31Kerala 6597.65 58177.29Lakshadweep 12.13 22.55Madhya Pradesh 2866571.88 1220809.58Jharkhand 24300.00 0.00Maharashtra 177345.48 694275.26Manipur 2792.03 19239.25Meghalaya 2419.67 15674.64Mizoram 12544.13 177509.02Nagaland 1603.54 6627.47Orissa 24417.55 166183.41Punjab 6025.78 68177.83Rajasthan 217712.19 265341.01Sikkim 1726.34 5174.44Tamil Nadu 34878.09 41640.73Tripura 348.39 527.25Uttar Pradesh 111644.83 294156.10Uttarakhand 105465.98 79765.04West Bengal 6125.72 28393.48TOTAL 4427519.06 3887197.19As per the study conducted by OrganicTrade Association of India (OTA) presentedat BioFach 2012 at Nuremberg Germanyduring February 2012, total value of organicproduce during 2011-12 is expected to bearound Rs. 8575 crores, out of whichmarketable surplus was worth Rs 4550crores (50% of production). Details ofvarious retail formats with number of outletunits (as per OTA) are as follows:1. Modern High End Retail 350 units2. General Trade Outlets 1500 units3. Institutional Consumers 300 units4. Claimed Organic Outlets 2000units5. Rural/Farmer/NGO operated 2000unitsTable 4 Product wise category and quantity exported during the year 2010-1113 Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012(As per the details provided by APEDA)S.No. Product category Exported quantity in MT1 Oil Crops (Except sesame) 17965.942 Cotton & textiles 17362.793 Processed Food 8752.374 Misc 5916.685 Basmati Rice 5242.936 Tea 2928.087 Sesame 2409.118 Honey 2408.799 Non Basmati Rice 1633.7310 Dry Fruits 1472.1711 Cereals (Except Rice) 1347.8912 Spices - Condiments 1174.3513 Medicinal & Herbal Plants 627.0914 Coffee 320.3415 Vegetables 166.9916 Aromatic Oil 38.5717 Pulses 3818 Fruits 27.5119 Flowers 3.45Total 69836.78Organic Agriculture Research InstitutionsResearch needs of organic agriculture isbeing looked after an ICAR sponsored“Network Project on Organic Farming(NPOF-ICAR) with Project Directorate ofFarming System Research, Modipuram, UPas its coordinating centre. NPOF-ICARproject, besides its head quarter atModipuram is being operated from 13centres located at Raipur-ChhattisgarhBajura- Himachal Pradesh, Comibatore-Tamil Nadu, Dharwad-Karnataka, Calicut-Kerala, Pantnagar-Uttarakhand, Bhopal-Madhya Pradesh, Ranchi-Jharkhand,Umiam-Meghalaya, Jabalpur-MadhyaPradesh, Karjat-Karnataka, Ludhiana-Punjab and Parbhani-Maharashtra.Besides these, two State AgriculturalUniversities namely University of AgriculturalSciences, Dharwad, Karnataka and CSKHimachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalay,Palampur have also started separateDepartments of Organic AgricultureResearch.Organic Input productionSteady increase in organic input productioninfrastructure has also contributed tosignificant growth of organic agriculture areain the country. Biofertilizers, bio-pesticidesand organic fertilizers are essential inputs fororganic farming and their availability iscontinuously on rise.Biofertilizers and bio-pesticides – Indiahas excellent production network in thecountry. As on today there are more than225 production units in the country with aninstalled annual production capacity of morethan 125,735 MT for biofertilizers and biopesticides.During 2010-11 more than 37997MT of biofertilizers and 69137 MT of biopesticideswere produced in the country.Organic fertilizers – With the continuousintervention of Central and StateGovernments, production of different organicmanures are increasing. During the year2010-11 the country has produced andutilized more than 3671 lakh MT of differenttypes of organic fertilizers/ manures,contributing approximately 7.34 million tonsof nutrients in terms of NP&K.14Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Organic Success StoryA case of Organic Potato in Bihar: Worldrecord production using Ecofriendly AgriBio InputsPushpa B. Nair 1 , Kamlesh Gokani 1 , Rajesh Umatt 1 , Arjun Mehta 1 , Rajesh Mohan 2 , AbhishekKumar 3 ,Sudama Mahto 4 , Devnarayan Mahto 51 Gujarat Life Sciences (P) Ltd. Gorwa, Vadodara-16; email: info@glsbiotech.com2 A. R. Enterprise. Patna, Bihar; email: arenterprise_patna@rediffmail.com3 Ecocert, Patna, Bihar, 4 District Agriculture officer, Nalanda5 District Horticulture officer, NalandaIntroduction:Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) popularlyknown as ‘The king of vegetables’, hasemerged as fourth most important food cropin India after rice, wheat and maize. Indianvegetable basket is incomplete withoutPotato (Dahiya, 2001, Ezekiel et al 2003).Being a short duration crop, it producesmore quantity of dry matter, edible energyand edible protein in lesser duration of timethan cereals like rice and wheat. Hence,potato may prove to be a useful tool toachieve the nutritional security of the nation.Potato is one of the main commercial cropgrown in the country. It is cultivated in 23states in India. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,Bihar, Punjab and Gujarat account for alion’s share in total production. Varieties likeKufri, Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-2, KufriJyoti, Kufri Luvkar, Kufri Chandramukhi, andPukhraj are most popular varieties beinggrown.Organic Initiative of Bihar:Bihar Government planned a majorprogramme in 2011-12 for taking up largescale organic farming. The chief Minister ofBihar declared a major initiative byorganizing International Conference on“Organic Bihar” in June 2011. Severalnational and international experts andpracticing farmers were invited. A key noteaddress by Dr. M.H. Mehta former ViceChancellor GAU and now Chairman of “TheScience Ashram/Gujarat Life Sciences”presented a model showing how packagesof Ecofriendly Agri Bio Inputs cansubstantially reduce the agri-input cost and15at the same time improve farm productivity.Such a model of Agri Bio Inputs CERTIFIEDBY France based company; ECOCERT wasthought to be the most appropriate for mostof the places but particularly for resourcepoor and backward areas.Bihar-Nalanda District:Many parts of Bihar are relatively poor buthave rich and diversified agricultural base.Again more than 70% of labor force andpoor are in rural areas. It was appropriatelythought that a right ecofriendly or organicmodel can convert this into an opportunity.Materials and Methods:The organic farming of Potato, varietyPukhraj was carried out at Darveshpura,Nalanda district in Bihar. Nitish Kumar (afarmer) adopted the ‘Dhaincha’ (Sesbania)green manuring as the first process toincrease the fertility of soil. Inputs used were100 kg vermi-compost, 100kg chickenmanure, N.P.K - Bio inputs of Gujarat LifeSciences (GLS) like Wonderlife -G (Granulebased Biofertilizer), GLS-Enrich (humic acidbased soil conditioner), Vamstar (Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhiza root promoter),Tricholife (Trichoderma as seed treatment),Superlife (liquid Biofertilizer), Hot Favorite &Amino mix (plant derived liquid growthpromoter), Kelp Extract (Growth Enzyme),Neem A life (botanical biopesticide) &Beaulife (Bauveria bassiana microbialpesticide). Beside this, time to time propertraining was organized and field visit by GLSexperts and State Government officersOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012helped farmers for application of inputs inright proportion and at the right time. Allthese inputs conform to the Internationalstandards of Ecocert and have been foundto be safe and highly effective Agri BioInputs. Such a package (Ahlawat et al 2009,Mehta 2009) was developed keeping in mindthe need of a model which is ecofriendly andreduces the cost of agro inputs and still givehigher production. To help the farmersimprove productivity with ecofriendly inputs,the scientists of Gujarat Life Sciences wereasked to make a comprehensive package ofAgri Bio Inputs. The details of the packageare given in stage wise manner in Table 1.Table 1: GLS Organic Package for PotatoNutrient ManagementStageProduct Recommended and DosageStage 1: Main field preparationGLS – Enrich@8 kg/acre + Bioshot@ 5 grams per liter ofWhile main field preparationwater in the soilStage 2 : SowingAt the time of sowingStage 3: Germination & Vegetative DevelopmentWonderlife-G@ 5 kg. / acre + Vamstar @ 2.5 kg. / acrerespectively with FYM15 days after germinationSuperlife @1 liter/ acre + Tricholife@1 kg/acre in the rootzone30 days after germinationWonderlife –G @ 5 kg. / acre + Vamstar@ 2.5 kg. / acrewith FYM50 – 60 days after germinationHotfavourite@ 1 liter/ acre in the root zone throughdrenchingStage 4: Tuber initiation and development75 days after germination Vamstar @ 2.5 kg/acre with FYM80-90 days after germination GLS Amino mix @2-3 ml/ liter of water in the root zoneDisease and Pest ManagementPests/ DiseaseAll stages diseasemanagementLeaf spot, root and stem rot,damping off diseaseThripsWhite flyFor other pests like Aphids,Jassids, BollwormsMiteSucking & Chewing pests,DBMNematodeTricholife @ 1 kg/acreControlBioshot @5 