Be Mains Ready

Approach

• Briefly explain organic farming and its relationship with carbon sequestration.
• Explain the efficacy of Organic farming as one an efficient system of carbon sequestration.
• Discuss the measures taken by the central and state Governments to promote Organic farming in India.
• Write a forward looking conclusion.

Introduction

• Organic agriculture is a unique production management system which facilitates carbon sequestration. It promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off-farm inputs.
• Carbon Sequestration is capturing and storing carbon dioxide emitted from the global energy system.

Body

Efficacy of Organic farming in carbon sequestration

• Alternative to synthetic fertilizers: Organic Farming compliments the Carbon Sequestration because it offers an sustainable alternative without using synthetic fertilizers with use of organic mulch.
  
  • Organic mulching refers to covering the soil with any organic matter such as applying compost or farm yard manure over the soil surface followed by adding a layer of dry organic matter over it.
• Enables microbial decomposition of carbon: This compost contains aligned beneficial microbes, where the dry matter is rich in carbon and the green matter is rich in nitrogenous substances.
  
  • When decomposition of these components takes place the carbon nitrogen ratio in the soil becomes 10:1, ideal for the proliferation of microbes. This type of farming practices not only improve the soil fertility but also increase farmers’ income.
• Hence, Organic farming is one of the best ways of improving soil fertility which co-benefits the sequestration of carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Central Government Initiatives to Promote Organic Farming

Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

• Provides central Government funding: It is the first comprehensive scheme launched as a Centrally Sponsored Programme since 2015-16.
  
  • The scheme is implemented with a 90:10 (GoI: State Govt.) funding pattern in 8 NE states and 3 hilly states of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, 100% in Union Territory and 60:40 funding pattern in remaining states of the country.
• Incentivises organic farming: The farmer within a group can avail benefit to a maximum of 2 ha., and the limit of assistance is Rs.50, 000 per ha., out of which 62% i.e., Rs. 31,000 is given as incentives to a farmer for organic conversion, organic inputs, on farm inputs, production infrastructure, etc., shall be provided directly through DBT during the conversion period of 3 years.

Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region

• Certifies organic production: The scheme aims at development of certified organic production in a value chain mode to link growers with consumers and to support the development of the entire value chain starting from inputs, seeds, certification and creation of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing and brand building initiative..

State government Initiatives

• Uttarakhand nodal agency from UttarakhandUttarakhand is another example of an Indian state taking matters in its own hands. It was the first state to have an organic farming policy in 2000. A dedicated organic commodity board, a nodal state agency to promote organic farming, was established in 2003.
• In 2017, Karnataka brought a new organic farming policy. The new policy focuses on providing value-chain linkages between producers and consumers along with promoting sustainable organic production systems. Policy aims to convert at least 10% of the cultivable area into organic by 2022.

Conclusion

Governments should acknowledge Organic Agriculture at international level as an effective strategy to reduce greenhouse gases and sequester carbon in the 2015 climate agreement. They should help farmers adapt to climate change by promoting Organic Agriculture through research and extension services.