Assessment of diversity, sustainable yield index, value index and system economic efficiency of organic and conventional farmers of Karnataka state, India

Introduction

Agriculture has been the basic source of subsistence for man over thousands of years and it provides livelihood to over half of the world ' s population every day. Organic farming helps to improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and maintains the ecological balance as well as productivity of life supporting systems for the future generations (Rajagopal and Sreeramulu, 1999) [11] . Soil management practices that do not impair with health and structure are pre-requisites for achieving higher productivity and reduced cost of cultivation in agriculture. Haung et al. (1993) [3] advocated the integrated use of organic with limited use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as the first stage of transition from conventional to organic farming. Gradual reduction of inorganic over 2-3 years and complete conversion to organic is the one option available. During conversion 3 years the reduction in yield may be noticed. The success of organic farming strategies would depend on long term whole farm system involving all aspects of crop production that will maintain soil productivity and reduce dependence on chemical inputs (Pathak, 1992) [7] . Organic Farming is gaining momentum all over the world as it addresses self-reliance in food, rural development and nature conservation and sustained biodiversity, (Pathak et al., 2006) [8] . The increasing awareness of the effects of indiscriminate use of artificial inputs in agriculture has led to the adoption of organic farming as an alternative methods for conventional farming. In recent years, organic product have gained niche position in global food market (31 billion$). Organic Farming has become a truly exiting and dynamic sector of the food industry.

In the process of attaining higher levels of food production to keep pace with population growth during the past four decades, emphasis was laid on intensive agricultural practices. Though, India has become self sufficient in food production over years, in three decades after the launch of green revolution, agricultural scientists are now discovering that chemical fertilizers and pesticides have been harmful in the long term with the poisoning of lands, contaminating the ground water, polluting the environment and thousands of farmers and farm workers loosing their lives. The serious soil Biodiversity, environmental degradation and health hazards to humans and animals, have resulted in lower returns to the farmers due to high input costs and dipping productivity and quality. Organic farming is a viable alternative to the conventional (Sreekrishna Bhat, 2004) [12] agriculture. It enlivens the soil, strengthens the natural resource base, sustains biological production, provides safe and nutritious food and environment friendly.

The conventional agriculture has caused: Soil erosion, soil salinization, soil pollution due to fertilizers and pesticides, genetic erosion, reduced socio-economic values, increased cost on production, ill effects on the bio-diversity and environment, high risk to food security, nutrition, quality, safety etc. Organic Farming aims at production of nutritious, quality and safe, agricultural produce, following eco-friendly production methods and the farming systems that restore and maintain the soil humus.  Does not pollute the soil and ground water with chemical residues.  Increases the biological diversity among plants and animals.  Reduces leaching of mineral from soil.  Depends on and makes full use of natural. Local and renewable resources.  Uses low energy inputs  Depends largely on natural equilibrium for crop protection.

It is socially and economically viable in comparison to the conventional agriculture. Organic Farming requires less financial and little or no external inputs and places more reliance on the natural and human resources on the farm which are abundant in this country. Organic farming is a production system that avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulator and livestock feed additives to the maximum extent. Organic farming systems rely on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, off farm organic wastes, and aspects of biological pest control. India has converted over 2.5 million hectares including 1.1 million hectares of cultivable lands in to organic. In Karnataka has converted over 11711.84 hectares (Organic farming news letter, September, 2007). The documented information on organic farming practices can be made use, practices to identify important researchable issues to provide strong research support.

Methodology

An effort was made to document the existing practices of organic farmers of North Karnataka during 2009 and 2021. It comprises 12 districts namely Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Dharwad, Belgaum. Haveri, North canara, Gadag, Koppal, Bellary and Raichur respectively. This will help to transfer organic farming practices between farmer to farmer modes and provide technical backup for the development of organic farming in the state.

Twenty farmers who are practicing organic farming since 4 to 5 years were selected randomly from each district. Total size of sample is 240. The relevant data were collected through pretested schedules by personal interview method. The various data are compared on the basis of average of different categories of farmers of North Karnataka (Khemchand.et al. 2002) [4] and expressed in percent age (%).

Sum of the all farmers (240) Average = Total No. of farmers (240)

No. of particular categories of farmers Percent age of Farmers (%) =

x 100 Total No. Farmers (240) Sustainable Yield Index (SYI) was calculated by using following formula ……………. (1) where, y = average yield of a treatment over the years 𝜎 = standard deviation (SD) and y max = observed maximum yield of a plot over the years.

Sustainable value index (SVI) was calculated by using following formula …………… (2) where, y=average net profit over the years, 𝜎=standard deviation (SD) and vmax=maximum net profit obtain in any of the year.

Results and Discussion

Farmer's opinion about inorganic farming Farmers opinion about inorganic farming are cost of cultivation is high, detoriation in soil health and yield stagnation, hazardous effect of fertilizer and pesticides on human and animal health.

Farmer's opinion about organic farming

The farmers opinion about organic farming are reduced cost of cultivation, improved the soil properties, soil moisture was conserved, less dependent on external inputs, producing healthy food and fodder, diversification in Farming system, improves the economic condition.