grams/liter of water as foliar or root zoneapplicationSpray: Neem-A-Life at 4-5 ml / lit. of water.If thrips attack is very heavy, spray Thrip-Thrash (1-2ml/liter of water) with Neem-A-Life. Repeat the spray ifrequiredSpray Neem-A-Life with Beaulife (1-2 ml/liter of water)Use Beaulife at 4-5 gms. / lit. of water + Neem-A-Life 4-5gms /liter of water and spray on infected areaMite no mite: 1-2 ml/liter of water to combat Red spidermites, Yellow mites and spider mites.Monoshot: 3-4 ml/liter of water for preventive pest controlas well as for infested areaUse Nematkiller 1 kg/acre through drenching. If problempersists, repeat the application.16Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Table2: Eco organic package for Potato – A Typical Case.Sr no Inputs name Kg/lit per hectare1 cow dung 1500kg2 Vermicompost 100kg3 Poultry manure 100kg4 Wonderlife-G ( Granules) 10kg5 GLS ENRICH (soil conditioner) 20kg6 Vamstar (root promoter) 6.25kg7 Tricholife (seed treatment and Disease2.5kgManagement)8 Superlife ( liquid Biofertilizer) 2.5 lit9 GLS Hot Favourate + GLS Amino mix2.5 lit each(liquid growth promoter)10 GLS Kelp Extract ( Growth Enzyme) 2.5 lit11 Bioshot (bio-fungicide) 2.5kg12 Neem A life( Botanical biopesticide) 2.5 lit13 Beaulife ( powder biopesticide) 2.5 kg(The farmer also had used 12kg/hectare of NPK mixture but other than that no chemicalfertilizer or pesticides were used.)Few selected progressive farmers of villageDarveshpura planted potato crop duringwinter of 2011-12 and based on abovepackage reported his inputs usage as perTable - 2. Although the package used by thefarmer was not 100% organic meetingcertification requirement, but was very closeto organic as only a very small quantity ofNPK fertilizer was usedResults and Discussion:In the village Darveshpura of NalandaDistrict, Bihar nearly 65 hac of land wastaken up for organic cultivation of potato withthe above mentioned Package (Table 2). Asmall but progressive farmer Mr. NitishKumar (6) was taken up as typical case. ShriNitish Kumar had been growing potato (andother crops) in his farm since last manyyears and had earlier reported a highestyield of potato of nearly 30tones/ha usingchemical inputs.With his hard work, dedication andobservational precision farming with aboveorganic package, Nitish Kumar has provedthat with help of organic input package, asubstantial increase in production ispossible. To witness the actual yield theharvesting of potato, was undertaken underthe supervision of agriculture scientist andDistrict Agriculture and Horticultural, officers17and a production of 72.9 tones /ha. wasreported (Hindustan Times March 15, 2012).Dahiya and Sharma (1994) had reportedthat previous world record of potatoproduction (in Netherlands) was about 45.0tons/hectare. The yield of Shri Nitish Kumarwas far ahead of last world record and thattoo was obtained with balanced andeffective use of organic inputs. The previousaverage yield from the same area withchemical cultivation was approximately 30tons per hectare. This world recordproduction of potato with organic inputs hasproved that the new generation Agri BioInputs not only ensures higher productivity ina sustainable and eco-friendly manner butalso promise higher profitability withchemical residue free healthy food.Acknowledgments:The authors are grateful to the Governmentof Bihar, officers of the Department ofAgriculture and Horticulture, Bihar andfarmers of Nalanda District for their initiative,support and faith in developing such anEcofriendly farming model. For the intelligentunderstanding and application of this model,farmers like Mr. Nitish Kumar ofDarveshpura, Nalanda District deservespecial appreciation and congratulations.Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012References:Dahiya, P. S., 2001. Potato Scenario-2001.Agriculture Today, Issue-June2001.Ezekiel, R., Brajesh Singh, N.R.Kumar andS.M.Paul Khurana 2003. Storing potatoscientifically. Indian Horticulture, Issue-April-June2003M.H.Mehta - Key note address inInternational Conference on “OrganicBihar”, Bihar, Patna June 21, 2011.R.P.S.Ahlawat, Arjun Mehta, M.H.Mehta,Rajesh Umatt. Scientific Package ofPractice for Organic Cultivation ofvarious crops at National Conference onAgronomy, Navsari AgriculturalUniversity by GLS..M.H.Mehta, The 20-20 Model – Higher farmproduction with lower input costs. AgriYear Book, 2009.Hindustan Times, Patna Thursday March 152012.Hindustan(Hindi), Patna, Tuesday March 132012.Shekhawat, G.S. and P.S. Dahiya 2000. Aneglected major food crop, The HinduSurvey of Indian Agriculture, 2000.Dahiya P.S. and, Sharma 1994. Potatomarketing in India. Status: Issues andOutlook. Working paper no.1994-2,Social Science Department. InternationalPotato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru.HARITIMA - The Organic Kitchen of UttarakhandOn 5 th of June,2012 the country’s first certified organic restaurant HARITIMA- TheOrganic Kitchen of Uttarakhand opened for the public at Tera Gaon, SahastardharaRoad, Dehradun. This is to remind readers that the state of Uttarakhand has declaredOrganic agriculture as a thrust area. The Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board has themandate to market the organic food commodities from the state where a number oftraditional crops like millets, pulses, spices and condiments are being produced and arepart of traditional recipes. There was an ardent need to showcase the usage of theseorganic and traditional crops in contemporary gourmet to popularise them. Every morselused at Haritima is free from toxics and synthetic inputs.Needless to say, in the present world of fast food, precooked food and adulterated food,Haritima strives to be a place where organic, fresh as well as delicious food can be a safealternative for the people as well as the visitors in Dehradun. Mr Shard Sundriyal theCEO of Tera Gaon the partner organization of this initiative says that we are lookingforward to service pure and organic traditional meals to tourist and local residents ofDehradun. The restaurant has a diverse menu of traditional and fusion foods. Some ofthe important cuisines which are worth talking about are Finger Millet (Koda/Mandu) KathiRoles, Local Beans Salads, Traditional Kumaoni/Garhwali Meals complete with Sukse,Hemp Milk veggies, Hemp/Bhanjera Chutuny, Stuffed Parathas and Deserts. Thebeverages consist of organic tea, coffee, apple juice, kafal (Miraca) juice andrhododendron juice. While speaking to the guests in the inauguration every one laudedthe novel initiative and appreciated the quality of food. According to Pradeep Dadlani,Marketing consultant for the event about 20 invitees were interviewed and feed back onpricing, quality and diversity was taken and all of the invitees gave an excellent remark.Haritima is ensconced in the principal that essentially food is nutrition for the body.Organic foods embody nature's gift to the mankind where food is produced without theuse of any chemical or synthetic inputs. It is a matter of great pride that an organicrestaurant, the first of its kind in India, has finally opened where you and your family canensure 100 % certified organic food within the realms of your budget says Mrs BinitaShah, CEO, Organic Board.18Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012India Organic NewsSustainable Agricultural Developmentand Organic Farming in India - Under thechanging agricultural scenario, theagricultural technologies needs a shiftfrom production oriented to profit orientedsustainable farming. In this direction, thepace of adoption of resource conservingtechnologies (RCTs) by the Indian farmers issatisfactory to a larger extent but, under thepresent scenario, we are in the half way ofconservation agriculture. The CA systemswill leads to sustainable farming and will bethe major thrust of the future farming. Theconditions for development of sustainableagriculture are becoming more and morefavorable. New opportunities are openingthe eyes of farmers, development workers,researchers and policy makers. They nowsee the potential and importance of thesepractices not only for their direct economicinterest but also as the basis of furtherintensification and ecological sustainability.This does not mean that agrochemicals canbe abandoned. Also, research has animportant role to play. Bankers and fundersshould think of how best to provideincentives and credits, accessible to poorfarmers and women, to make investment indry land farming possible. As conditions forfarming will continue to change, the key tosustainable agriculture is the capacity offarmers and all other actors inagricultural development, as well as thewider society, to learn, experiment, adaptand cooperate in an effective way. Toconclude, a small farm management toimprove productivity, profitability andsustainability of the farming system will go along way to ensure