Agriculture — I — Question 23

The main characteristics of organic farming are-

1. It protects the long term fertility of the soil by maintaining organic matter levels, and creating optimised conditions for biological activity within the soil.
2. It provides crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by the action of soil micro-organisms.
3. It maintains nitrogen self sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures.
4. It prevents weeds, diseases and pests by relying primarily on crop rotations, natural predators diversity, organic manuring, resistant varieties and limited thermal, biological and chemical intervention.
5. It provides attentive care and management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioral needs and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing.