4^th National Symposium
Dates: 11-12 September 2007
Place: M.P.K.V. Rahuri

Theme: Recent Trends in Organic Farming

The major Recommendations that emerged are:-

1. Schedules of practices to be followed for different models for organic farming be prepared on agro-ecological regions for different components so as to conserve the soil, water and environment.

2. Policies on certification of organic products with costs etc. be formulated at par with that of International standards.

3. Packages be developed to ensure proper nutrition to crops/live stock and other components by utilizing organic residues from farm, animal sheds, rural/urban/industrial waste etc.

4. Use of high value low volume crops like: vegetable flowers, fruits, tea, coffee etc be encouraged with the use of transgenics for organic farming.

5. There should not be any dependence on chemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungi and pesticides use in any component of farming systems. Alternative indigenous practices based on organics, efficient cultural practices be thoroughly perfected for each component of farming system.

6. A separate all together different strategy is needed for the use of transgenic crops containing pest resistant genes, in organic farming.

7. The rainfed and hilly regions provide better opportunity for organic farming due to least use of chemical inputs.

8. The whole farm residue from crops, animals, sugar factories, vegetable markets and organic urban waste be put under microbial decomposition to be converted into nutrient rich organic manures.

9. Government should provide subsidy to the user of bio-agents and bio-pesticides to promote their use.

10. There should be separate premium in marketing policy for the organic produce/products to encourage organic farming.

11. Organic dairy farming has a good scope in our country being small holders using low inputs, mostly crops residue based production system contributing 70% of total milk production.

12. There is a big potential to change conventional farming to organic farming through dairy farming at a faster pace by efficiently utilizing the animal wastes.

13. In order to tap organic milk produced in interior rural areas the distinct cooperative system needs to be established, with public-private and farming community partnership for procurement, certifying, processing and marketing of organic milk.

14. Screening of efficient microbial cultures to work in varied temperature conditions and their commercial use will prove an asset to the organic farming

15. There is a need to develop organic farming standard/norms at state level and also accredited the accreditation agencies for indigenous and export marketing to put a check on adulterated/ spurious products.

16. Agricultural universities need to be recognized as certifying agency for organic farming produce and its products.