the all-roundsustainability (Source – Narayan 2012Golden Research ThoughtsVol.1,Issue.XI/May 2012pp.1-4)Provisioning ecosystem services incomeextend comparison between organic andconventional agricultural fields inPuducherry, India - Agriculture suppliesprovisioning services- food, fodder, fuel,timber, medicine and ornamental in19ecosystem service parlance. Management ofecosystem services is vital to maintain andimprove the productivity of agriculturalsystems in order to meet the food demandsof the growing human population. However,conventional management practices canseverely reduce the ecological and financialcontribution of agriculture, which in thelonger term can offset the ability of farmingto produce large amounts of commodities formore economic return. In the current work, anovel bottomup experimental approach isused to quantify the economic value ofprovisioning ecosystem services betweenconventional and organic agriculture fields inKuruvinatham and Soriankuppam villages ofBahour commune, Puducherry duringSeptember 2008 to October 2010; authorsinvestigated 30 farms - 15 Organic and 15Conventional agricultural fields with varyingspecies composition and degree ofcommercialization. Data were gatheredthrough interviews among selected farmersand identified 51 species utilized as food,fodder, fuel, timber and medicine. Speciesretention is governed by species relativeimportance. Conventional fields were foundto be less diverse with reduced densityresulting in low annual gross income. Thus ithas less ecological and socioeconomicadvantages, as compared to organic fields.Practice of traditional organic agriculturesystems plays significant roles in bothecological and economic terms by livelihoodimprovement, biodiversity conservation, soilfertility enhancement and poverty reduction.Therefore it is important to conserve andpromote organic agriculture to achievesustainable production and economicreturns. (Source - Padmavathy andPoyyamoli, Journal of Agricultural Extensionand Rural Development Vol. 4(6), pp. 120-128, 5 April, 2012)Emerging health risks associated withmodern agriculture practices: Acomprehensive study in India - In order toenhance food production, India has adoptedmodern agriculture practices and achievedOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012noteworthy success. This achievement wasessentially the result of a paradigm shift inagriculture that included high inputs ofagrochemicals, water, and widespreadpractice of monoculture, as well asbureaucratic changes that promoted thesechanges. There are very few comprehensiveanalyses of potential adverse healthoutcomes that may be related to thesechanges. The objective of this study is toidentify health risks associated with modernagricultural practices in the southern Indianstate of Karnataka. This study aims tocompare high-input and low-inputagricultural practices and the consequencesfor health of people in these communities.The fieldwork was conducted from May toAugust, 2009 and included a survey carriedout in six villages. Data were collected by indepthpersonal interviews among 240households and key informants, fieldobservations, laboratory analyses, and datafrom secondary sources. The studyidentified four major visible impacts:occupational hazards, vector bornediseases, changing nutritional status, andinequity in development. In the high-inputarea, mechanization has resulted in moreoccurrences of serious accidents andinjuries. Ecological changes due to ricecultivation in this area have furtheraugmented mosquito breeding, and therehas been a surge in the incidence ofJapanese encephalitis and malaria. Thetraditional coarse cereals (complexcarbohydrates, high protein) have beenreplaced by mill-polished rice (simplecarbohydrate, low protein). The prevalenceof overweight (BMI>25) has emerged as anew public health challenge, and this is mostevident in large-landholding households,especially in the high-input agriculture areas.In all agro-ecological areas, it was observedthat women faced a greater risk of bothextremes of under-nutrition and beingoverweight. Output-driven and marketorientedmodern agricultural practices havechanged the ecology and disease pattern inthis area in India, and our survey indicatedsignificant health effects associated withthese changes. There is a need for moreextensive epidemiological studies in order toknow the full impact on diseases and to20understand the complex causalrelationships. (Source – Sarkar et alEnvironmental Research Volume 115, May2012, Pages 37–50)Quality analysis of indigenous organicAsian Indian rice variety- Salem samba -Rice is the world’s most important food cropand is a primary food source for over onethird of the world’s population. The currentscenario in the food and agriculture sectormarks the sudden increase in concerntowards organic farming and conservation ofgenetic biodiversity in rice production. Theobjective was to analyze the various qualityaspects in terms of proximate and nutrientcomposition, physical characteristics, millingcharacteristics and physicochemicalcharacteristics and cooking quality oforganically grown traditional indigenousAsian Indian rice variety - Salem samba.The nutrient content of Salem samba wasfound to be relatively higher when comparedto conventional rice varieties. And based onits proximate composition it was identified togive soft and non waxy cooked rice withmedium amylose content which is ideal forcooking. Based on milling characteristics itwas identified that parboiled milling is highlysuitable. In terms of physiochemicalcharacteristics, the indigenous ricevariety Salem samba was identified to havea high intermediate gelatinizationtemperature and also formed a hard gel interms of its gel consistency. The cookingquality was found to be satisfactory and wasidentified to have close interrelationship withphysicochemical characteristics. (Source –Ravi et al 2012, Indian Journal of TraditionalKnowledge Vol 11)Productivity and Soil Health of Potato(Solanum tuberosum L.) Field asInfluenced by Organic Manures,Inorganic Fertilizers and Biofertilizersunder High Altitudes of EasternHimalayas - Field experiments wereconducted in three consecutive summerseasons of 2005 to 2007 to study the effectof integrated nutrient management on soilhealth and productivity of potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) under rainfed condition. Theexperiment was laid out in a split plot designOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012with eight nutrient management practices(combinations of organic manures viz, farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM),vermicompost (VC) and inorganic fertilizersin main plots and seed tuber treatment withthree biofertilizers (Azotobactor, phosphorussolubilizing bacteria (PSB)and Azotobactor + PSB) in sub plots. Theresults showed that 50% of therecommended dose of NPK throughinorganic + 50% recommended dose ofnitrogen (RDN) through organic manures(FYM, PM or VC) or 100% recommendeddose of NPK through inorganic fertilizersalone favorably influenced the tuber yield,nutrient uptake, soil fertility and paid higherreturns compared to other treatments. Seedtreatment with Azotobactor + PSB provedbetter in tuber yield, nutrient uptake andrecorded higher returns as compared to soletreatment of either Azotobactor or PSB.Three years pooled result revealed thatintegrated application of 50% ofrecommended NPK through inorganic and50 % RDN through PM recorded significantlyhighest tuber yield (22.73 t/ha) closelyfollowed by 100% recommended NPKthrough inorganic (22.20 t/ha) which were228% and 223% respectively, higher thancontrol. Integrated application of inorganicand organic fertilizers and seed treatmentwith Azotobactor + PSB biofertilizersimproved tuber yield, nutrient uptake, andgave higher return as compared to othertreatment combinations. Total organiccarbon (TOC), soil microbial biomass carbon(SMBC), available N, P, and K status of thesoil after 3 years were maximum when 50 %recommended dose of NPK were appliedthrough inorganic and remaining 50 % RDNthrough PM. (Source - Manoj Kumar et al2012, Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol 4,No 5)Soil microbial biomass, functionalmicrobial diversity, and nematodecommunity structure as affected by covercrops and compost inan organic vegetable production system -Soil microorganisms play a crucial role inmineralization and breakdown ofcomplex organic compounds in soil.Microbial populations and functional diversity21are greatly influenced by quantityand quality of crop residue and otherincorporate organic amendments. This studyinvestigated the effect of cover crops (rye ora mixture of rye-vetch) and composton soil microflora and microfauna underan organic tomato production system. Eachcover crop treatment was used inconjunction with or without compost in asplit-plot