An economic analysis of organic farming in Nalanda district

Pages: 1191-1194
Ghazala Shaheen (Department of Economics, Patna University, Patna, Bihar)

Organic farming as we are aware of is a method of farming which uses organic products, i.e., green manures, bio-fertilisers, compost and discards the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. “Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved” ( IFOAM). In India it is not a new concept, we had been doing cultivation organically till green revolution came into the picture. That changed the whole scenario of farming. Chemical fertilisers gave bumper crops and farmers were attracted towards it. But it was not going to remain like this for a long period of time. Soon the chemical fertiliser started deteriorating the land that resulted in lower productivity. Farmers were looking for alternative and Organic Farming came as the answer. Bihar was also not untouched from this revolution. Farmers were dismayed by the lowering of the land productivity and were thus attracted by Organic Farming which promised better productivity. This paper looks into the production, cost and pricing of organic crops being produced in the Nalanda District of Bihar. It tries to explore the problems faced by the farmers and what are their expectations from the government.