Organic Natural And Biological Farming

By

Allah Dad Khan, Former .

Director General Agriculture

Extension KPK Province Allahdad52@gmail.com

03329221298

TOP 10 REASONS TO SUPPORT ORGANIC FARMING IN THE 21ST CENTURY1. Reduce The Toxic Load: Keep Chemicals Out of the Air, Water, Soil

and our Bodies.

2. Reduce if Not Eliminate Off Farm Pollution.

3. Protect Future Generations

4. Build Healthy Soil

5. Taste Better and Truer Flavor

6. Assist Family Farmers of all Sizes

7. Avoid Hasty and Poor Science in Your Food

8. Eating with a Sense of Place

9. Promote Biodiversity

10. Celebrate the Culture of Agriculture

NATURAL FARMING

Natural farming is a culture where plants are grown in 100% natural environment with the least human interference and no harmful chemicals or synthetic products used. It is practically leaving the crops grow and produce in their natural environment, and man comes enhances the natural conditions to improve productivity. Then, harvest or gather its products for man’s use.

1.NATURAL FARMING RESPECT FOR LIFE

Natural Farming respects life. It opposes human exploitation on life. Ironical it may sound; respecting the nature of the life is the best way to achieve top quality and yield. We prevent disease rather than curing with medicines.

2. NATURAL PRODUCTS ARE OF HIGH QUALITY 

Natural Farming products have high quality, good taste and better yield. People commonly think that by converting to organic farming you will have smaller yields, lower quality and smaller-sized fruits. In Natural Farming it is the opposite. We do not go back to the past; we take a leap into the future. 

Natural Farming products have much higher nutritional contents. Protein, amino acid, crude fat and other essential nutrient were identified to be as much as 300 percent higher than ordinary products. Chemical residue such as nitrate is almost undetectable

3.NATURAL FARMING METHODS NO PESTICIDE USE

Natural Farming does not use pesticide. Pesticides do not only kill insects; they reside in the soil and fruit. When absorbed, it can do serious harm to our bodies and even our next generations. 

Instead of using toxic chemicals, we use light, alcohol, aroma, poisonous plant and so forth to control pests. More surprisingly, an ecology that recovered the natural balance will drop in the pests and disease occurrence. Natural Farming does precisely that.

4.Natural Farming Methods No Herbicide

Natural Farming does not use herbicide. Killing the weeds with chemical is not the only solution nor is it wise. Herbicide is lethal to human. How can it only kill the weeds? 

Natural Farming uses the weeds rather than killing them. We actually grow the wild grass such as rye and clover for mulching. Natural Farming orchards are green with grass growing between the fruit trees. The grass prevents soil erosion, holds moisture, propagates microorganism, produces organic fertilizer, improves soil ventilation and suppresses the pests. How can it only be a thief of nutrients?

        Natural Farming does not till the land. Instead of using machines, we use earthworms, microorganisms and small animals. Machine can plow 20 centimeters at best, whereas earthworms will dig 7 meters. The excretions of the earthworms turn into the best soil. 

After practicing Natural Farming, the soil inflates like a balloon. Our little workers tilled so well that your hand will slide in as if into a soft cake. 

Because you don’t till the land, the grass seeds in the soil do not come up to the surface. In other words, after the grass on the surface have germinated and died, you will have no more weed problems. No tillage and no herbicide are linked

5. Natural Farming does not till the land

6. NATURAL FARMING DOES NOT USE CHEMICAL FERTILIZER 

Natural Farming does not use chemical fertilizer. Nor does it follow the common practice of applying over half of the fertilizer as base manure. Crops will become weak if given too much food at early stage. 

Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and all other elements that would be commonly given in the form of chemical fertilizer are substituted with Natural Farming inputs. Fish amino acid provides nitrogen, eggshells give calcium, animal bones are source of phosphoric acid. Our Natural Farming inputs are not only cheap but highly effective.

7. NATURAL FARMING LESSEN POLLUTION

Natural Farming animal houses do not emit any wastewater. There is no need to install an expensive treatment machine. All the treatment is done right on the floor itself. As soon as feces fall on the floor, it is quickly decomposed by the powerful microorganisms. Floor is not made from concrete, it is touching the soil; it is alive. Rice straw, sawdust, fresh soil are used for flooring Even if you use a Natural Farming animal house for many years, you do not need to clean the feces once. They do not pile up and they do not smell. Utilizing the natural powers like the sun, wind and microorganism, the floor is always dry and fluffy. It is a common sight to see a Natural Farming animal houses right beside a human house.

8.NATURAL FARMING PRODUCES NO ARTIFICIAL HEATING

Natural Farming animal houses do not provide any artificial heating. Rather than consuming fossil fuel or electricity we think it is wiser to develop the animal’s natural resistance against cold. A healthy animal does not need such human-improvised help. Natural Farming chicks grow short, tough and dense hair whereas ordinary chicks have long, soft and sparse hair. In extremely cold areas or weather, we use heat from fermentation of compost.

9.IN NATURAL FARMING ,FARMING INPUTS ARE MADE BY FARMERS

    One of the most important aspects of Natural Farming is that the farmers make what they need. Fertilizers, soil improvers, pest controllers, disease cure are all made by the farmers themselves using only natural materials based on the Nutritive Cycle theory. By doing so, we save money and perform better. Our field, hills, forest, rivers, ocean and all surroundings are full of useful materials that are tools of our farming; only if we open our eyes. Our important inputs include Indigenous Microorganism (IMO), Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN), Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), Fish Amino Acid (LAB), Water-soluble Calcium (WCA), Water-soluble Calcium Phosphate (WCP), and Insect Attractant (IA). All produced at home easily and cheaply. Most importantly, they work!