experimental design. Dataon soil respiration, microbial biomass,metabolic quotient, and nematodepopulations were measured at the end of thegrowing season. Metabolic characteristics ofthe soil microbial community weredetermined using 31 C substrates on Biolog-Eco Plate. Community level physiologicalprofile (CLPP) was assessed by calculatingaverage well color development (AWCD),richness (S), Shannon–Wiener diversityindex (H), and evenness (E). Effect ofcompost was more pronounced on soilrespiration than cover crop treatment.Highest microbial biomass was found inthe soils amended with rye and compost(195–210 µg g dry soil −1 ). Regressionanalysis between microbial biomass and soilorganic matter (SOM) showed strongcorrelation (R 2 value of 0.68–0.56) in two outof the three growing seasons. Calcium,magnesium, and potassium concentrationsin soil also positively correlated withmicrobial biomass. There were significantdifferences among soils in numbers of plantparasitic, bacterial, and fungal feedingnematodes during the initial years of thestudy but the differences were not evidentlater. Shannon–Wiener diversity index wassignificantly affected by cover crop treatmentwith rye treatments generally exhibitinghigher degree of soil microbial functionaldiversity. Biolog-Eco Plate assay wassensitive to changes in the short-term.Principal component analysis of the Biologdata allowed differentiation of treatments butdistribution patterns varied from year to year.Authors conclude that both rye and ryevetchmixture can affect the functionaldiversity of soil microbial community butdifferences between them are marginalwhen compared to compost and no-composttreatments. Microbial communities weremore responsive to compost applicationsOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012than cover crop effects. (Source – Nair andNgouajio 2012, Applied Soil Ecology Volume58, July 2012, Pages 45–55Opportunities and Constraints inOrganic Farming: An Indian Perspective- Organic farming (OF) follows the principleof circular causation and has emerged inresponse to questions on health,environment and sustainability issues. Inthis review, authors assess the status,opportunities and C- sequestrationpotentials of OF in India. Authors identifyconstraints that impede adoption of OFespecially for small farm holders whoconstitute over 70% of farming communityin India. With large land area and climatediversity, India has a considerable potentialto contribute to C-sequestration. The soilorganic carbon (SOC) in cultivated soils isless than 5 mg g -1 compared to 15-20 mgg -1 in uncultivated soils. This availablepotential of 10-15 mg g -1 soil–C sink couldbalance net emission from fossil fuelcombustion. Although India occupiessecond position in terms of number ofcertified organic farms (44,926), it is 13th interms of area under OF representing only0.3 % of total agricultural lands. Thisscenario appears poor compared to manyother countries. Farmers apprehensiontowards OF in India is rooted in nonavailabilityof sufficient organicsupplements, bio fertilizers and local marketfor organic produce and poor access toguidelines, certification and input costs.Capital-driven regulation by contractingfirms further discourages small farmholders. An integrated effort is needed fromgovernment and nongovernment agenciesto encourage farmers. (Source – Pandeyand Singh Journal of Scientific Research,Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Vol. 56,2012 : 47-72)Organic Herbal Farming and its relationwith the Environment - Nepal has a vastvariety of landscapes: mountains, hills, plain,valleys etc. This is the main reason why it isvery likely to find herbals anywhere in thecountry. Indeed the soil of Nepal is very rich(mostly clay soil) and there are a lot of virginlands. As community development22practitioners, authors feel responsibility toalert people of what and how they can growand use local resources. If natural resourcesare protected and mobilized, it will supportNepal to keep a sustainable healthyenvironment. This paper reviews UNEP-EPLC and some other organizations’experiences with organic herbal farming andits connection, directly or indirectly, to theenvironment. Also, this paper studies theimportance of protecting the soil with goodfertilizer as well as the importance of organicherbal farming to enhance the farmers'socioeconomic status. Finally, the paperidentifies major challenges and draws keylearning in developing sustainable herbalfarming system and practices that could beapplicable in the context of participatoryherbal farming for healthy environment.(Source – Subedi 2012, Design forInnovative Value Towards a SustainableSociety, 2012, 1075-1080)Recent Developments of No-Till andOrganic Farming in India: Is aCombination of These ApproachesViable? - The increase in crop productionbrought by the green revolution in India isnow shadowed by new challenges related tosoil degradation (e.g., erosion, decline of soilorganic matter content, salinization) andscarcity of water resources. The presentwork particularly discusses the contributionof no-till and organic farming, which areincreasingly being adopted in India, to meetthe increasing food demand in a sustainableway. Under no-till, erosion is reduced torates close to those found in naturalecosystems, provided enough mulch isretained at the surface which is usually notthe case in India, because of competinguses, for example, fodder, fuel, constructionmaterial, and also crop residue burning forland preparation. No-till should therefore notbe considered separately fromcomplementary measures, aiming atretaining mulch on the soil surface. Efficientrecycling of organic material needs to beimplemented concomitantly with diversifyingfodder and fuel sources which requiresenhancing the multi-functionality of farmingsystems. These prerequisites make itdifficult for farmers to adopt no-till,Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012particularly the poorer ones for whomexperimentation with new techniques ofteninvolve unbearable financial risks. Organicfarming apprehends the farm as anorganism, and is thus a good option toimprove sustainability as introduced above,by e.g., closing nutrient cycling. However,organic farming typically implies tillage forweed control (no chemical herbicides).“Natural farming,” as promoted by Fukuoka(1978) combines no-till with organic farming.An overview of available literature on Indianexperiences with “natural farming,” most of itoriginating from unconventional sources(i.e., reports available on Internet, but nopeer reviewed literature) indicates that cropyields can compare well with the highestyields in a particular region. Increasedproductivity and environmental benefits arealso often mentioned. The limited accuracyof these sources makes it necessary topursue further investigations, and authorsconclude with propositions for future work inthis context. This should start with a rigorousassessment of existing “naturalfarming” systems regarding their productivityand environmental benefits, in order todemonstrate its potential before startingprojects that promote the system for broaderadoption. (Source – Duboc et al Journal ofSustainable Agriculture Volume 35, Issue 6,2011, 576-612)Fair Trade and organic initiativesconfronted with Bt cotton in AndhraPradesh, India: A paradox - This paperexplores a confluence of Fair Tradeand organic initiatives under the prevalenceof Bt cotton in India, using as aninterpretative framework Guthman’sconventionalization thesis for organicfarming in the Northern context. In a casestudy conducted in Andhra Pradesh, theconfluence of the two initiatives, contrary totheir ethical standards, contributed to thespread of genetically modified (GM) seed.The Fair Trade initiative, lacking a schemefor compensating for the decrease in incomethat producers have to endure during theconversion period, tends to take a morerelaxed attitude toward GM crops in order toassist small farmers. Fair Trade’s dilemmabetween helping poor farmers and23promoting organic farming may haveindirectly allowed Fair Trade producers totend towards conventional farming with Btseeds. As a result, the confluence of the twoinitiatives has not intensifiedthe organic concept as “an alternativeaccumulation strategy for agrariancapitalism,” but neither has it releaseddisadvantaged Southern farmers fromagrarian capitalism. Rather, it hasled farmers into another form of agrariancapitalism. (Source - Rie Makita, 2012,Geoforum, online edition April 2012)Performance of botanical and fungalformulation for pest management inorganic okra production system - Thebotanicals and mycopathogenic formulationwere tested for their efficacy against okraleafhopper, aphids and whitefly at OrganicFarming Research Centre, Navile,Shivamogga during 2009. The performanceof botanicals and mycopathogenicformulation