INTRODUCTION:
Organic
Farming is a type of sustainable land use that works entirely without synthetic
fertilizer and chemical pesticides and systematically enhances the agro
ecological system. Via standardization and quality seals, certified organic
farming can be clearly distinguished from other sustainable types of farming.
Organic
farming is related to the concepts of Sustainable Agriculture, especially with
regard to the reduction of external inputs, as an attempt to achieve more
environmental justice.
Historically,
it did not originate from the universities but was developed by farmers and
organizations supporting this type of agriculture in the industrialized
countries as an explicit counter-movement to input-intensive, high-tech
agriculture.
Organic
farming relies on natural cycles. At the centre of this agricultural system is
the maintenance and enhancement of soil fertility and the general rejection of
synthetic fertilizer and pesticides.
The
Codex Alimentarius of the FAO and the WHO describes organic farming on the
basis of an environmental management system achieving sustainable productivity
by promoting the ecosystem. Pest and weed control is maintained via various
individual methods and through the mutual interdependence of the habitats of
soil organisms and nutrients, plants, animals and human beings.
Whereas,
FOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as: "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 relationship and a good quality
of life for all involved."
Organic
agriculture was first appeared as one of the priority sectors in Nepalese
agriculture since the 10th Five Years Plan (2059/060-2063/064). But nowadays
various institutions, individuals and farmers are emergently engaging in this
field. There are various local organic practices; some practiced from the ages
and some innovating new practices by farmers themselves. At present, some
organic products such as coffee, tea, honey, large cardamom, ginger etc are
exported to international market. Various institute and individuals think that
organic movement in Nepal is quite slow in motion due to lack of clear vision
of the government and distorted information flow from the different
developmental projects
OBJECTIVES:
·
To know about the organic farming
practices being used in the western mid hill areas of Nepal.
·
To know about the present farming
situations of this area.
·
To know the condition of fertilizers and
pesticides application in the farmers field.
·
To know whether they are using local
resources available in their farm or not.
·
To aware the farmer about the harmful
effects of excessive use of fertilizers as well as pesticides.
METHODOLOGY:
Firstly I went to Mr. Murari Pokharel's house
to get some information about organic practices according to my case
study. After meeting him, I started my
work by asking semi-structured
questionnaire which was prepared by our respected Asst. Prof. Mr. B. B.
Adhikari and a single farmer was assigned to each individual student for a
personal interview. A mini-kit of rice seed (Sukhha -2 variety) was provided to
the farmer suiting their field condition as a symbol for their support in
conducting this survey.
OBSERVATION
A)
Household information:
Name
of respondent: Murari Pokharel
Ward
no: 8
Address:
Sundarbazaar,8 Village: Paudi
VDC:
Sundarbazaar
Information’s about her family members are mentioned
as below:
|
S.N
|
Name
of family member
|
Relationship
with respondent
|
Age(yrs)
|
Education
|
Main
occupation
|
|
1.
|
Murari
Pokharel
|
self
|
50
|
8
class
|
Farming
and shop
|
|
2.
|
Sova
Pokharel
|
Wife
|
37
|
5
class
|
Farming
|
|
3.
|
Sagar
Pokharel
|
Son
|
17
|
+2
|
Student
|
|
4.
|
Samita
Pokharel
|
Daughter
|
15
|
9
class
|
Student
|
B) Land holding:
|
Land
types
|
Name of
parcel
|
Area(Ropani)
|
Ownership
|
Cropping
pattern
|
|
|
a)Irrigated lowland
|
|||||
|
i)Parcel
1
|
Plot-1
|
...ropani
|
Own
|
-paddy-maize-
|
|
|
ii)Parcel
2
|
Plot-2
|
.. ropani
|
Own
|
-paddy-maize-
|
|
|
b)Rainfed lowland
|
|||||
|
iii)Parcel
3
|
Plot-3
|
... ropani
|
Own
|
Maize-paddy-mustard
|
|
C)
Other
information:
He knows about organic farming which is been
practicing in his farm.
a)Rice cultivation practices:
i) Use of
organic manures:
FYM is used in rice field during transplanting time at the rate of 20-25
doko per ropani. There is no any use of green manures in his farm. He has used
urine and dung in rice fields. He has used bio-pesticides as asuro, pati etc to
control insects in his rice field. He
has some problems like unavailability of organic manure and lack of manpower.
ii) Use of
organic pesticides:
He uses urine of cow and buffalo to control the insects in his rice
farm. He has no idea about the use of neem in rice field to control the
insects.
iii) Use of
bio-fertilizers:
He
knows about bio-fertilizer, but there is no any use of bio-fertilizers in his
rice field.
iv) Use of
agrochemicals:
He uses DAP 5-6 kg per ropani before transplanting and uses urea at the
time of weeding. He has not used pesticides in his farm.
v) Use of
traditional varieties:
He
do not have indigenous varieties of rice in his farm. But he had cultivated
madhese, dalle, jhinuwa,marsi,anadhi etc. But the yield of traditional
varieties is low as compare to the traditional varieties so he uses commercial
varieties rather than the traditional varieties.
b) Maize cultivation practices:
i) Use of
organic manures:
Similarly, there is use of FYM in his maize field at the rate of doko
5-10 per ropani. There is no any use of
green manure.
ii) Use of
bio-fertilizer:
There is no any uses of bio-fertilizers.
iii) Use of
organic pesticides:
He
uses urine of cow and buffalo to control the insects but no idea about the use
of Neem to control the insects in maize field.
iv)Use of
agrochemicals:
DAP
and urea is used 50 kg in 7 ropani before planting. He has not use pesticides
in his farm.
v) Use of
traditional varieties:
Purano
makia is being used as indigenous varieties in his farm having high plant
height.
d) Vegetables
cultivation practices:
Vegetables are cultivated only in subsistence level
in the kitchen garden. Well-decomposed FYM is used for the vegetable crops
production. The chemical fertilizer as urea is used in very little quantity.
Only the seasonal vegetables cultivated by the responded farmer, in which
winter vegetables include cauliflower, cabbage, leafy vegetables and the summer
vegetables include cucurbits, beans etc. The pheromone traps and cue-lure are
not used during the vegetable crop production. Oil cakes produced from the
farmer's own field are used in vegetables field.
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