10.NATURAL FEED MADE BY FARMERS

Natural Farming animals do not only eat commercial feed from the market. They eat natural food prepared by farmers with love and affection. Chicks are given with whole brown rice grains and bamboo leaves immediately after hatching. Tough food develops their intestines. Animals reared with Natural Farming are healthy, strong and have no disease. 

We do not give antibiotics, hormones, colorants or other chemicals to our animals. We give them what nature has given them to eat. We use grass, rice husk, rice bran, left-over food, sawdust and even soil for feed. They go through our special treatment and assorting. 

11. NATURAL FARMING INVOLVES NUTRITIVE CYCLE THEORY

Natural Farming cares for the crops and livestock according to the “Nutritive Cycle Theory.” It is a theory that enables us to read the changing growth stages of a plant or animal. We apply fertilizer, feed, or prescription precisely according to this cycle. Natural Farming is a very elaborate, complicated and precise method that denies “spray-and-forget” kind of approach. 

Just like humans, crops and livestock also need nitrogen when young, phosphoric acid during adolescence and calcium after maturity. Also the amount of food they need to take in will constantly change, just as a baby cannot eat a grown-up’s dish. 

Natural Farming emphasizes the right use of the right material, at the right stage, in the right quantity. 

12. NATURAL INPUTS USED

Indigenous Microorganism (IMO)   

Indigenous microorganism is a powerful input that improves soil condition and crop health. It is collected from nearby forest or fields using a simple wooden lunch box with steamed rice. By utilizing microorganisms that survived and adapted to that local place for numerous generations, we can have safe, cheap yet powerful microorganism input. 

Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) Fermented plant juice is made by fermenting plant parts in brown sugar.

Sprouts and baby fruits with high hormone concentration, full grown fruits, flower abundant in honey, and any plant with strong vigor are good ingredients. 

Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN) Oriental herbal nutrient is made from herbs valued in oriental medicine. Lactic acid bacteria is exactly same as yoghurt. Other inputs include fish amino

acid, water-soluble calcium from eggshells, water-soluble phosphoric calcium from animal bones and seawater.

SOME PRACTICES NOW BEING DONE AND PROMOTED AS NATURAL FARMING PRACTICES: 

1. Zero cultivation and following, allowing the soil to rest and rejuvenate.

2. Integrated Pest Management (IPM).3. Insect traps, lure and attractants.4. Use of Biological pest control (natural enemies of pest)5. Use of Organic Compost fertilizer and bio micro inoculant.6. Use of Organic Pest and Disease control materials.7. Use of indigenous resistant plant varieties and strain.8. Practice crop rotation and following (resting the soil for some

time).9. Growing and inter-cropping of pest repellant and herbal plants.10. Integrated cropping pattern to prevent growth of toxic weeds.11. Growing the right crop on the right soil, climate and at the right

time.

1. ZERO CULTIVATION, FOLLOWING AND ALLOWING THE SOIL TO REST AND REJUVENATE

Zero cultivation has been a long and original

practice of man in its first attempt to grow crops.

2.PRACTICE CLEAN CULTURE.

Cultivation and weed control will also help not only in soil aeration and softening of soil mass but will also reduce or disturb the breeding place of insect pests and fungal diseases.

3.INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a pest control program using combination of all practices to reduce or eliminate pest damage. This includes natural, biological and mechanical practices as well as bio and chemical pesticide application.  

4.INSECT TRAPS, LURE AND ATTRACTANTS.

1.Light Traps

2.Lure with attractants

3 Chemical sex attractant

4. Blue electric lamp

5.Yellow pads

5.USE OF BIOLOGICAL PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL

The use of living plant and animals or living organisms to  control pest and diseases are called Biological Control. They may be microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, virus or bigger life forms like insects, worms, reptiles, mammal and birds. You can learn to increase the beneficial insects, microorganisms and other animal and plant life in your farms to counter pests and diseases harming your crops. Let us protect and increase these beneficial enemies of pests. 

6. USE OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER

Fertilizers coming from fermented and decomposed organic materials are very nutritious safe fertilizer materials. They both enrich the soil plant food nutrients, improves the texture for easier root growth and preserve the soil life such as beneficial bacteria and fungi.

7.USED OF ORGANIC PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL

Herbal preparations to control pest and diseases can easily be made by farmers themselves since we have abundant plants in the country that are suitable ingredient.

8.PRACTICE CROP ROTATION AND FOLLOWING (RESTING THE SOIL FOR SOME TIME).

Crop rotation or changing crops grown in certain areas to avoid the buildup of certain pest or disease affecting certain crops. Example, rotating onions with pepper . Resting the soil for one to two years to allow natural vegetation and the growth of natural enemies to introduce balance of nature, while enriching your soil environment for future crop production. 

9. GROWING AND INTER-CROPPING OF PEST REPELLANT AND HERBAL PLANTS

There are crops that repel certain insect pests. Intercropping tomato with cabbages and cauliflower will help reduce the diamondback moth attacking cabbages. Learn what these crop combinations. You will not only reduce your cost of pest and disease control but may even increase your income per unit area with the crop combination. 

10. INTEGRATED CROPPING PATTERN TO PREVENT GROWTH OF TOXIC WEEDS.

Certain weeds are difficult to remove or control, like grasses. Planting vines and crawling crops like sweet potato and cover crops will help suppress weeds.

11.GROWING THE RIGHT CROP ON THE RIGHT SOIL, CLIMATE AND AT THE RIGHT TIME.

 There are suitable crops that are ideal for certain season of the year and suitable soils for their healthy and productive growth. Learn the nature of the plants and their preferences before deciding what to grow in your farm.