against leafhopper revealed thatthe Neemazol @ 3.5% recorded 2.43 and2.60 leafhoppers/3 leaves, Neem oil @ 2%recorded 2.63 and 3.50 leafhoppers/3 leavesand NSKE @ 5% recorded 3.53 and 4.00leafhoppers / 3 leaves. These threetreatments were found superior amongbotanicals and Beauveria bassiana @ 2.5 g /l recorded 2.5 and 3.6 leafhoppers/3 leavesand was on par with other mycopathogensat 10 DAS of first and second spray,respectively. Results on aphids and whiteflywere recorded as follows: Neemazol @3.5% recorded 1.67 and 3.17 aphids/3leaves and 2.00 and 2.63 whitefly/3 leaves,Neem oil @ 2% recorded 1.93 and 4.33aphids/3 leaves and 2.17and 3.40 whitefly/3leaves and NSKE @ 5% recorded 2.00 and6.00 aphids/3 leaves and 3.00 and 4.00whitefly/3 leaves at 10 DAS on the first andthe second spray respectively and thesewere found superior among botanicals.Verticillium lecani @ 2.5 g/l showed 2.53and 6.67 aphids/3 leaves and 2.80 and 3.53whitefly/3 leaves at 10 DAS on the first andthe second spray respectively and was onpar with other mycopathogens. (Source –Naik et al 2012, J. Biopest, 5(Supplementary): 12-16 (2012)Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Global OrganicComparing the yields of organic andconventional agriculture - Numerousreports have emphasized the need for majorchanges in the global food system:agriculture must meet the twin challenge offeeding a growing population, with risingdemand for meat and high-calorie diets,while simultaneously minimizing its globalenvironmental impacts. Organic farming—asystem aimed at producing food withminimal harm to ecosystems, animals orhumans—is often proposed as a solution,however, critics argue that organicagriculture may have lower yields and wouldtherefore need more land to produce thesame amount of food as conventional farms,resulting in more widespread deforestationand biodiversity loss, and thus underminingthe environmental benefits of organicpractices. Here authors used acomprehensive meta-analysis to examinethe relative yield performance of organic andconventional farming systems globally. Ouranalysis of available data shows that,overall, organic yields are typically lowerthan conventional yields. But these yielddifferences are highly contextual, dependingon system and site characteristics, andrange from 5% lower organic yields (rain-fedlegumes and perennials on weak-acidic toweak-alkaline soils), 13% lower yields (whenbest organic practices are used), to 34%lower yields (when the conventional andorganic systems are most comparable).Under certain conditions—that is, with goodmanagement practices, particular crop typesand growing conditions—organic systemscan thus nearly match conventional yields,whereas under others it at present cannot.To establish organic agriculture as animportant tool in sustainable foodproduction, the factors limiting organic yieldsneed to be more fully understood, alongsideassessments of the many social,environmental and economic benefits oforganic farming systems. (Source - Seufertet al 2012, Nature)24Comparison of nutritional qualitybetween conventional and organic dairyproducts: a meta-analysis - As acontribution to the debate on the comparisonof nutritional quality betweenconventional versus organic products, thepresent study would like to provide newresults on this issue specifically on dairyproducts by integrating the last 3 years'studies using a meta-analysis approach withHedges' d effect size method. The currentmeta-analysis shows that organic dairyproducts contain significantly higher protein,ALA, total omega-3 fatty acid, cis-9,trans-11conjugated linoleic acid, trans-11 vaccenicacid, eicosapentanoic acid, anddocosapentanoic acid than those ofconventional types, with cumulative effectsize ( ± 95% confidence interval) of 0.56 ±0.24, 1.74 ± 0.16, 0.84 ± 0.14, 0.68 ± 0.13,0.51 ± 0.16, 0.42 ± 0.23, and 0.71 ± 0.3,respectively. It is also observed that organicdairy products have significantly (P < 0.001)higher omega-3 to -6 ratio (0.42 vs. 0.23)and ∆9-desaturase index (0.28 vs. 0.27)than the conventional types. The currentregulation on organic farming indeed drivesorganic farms to production of organic dairyproducts with different nutritional qualitiesfrom conventional ones. The differences infeeding regime between conventional andorganic dairy production is suspected as thereason behind this evidence. Furtheridentical meta-analysis may be bestapplicable for summarizing a comparisonbetween conventional and organic foodstuffsfor other aspects and food categories.(Source – Palupi et al 2012, Journal of theScience of Food and Agriculture, Onlineedition March 2012)Conventional, organic and biodynamicfarming: differences in polyphenolcontent and antioxidant activity ofBatavia lettuce –Lactuca sativa L.ssp. acephala L., cv. Batavia red Mohicanplants were cultivated under intensiveconventional, organic and biodynamicfarming and were analyzed for theirOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012polyphenol content and antiradical activity inorder to demonstrate the influence offarming on yield, polyphenol content andantiradical activity. The yield of plants fromconventional farming was the highest (2.89kg m −2 ), while polyphenol content, measuredby spectrophotometry, of these plants waslower at P < 0.05 (1.36 mg g −1 ) than thecontent of plants from organic andbiodynamic farming (1.74 and 1.85 mg g −1 ,respectively). The antiradical activity,measured by DPPH · assay, was positivelycorrelated to flavonoid and hydroxycinnamicacid contents. Flavonoid, hydroxycinnamicacid and anthocyan patterns were notaffected by the type of cultivation, whilequantitative differences were demonstratedand some differences were found betweenconventional farming and organic orbiodynamic farming. The yield ofconventionally grown salads was thehighest. (Source – Heimler et al 2012,Journal of the Science of Food andAgriculture Volume 92, Issue 3, pages 551–556)Health effects of an organic diet—consumer experiences in the Netherlands- Health is one of the main reasons forconsumers to buy organic; however,scientific evidence for a health effect is stilllimited. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the perceived health effectsexperienced by consumers of organic foodusing a free access online questionnaire. Atotal of 566 respondents participated, ofwhom 30% reported no health effects. Theother respondents reported better generalhealth, including feeling more energetic andhaving better resistance to illness (70%), apositive effect on mental well-being (30%),improved stomach and bowel function(24%), improved condition of skin, hairand/or nails (19%), fewer allergic complaints(14%) and improved satiety (14%).Furthermore, it was found that the switch toorganic food was often accompanied by theuse of more freshly prepared foods andother lifestyle changes. This researchprovided insight into the experienced healtheffects of consumers of organic food.Although the study design does not permitdirect conclusions on health effects of25organic food, the results can serve as abasis for the generation of newhypotheses. (Source – de Vijver and Vliet2012, Journal of the Science of Food andAgriculture, Online edition Feb 2012)Strawberries from integrated pestmanagement and organic farming:Phenolic composition and antioxidantproperties - Consumer awareness,pesticide and fertilizer contaminations andenvironmental concerns have resulted insignificant demand for organically grownfarm produce. Consumption of berries hasbecome popular among health-consciousconsumers due to the high levels of valuableantioxidants, such as anthocyanins andother phenolic compounds. The presentstudy evaluated the influence that organicfarming (OF) and integrated pestmanagement (IPM) practice exert on thetotal phenolic content in 22 strawberrysamples from four varieties. Postharvestperformance of OF and IPM strawberriesgrown in the same area in the centre ofPortugal and harvested at the same maturitystage were compared. Chemical profiles(phenolic compounds) were determined withthe aid of HPLC-DAD/MS. Total phenoliccontent was higher for OF strawberryextracts. This study showed that the maindifferences in bioactive phytochemicalsbetween organically and IPM grownstrawberries concerned their anthocyaninlevels. Organically grown strawberries weresignificantly higher in antioxidant activitythan were the IPM strawberries, asmeasured by DPPH and FRAP assays.