Advantages and Disadvantages of organic farming are as follows. So let us check it out some pros and cons of organic farming to know more about it. Organic Farming is the type of Agriculture in which methods or techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control are used. This type of agriculture uses organic materials to improve the health of soil and crops.
Advantages of Organic Farming:
- Organic farming method uses the natural environment to enhance the productivity of an agriculture.
- Organic farming uses carbon based fertilizers and biological pest control and do not use synthetic fertilizers.
- Crop diversity can be seen in organic farming. In conventional farming mass production of one crop in one location is focused while in organic farming it is possible to grow multiple crops in the same place.
- Organic farming uses method like green manure and composting which replaces nutrients taken from the soil from the previous crops, organic farming relies on natural breakdown of organic matter and hence allows the production of nutrients in the soil. It improves soil fertility and feeds nutrients to the soil to feed the plant. Organic farming is one of the effective method for soil management.
- Organic farming uses various mechanical and physical techniques such as Tillage, Mowing and Cutting, Flame weeding and Thermal Weeding, and Mulching to manage weeds.
- Organic Farming also controls other organisms with the help of methods such as biological pest control and Integrated Pest Management.
- Organic agriculture improves the health of people, soil and ecosystem.
- Organic agriculture reduces the use of non renewable energy sources by using organic fertilizes and reducing the consumption of agrochemicals.
- Organic farming also helps to control green house effect.
- Organic stops global warming and climate change and keeps environment clean.
- Using fertilizers and pesticides groundwater is polluted, but organic farming replaces it with organic fertilizers hence it helps to prevents water pollution.
- By using organic farming ecological services such as Soil forming and conditioning, waste recycling, nutrient cycling, Stabilization of soil, carbon sequestration, predation ,pollination and habitates are improved.
- Organic food are rich in nutritional value.
- Organic food are free from harmful fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
- Organic farming improves the taste and quality of food and organic agriculture are climate and ecologically friendly
Disadvantages of Organic Farming:
- More time and hard work is required to grow crops organically.
- Not all people are aware of the benefits of organic farming.
- The productivity of food produced in organic farm is lower compared to conventional methods.
- Skilled person is required to grow crops by organic method.
Other alternative methods of agriculture apart from organic farming includes: Intensive Farming, Extensive Farming, Permaculture, stock-free agriculture, sustainable agriculture, urban agriculutre, Intensive animal farming, Intensive Crop Farming, Agricultural Engineering, Mechanised Agriculture, Free range, Farm, Animal husbandry, Ecology, Agronomy, Agroforestry, Agroecology, Agribusiness and Agricultural science which are used for Agriculture.