(Fernandes et al 2012, Food Chemistry,Online edition in Press)Effects of organic farming and genotypeon alimentary and nutraceuticalparameters in tomato fruits - In recentyears there has been growing interest in theinfluence of sustainable cultivation systemson the biochemical quality of vegetables. Inthis study, two genotypes of tomato,Giulianova and Perbruzzo, were grown inboth organic (Or) and conventional (Conv)systems for three years and harvested atcommercial ripening in each year. The Convsystem was established according toOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012traditional techniques and the Or systemaccording to current EU regulations.Samples were evaluated for volatilesubstances, sugars, organic acids, drymatter, pH and lycopene. During the threeyears, volatile substances increased in Orsamples of Giulianova, while this responsewas less evident in Perbruzzo. Otherparameters of both genotypes were notinfluenced by Or cultivation. Lycopenecontent in both Conv-cultivated genotypeswas constant during the whole experimentalperiod. In Or samples, lycopene content waslower than in Conv samples during the firstand second years. In the last year, lycopenecontent in Or samples of Giulianova wassimilar to that in Conv samples, whilelycopene content in Or samples ofPerbruzzo was higher than that in Convsamples. Changes in biochemicalparameters of tomato fruits could be affectedby both cultivation system and genotype,with a significant increase in both volatilesubstances and lycopene in the 2010crop.(Source – Migliori et al 2012, Journal ofthe Science of Food and Agriculture Feb2012 online edition)Organic Farming Improves PollinationSuccess in Strawberries - Pollination ofinsect pollinated crops has been found to becorrelated to pollinator abundance anddiversity. Since organic farming has thepotential to mitigate negative effects ofagricultural intensification on biodiversity, itmay also benefit crop pollination, but directevidence of this is scant. Authors evaluatedthe effect of organic farming on pollination ofstrawberry plants focusing on (1) ifpollination success was higher on organicfarms compared to conventional farms, and(2) if there was a time lag from conversion toorganic farming until an effect wasmanifested. Authors found that pollinationsuccess and the proportion of fully pollinatedberries were higher on organic compared toconventional farms and this difference wasalready evident 2–4 years after conversionto organic farming. Results suggest thatconversion to organic farming may rapidlyincrease pollination success and hencebenefit the ecosystem service of croppollination regarding both yield quantity and26quality (Source – Anderson et al 2012, PLoSONE 7(2)Comparative fruit quality parameters ofseveral Japanese plum varieties in twonewly established orchards, organic andconventionally managed - The fruit qualityparameters of several Japanese plumcultivars (Prunus salicina Lindl) were studiedin two experimental orchards under organicand conventional management. The studywas performed during 2008–2010 in theprovince of Seville (SW Spain). Colour,weight, size, firmness, soluble solidconcentration and acidity were measured forfruit quality evaluation. Yield was alsodetermined. In general, the organic fruit wasof smaller size and weight. There was littledifference in the colour of most of thevarieties, but some varieties such as ‘Friar’and ‘Black Amber’ were more colourful in theorganic orchard. The soluble solidconcentration and acidity were similar in thefruit from both orchards. The organic plumsshowed firmness equal to or slightly greaterthan conventional ones. Dry matter andnitrites were analysed in 2010, and nosignificant differences were observed inmost of the varieties. The accumulated fruityield was significantly superior in theconventionally managed orchard. (Source –Daza et al International Journal of FoodScience & Technology Volume 47, Issue2, pages 341–349, February 2012)Crop yield, root growth, and nutrientdynamics in a conventional andthree organic cropping systems withdifferent levels of external inputs and Nre-cycling through fertility building crops- One of the core ideasbehind organic production is that croppingsystems should be less dependent on importof resources, and minimizenegative effects on the surroundingenvironment compared to conventionalproduction. However, even when clearlycomplying with regulationsfor organic production, it is not alwaysobvious that these goals are reached. As anexample, strong dependence on import ofmanure is often seen incurrent organic production, especially inOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012systems producing high value crops such asvegetable crops. The aim of the presentstudy was to test novel approachesto organic rotations, designed to reduce thereliance on import of external resourcessignificantly. Authors compared aconventional system (C) and anorganic system relying on manure import forsoil fertility (O1) to two novel systems (O2and O3) all based on the same crop rotation.The O2 and O3 systems represented newversions of the organic rotation, both relyingon green manures and catch crops grownduring the autumn after the main crop astheir main source of soil fertility, and the O3system further leaving rows of the greenmanures to grow as intercrops betweenvegetable rows to improve the conditions forbiodiversity and natural pest regulation in thecrops. Reliance on resource import to thesystems differed, with average annual importof nitrogen fertilizers of 149, 85, 25 and25 kg N ha −1 in the C, O1, O2 and O3systems, respectively. As expected, the cropyields were lower in the organic system. Itdiffered strongly among crop species, but onaverage the organic crops yielded c. 82% ofconventional yields in allthree organic systems, when calculatedbased on the area actually grown with themain crops. In the O3 system some of thearea of the vegetable fields was allocated tointercrops, so vegetable yields calculatedbased on total land area was only 63% ofconventional yields.Differences in quality parameters of theharvested crops, i.e. nutrient content, drymatter content or damages by pests ordiseases were few and not systematic,whereas clear effects on nutrient balancesand nitrogen leaching indicators were found.Root growth of all crops was studied in the Cand O2 system, but only few effects ofcropping system on root growth wasobserved. However, the addition of greenmanures to the systems almost doubled theaverage soil exploration by active rootsystems during the rotation from only 21% inC to 38% in O2 when measured to 2.4 mdepth. This relates well to the observeddifferences in subsoil inorganic N content(N inorg , 1–2 m depth) across the whole27rotation (74 and 61 kg N ha −1 in C and O1vs. only 22 and 21 kg N ha −1 in O2 and O3),indicating a strongly reduced N leaching lossin the two systems based on fertility buildingcrops (green manures and catch crops). Inshort, the main distinctions were notobserved between organic and conventionalsystems (i.e. C vs. O1, O2 and O3), butbetween systems based mainly on nutrientimport vs. systems based mainly on fertilitybuilding crops (C and O1 vs. O2 and O3).Highlights► Yield loss in organic vs.conventional systems was on average lessthan 20%. ► Pest and disease damage wasnot systematically different among the 4systems. ► Fertility building crops improvednutrient management, reducingenvironmental nitrogen losses. ► Addingfertility building crops in the rotation almostdoubled root exploitation of the soil. ► Maindifference in N dynamics was betweensystems with or without fertility buildingcrops. (Source - Thorup-Kristense et al2012, European Journal of AgronomyVolume 37, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages66–82)Consumers’ beliefs and behaviouralintentions towards organic food.Evidence from the Czech Republic -Research has revealedthat organic consumers share beliefs aboutpositive health effects, environmentallyfriendly production and better tasteof organic food. Yet, very little is knownabout the decisions of organic consumers inpost-socialist countries withemerging organic food markets. In order toexamine this area a representative data set(N = 1054) from the Czech Republic wasused. Target group of the study has becomethe Czech consumers that purchase organicfood on regular basis. The consumers’behaviour was conceptualised with the useof the theory of planned behaviour (ToPB).Firstly, the ToPB model was tested, andsecondly, belief-based factors that influencethe decisions and behaviour of consumerswere explored. The theory proved able topredict and explain the behaviour ofCzech organic consumers. The bestpredictors of the intention topurchase organic food are attitudes towardsOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012the behaviour and subjective norms.Decisive positions in consumers’ beliefshave product- and process-based qualities.Highlights ► Findings are based on a largenational Czech survey. ► Theory of plannedbehaviour model was tested. ► The bestpredictors of the intention are attitudes andsocial norms. ► The concerns about theproduct- and processbasedqualities prevail. ► Less importanceis given to concerns about productionsystems and producers. (Source Zagata -Appetite Volume 59, Issue 1, 2012)Healthy food from organic wheat: choiceof genotypes for production andbreeding - In the present study, 40 wheatgenotypes were grown in the same soil inorganic farming system trials in Alnarp,Sweden. The purpose was to evaluateopportunities for production and breeding oforganic wheat of high nutritious value. Theresults showed a large variation in content ofminerals, total tocochromanols and heavymetals in the grain of 40 organicallyproduced wheat genotypes. Principalcomponent and cluster analysis were usedas tools for selection of the most suitablegenotypes for production and breeding oforganic wheat of high nutritious value. Nosingle genotype group was found particularlysuperior from the studied material toproduce this specific type of wheat.However, certain genotypes from differentgroups were found with promising nutritionalcharacters. The most promising genotypesas related to nutritionally relevantcompounds were 6356 spelt, Triticummonococcum, Ölands 17 borst spelt, Lv Dal16 brun borst and Fylgia. By choosing thesegenotypes for organic production and futurewheat breeding, nutritionally improvedorganic wheat products might be developed.However, for future breeding, nutritionalcomponents such as protein, fibre,glycaemic index and B-group vitaminsshould also be considered. (Source –Hussain et al 2012, Journal of the Science ofFood and Agriculture, Online edition April2012)Phenolics, Flavonoids, AntioxidantActivity and Cyanogenic Glycosides of28Organic and Mineral-base FertilizedCassava Tubers - A field study wasconducted to determine the effect of organicand mineral-based fertilizers onphytochemical contents in the tubers of twocassava varieties. Treatments werearranged in a split plot design with threereplicates. The main plot was fertilizersource (vermicompost, empty fruit bunchcompost and inorganic fertilizer) and subplotwas cassava variety (Medan and SriPontian). The amount of fertilizer appliedwas based on 180 kg K 2 O ha −1 . The tuberswere harvested and analyzed for totalflavonoids, total phenolics, antioxidantactivity and cyanogenic glucoside content.Total phenolic and flavonoid compoundswere determined using the Folin-Ciocalteuassay and aluminium chloride colorimetricmethod, respectively. Different sources offertilizer, varieties and their interactions werefound to have a significant effect onphytochemical content. The phenolic andflavonoid content were significantly higher(p < 0.01) in the vermicompost treatmentcompared to mineral fertilizer and EFBcompost. The total flavonoids and phenolicscontent of vermicompost treated plants were39% and 38% higher, respectively, thanthose chemically fertilized. The antioxidantactivity determined using the DPPH andFRAP assays were high with application oforganic fertilizer. Cyanogenic glycosidelevels were decreased with the application oforganic fertilizer. Among the two types ofcompost, vermicompost resulted in highernutritional value of cassava tubers. Medanvariety with application of vermicompostshowed the most promising nutritionalquality. Since the nutritional quality ofcassava can be improved by organicfertilization, organic fertilizer should be usedin place of chemical fertilizer forenvironmentally sustainable production ofbetter quality cassava. (Source – Omar et alMolecules 2012, 17(3), 2378-238)Impact of soil oxygenation on seedquality of chickpea (Cicer arietinum Linn.cv. ‘vijay’) under organic farmingcondition - Pot culture experimentation wascarried out on chickpea (Cicerarietinum Linn. cv. ‘vijay’) at P.G. ResearchOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Center, Department of Botany, TuljaramChaturchand College, Baramati, usingoxygenated peptone (2g/pot) as soil aerator.This treatment enhanced root system withincreased length and biomass of rootexhibiting increased absorptive area. Thisled to increase in total nitrogen, totalphosphorous and total potash in root, stemand leaf. The treatment also increasedaccumulation of manganese, calcium andmagnesium in root, stem and leaf, while zinccontent was found to be decreased in rootas well as in stem and it was stable in leaf.Interestingly, iron content was enhanced inleaf and root while it showed decrease instem. The copper content was increased inroot, stable in stem and decreased in leaf.The treatment resulted in early flowering andearly maturity. There was increase inpods/plant as well as fresh wt and dry wt of100 pods. The same is seen in seeds. Thebiochemical constituents of seed like totalsolids, ash, total acids, moisture content andcrude fibre showed significant increase. Thetreatment also had an upper hand in solubleproteins, total carbohydrates and ascorbicacid under experimental condition. Thisindicated better nutritional quality ofexperimental seeds. The activity of enzymeslike catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase was at higher level under thetreatment condition. It is concluded thattreatment of oxygenated peptone is usefulfor the qualitative and quantitativeenhancement in chickpea under organicfarming condition.(Source – Thakre et al2012, Indian Journal of Natural Products andResources Vol 3(1), March 2012)Nutritional Value of Organic Meat andPotential Human Health Response - Thenutritional quality of organically producedmeat is affected by organic diet andbreeding conditions. A number of studiesconfirm the lower total fat content of organicfarm meat and this means a decreasedcalorific value. Carcasses from organicallyreared animals have usually higher contentof intramuscular fat, positively affectingsensory properties. Moreover, the fattyacids' profile in organic meat is consideredto be more beneficial to human health.Organic meat contains more favourable29proportions of unsaturated fatty acids,including n-3 acids, and decreased level ofsaturated ones. The reason for this is alonger period of pasturage applied toorganically reared animals. Therefore,consumption of organic meat can imposeanti-cancer effects, stimulate the immunesystem and prevent coronary heartdiseases. (Source – Steven et al 2012,Organic Meat Production and Processing.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com)Retail outlets: Nurturing organic foodconsumers - Consumer choice of retailoutlet is often overlooked in explainingpurchase behaviour in the organic foodmarket. This paper uses theory from appliedmarketing research to identify the variablesaffecting consumer choice of retail outlet andfinds that they play a determining role inwhether or not consumers buy organic food.A grounded theory approach was used. Theresults confirmed the importance ofvariables previously identified in theliterature in relation to the individualconsumer, such as habit and budget, as wellas those that relate to the retail outlet, suchas convenience and product range. Inaddition, two new variables were identifiedthat relate to whom the consumer wasbuying for and whether they are shoppingalone or with others. This study focuses onthe vast majority of organic food consumers.They are switchers because they purchaseboth organic and conventional products,rather than solely organic, or solelyconventional. It concludes that choice ofretail outlet adds to our understanding oftheir behaviour and that it facilitatesidentification of important implications formarketers. At a fundamental level, as someconsumers actively seek out organic food oncertain occasions it is important for retailoutlets make them aware that they sellorganic food and to stimulate sales withspecial offers. Further, smaller retailers,such as food co-ops or health food shops,should focus on providing a limited range oforganic products and accept that they willnot be able to match the convenienceoffered by supermarkets in terms of openinghours. (Source - Joanna Henryks and DavidOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Pearson 2011, Organic Agriculture 1(4) 247-259)The influence of organic andconventional cultivation systems on thenutritional value and content of bioactivecompounds in selected tomato types -Tomato fruits contain a high level ofantioxidants such as vitamin C, polyphenols(including flavonoids), and carotenoids (suchas lycopene and β-carotene). Some studieshave shown the higher level of bioactivecompounds in organically produced tomatofruits compared to conventional ones, butnot all studies were consistent in thisrespect. The levels of carotenoids andphenolics are very variable and may beaffected by ripeness, genotype andcultivation. The aim of the study was tocompare the effects of organic andconventional production systems onchemical properties and phenoliccompounds of two tomato types (standardand cherry). The experiment was carried outin two growing seasons of 2008 and 2009,and in three organic and three conventionalfarms. The results obtained have shownthat, in 2008, organic tomatoes presented ahigher ratio of reducing sugars/organicacids, and contained significantly more totalsugars, vitamin C and total flavonoids, 3-quercetin rutinoside, and myricetin incomparison with the conventional fruits. In2009, organic tomatoes containedsignificantly more vitamin C, quercetin-3-Oglucosideand chlorogenic acid, myricetinand kaempferol in comparison with theconventional fruits. The organic growingsystem affects tomato quality parameterssuch as nutritional value and phenoliccompound content. The second significantfactor of nutritional value of tomato is thetype of fruits. It would be necessary tocontinue this study as a long-termexperiment in order to eliminate theinfluence of seasonality. (Source – Hallmann2012 Journal of the Science of Food andAgriculture)30Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012Book ReviewsOrganic Meat Production andProcessing, By Steven C. Ricke, JohnWiley & Sons, 24-Apr-2012 - 448 pages -Consumers purchase organic meats forwhat they perceive as superior taste, betternutritional value, long-term health benefits,or enhanced product freshness. Manyconsumers also believe organic meat issafer than conventional, perhaps containinglesser amounts of pesticides or food bornehuman pathogens. Organic livestockfarming, which is reputed to beenvironmentally friendly and sustainsanimals in good health resulting in highquality products, has a defined standard witha greater attention to animal welfare andrequiring at least 80 percent of feed grownwithout pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Thehigher guarantee of the absence of residueis certain, but the effect of organic farmingon qualitative characteristics of the productsis unknown. Substantial growth in organicfood sales of all categories has occurred inrecent years and certified organic foodproduction has evolved into a highlyregulated industry in the European Union,the United States, Canada, Japan and manyother countries. "Organic Meat Productionand Processing" examines in detail thechallenges of production, processing andfood safety of organic meat. The editors andan international collection of authors explorethe trends in organic meats and how themeat industry is impacted. Commencing withchapters on the economics, market andregulatory aspects of organic meats,coverage then extends to managementissues for organically raised and processedmeat animals. Processing, sensory andhuman health aspects are covered in detail,as are incidences of food borne pathogensin organic beef, swine, poultry, and otherorganic meat species. The book concludesby describing pre-harvest control measuresfor assuring the safety of organic meats.This book serves as a unique resource forfully understanding the current and potentialissues associated with organic meats.31Microorganisms in SustainableAgriculture and Biotechnology, 2012 T.Satyanarayana, Bhavdish NarainJohri, Anil Prakash, Springer, 829 pages- This review of recent developments in ourunderstanding of the role of microbes insustainable agriculture and biotechnologycovers a research area with enormousuntapped potential. Chemical fertilizers,pesticides, herbicides and other agriculturalinputs derived from fossil fuels haveincreased agricultural production, yetgrowing awareness and concern over theiradverse effects on soil productivity andenvironmental quality cannot be ignored.The high cost of these products, thedifficulties of meeting demand for them, andtheir harmful environmental legacy haveencouraged scientists to develop alternativestrategies to raise productivity, withmicrobes playing a central role in theseefforts. One application is the use of soilmicrobes as bioinoculants for supplyingnutrients and/or stimulating plant growth.Some rhizospheric microbes are known tosynthesize plant growth-promoters,siderophores and antibiotics, as well asaiding phosphorous uptake. The last 40years have seen rapid strides made in ourappreciation of the diversity of environmentalmicrobes and their possible benefits tosustainable agriculture and production. Theadvent of powerful new methodologies inmicrobial genetics, molecular biology andbiotechnology has only quickened the paceof developments. The vital part played bymicrobes in sustaining our planet'secosystems only adds urgency to thisenquiry. Culture-dependent microbesalready contribute much to human life, yetthe latent potential of vast numbers ofuncultured—and thus untouched—microbes,is enormous. Culture-independentmetagenomic approaches employed in avariety of natural habitats have alerted us tothe sheer diversity of these microbes, andresulted in the characterization of novelgenes and gene products. Several newantibiotics and biocatalysts have beendiscovered among environmental genomesOrganic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012

tSfod [ksrh lwpuk i= 8¼2½] twu 2012and some products have already beencommercialized. Meanwhile, dozens ofindustrial products currently formulated inlarge quantities from petrochemicals, suchas ethanol, butanol, organic acids, andamino acids, are equally obtainable throughmicrobial fermentation. Edited by a trio ofrecognized authorities on the subject, thissurvey of a fast-moving field—with so manybenefits within reach—will be requiredreading for all those investigating ways toharness the power of microorganisms inmaking both agriculture and biotechnologymore sustainable.A Biodynamic Manual: PracticalInstructions for Farmers and Gardeners,2011 By Masson and Blais Publ. FlorisBooks, pp 200 - For anyone alreadypracticing, or turning to, biodynamicgardening and farming methods, numerousdetailed questions arise, such as: * How doyou choose your seeds? * What fertilizersshould you use? * Which natural productsare most effective? This manual, fullyillustrated with explanatory diagrams andphotographs, provides the answers. Thebook covers * all aspects of making andusing biodynamic preparations andcomposts * managing the health of plants *weed control * parasite control * issuesaround mixed cultivation * animal care *specialized crops and planting such as fruittrees and vines. Although the technicalaspects of biodynamic growing areexhaustively covered, the author alsoconsiders the human qualities necessary forthis kind of agriculture to succeed. This is aninvaluable guide for all biodynamic growersto have to hand daily.New Vistas of Organic Farming, 2012, ByMukund Joshi, Scientific 392 p, ISBN :9788172336752, Rs. 1,665.00 - The bookattempts to convey a) the potential dangersof continuing the present form of agriculturevis-à-vis the sustainability of soil as well ashealth of people (in terms of pollution at alllevels) b) traditional and untapped potentialsof practicing organic farming c)scientific/documentary evidences for thesetwo aspects. In the process, the book alsopresents the history of organic farming and32the present scenario of practicing organicfarming in India and world. The book is ofgreat interest to anybody seriouslyconcerned about future of agriculture,environmentalists, and scientists in generaland agricultural scientists particularlybesides all the postgraduate students inagriculture. It is written in the style ofreference book maintaining high academicstandards aimed at being authenticdocument in scientific and research circles.Contents: Foreword, Preface. 1.Introduction. 2. Effects of chemicals used inmodern agriculture. 3. Fundamentals ofOrganic Farming. 4. History and Evolution oforganic farming. 5. Potentials of OrganicFarming. 6. Scenario of Organic Farming inIndia and World and Index.Organic Agriculture for SustainableLivelihoods By Niels Halberg, AdrianMuller, Publ Routleg Taylor and FrancisPrice $ 49.00 - This book provides a timelyanalysis and assessment of the potential oforganic agriculture (OA) for ruraldevelopment and the improvement oflivelihoods. It focuses on smallholders indeveloping countries and in countries ofeconomic transition, but there is alsocoverage of and comparisons withdeveloped countries. It covers marketorientedapproaches and challenges for OAas part of high value chains and as an agroecologicallybased development forimproving food security. It demonstrates theoften unrecognized roles that organicfarming can play in climate change, foodsecurity and sovereignty, carbonsequestration, cost internalizations,ecosystems services, human health and therestoration of degraded landscapes. Thechapters specifically provide readers with:(a) an overview of the state of research (b)an analysis of the current and potential roleof OA in improving livelihoods of farmers, insustainable value chain development, and inimplementation of agro-ecological methods(c) proposed strategies for exploiting andimproving the potential of OA andovercoming the constraints for furtherdevelopment and (d) strength and weaknessof OA.Organic Farming Newsletter 8(2) June 2012