Farmer practices

These farmers follow some important practices (Mukeshkumar Pandey et al.,2008) [5] are mulching, green manuring, cover cropping, cropping systems which includes crop rotation, multiple cropping, inter cropping and mixed cropping, use of indigenous seeds, reduced tillage, enhancement of soil fertility through composting, vermicomposting, FYM and use of microbial bio-fertilizers mainly Rhizobium in groundnut and pulses, Azospirillum, azotobacter, in cereal crops, phosphate solubalising bacteria in all the crops azolla, blue green algae in rice.

Socio-Economic status of organic farmers (

B. Education level of sample farmers

The farmers already practicing organic farming are progressive and educated majority from high school to degree. However, more than 40.8% belong to high school standard than others categories.

C. Average members per family of sample farmers

The average members per family of organic (130 farmers) are 4-6 persons compared to other categories.

D. Average family income of sample farmers

The average family annual income good as they is relatively between Rs 60,000-1,00,000 (37.1%) compared to other categories.

E. Average land holding of sample farmers

The average land holding of organic farmers are relatively between 2-4 ha (39.6%) compared to other categories. Most of organic farmers have more rainfed area (2.46 ha) compared to irrigated area (2.36 ha).

F. Average livestock population and income

Average live stock populations of organic farmers (Table -2) have two cows, one buffalo and also have some number of Goats and Sheeps. The average net income per cow and baffellow was Rs. 3470 and 3570 respectively.

Cropping patterns of organic farmers

Organic farmers are growing different crops in Kharif, Rabi and summer seasons (Table -3). These farmers are also included green manuring, crop rotation, inter cropping and cover crops in cropping systems.

A. Kharif seasons

In kharif season under monocropping, more number of farmers were grown Sugarcane, Groundnut soybean, paddy (Srinivasa Reddy et al., 2004) [13] , cotton, redgram, chickpea, green gram compared to maize, chilli and sunflower. In case of delay in onset of monsoon the farmers were growing green manure crops like sunhemp, dhaincha, lucern, stylosanthous and pulses crops like greengramm, blackgramm cowpea, and horsegram etc. These green manure crops were incorporated in soil 30-40 days (flower initiation stage) after sowing. Under intercropping, (Sreekrishna Bhat., 2004) [12] maize + redgramme, chilli + onion + cotton, sorghum + redgram, redgram + greengram,/black/groundnut/soybean, redgram + sesamum, cotton + groundnut/greengram/sunhemp, sugarcane + onion/cabbage/beans/greengram,/cowpea, sugarcane + sunhemp + chilli, chilli + horsegram, mango + vegetables, banana + sunhemp + vegetables, mango + maize, coconut + banana/ginger/leguminous fodder were grown. In mixed cropping arecanut + pepper + vanilla, soyabean + black gram, papaya + Jasmine + sapota, tomatoes + onion + marigold, arecanut + vanilla + banana, mango + sapota + vegetables, mango + sapota + guava, coconut + jasmine, coconut + banana and coconut + sapota/lime are grown. Some important horticultural crops are Banana, Sapota, Mango, Grapes, Arecanut, Papaya, Rose, Jasmine and pomegranate etc., along with these crops some green manuring crops and vegetable crops are grown in between these crops and green manuring crop as insitue green manuring. Also follows some crop rotation are rice -wheat, rice -cotton. and follows some cover crops are velvet bean and dolichos lablab etc were grown. Farmers were using different local varieties with respect to crops.

B. Rabi season

In Rabi season under monocropping, sorghum, wheat, groundnut, horsegram, safflower, maize, chilli and cowpea etc., crops were grown. In case of inter cropping, Sorghum + safflower, Sorghum + Chickpea etc crops were grown. Under mixed cropping mango + sorghum, Sapota + vegetable and mango-horsegrame etc. crops were grown.

Cropping pattern of organic farmers in summer seasons.

The major crops cultivated under summer seasons were ground nut, paddy and vegetables under monocropping and Mango + vegetables under intercropping with using different varieties and hybrids respect to crops

Some important technology developed by organic farmers for Nutrient, Pest and diseases management practices

These farmers developed many indigenous technologies for nutrient, pest and diseases management. Chemical manures and pesticides are (Mukeshkumar Pandey et al., 2008) [5] not at all used on the farm. These farmers follow a lot of eco-friendly practices. Supply of nutrients through FYM (2.5 t), (Table-4) vermicompost (10 q), compost (on farm wastes like weeds, coconut leaves, coconut husk, crop residues, glyricidia, jetropa, drumstick and custard apple are recycled in to compost (Prasad Rajendra., 2000) [9] to provide excellent nutrients to crops), biodigestor (200l), growing green manuring crops (1.5 t as sunhemp, dhaincha, lucern, stylosanthous and pulses crops like greengram, blackgram cowpea, and horse bean), Also green leaf manuring crops are glyricidia, subabul etc., were grown on field bunds, residue management, mulching (crop residues, weeds were used for mulching (Prasant Kumar Mishra., 2003) [10] which helps to keep down evaporation loss besides adding valuable nutrients to soil as they decompose, Cropping system (included pulses) and seed treated with biofertilizer like rhizobium (1 kg), azospherilium (1 kg), Azatobactria (0.5 kg), PSP (1 kg) and Beejamruth for higher crop yield. Also farmers prepared some important growth promoters as jeevamruth (200 l), amruthpani, sassyamruth, panchagavy (250 l) (Chalasani Dutt, (2006) [1] , coconut tender water, vermiwash and butter milk to boost crop yield. For pest and diseases management use botanicals like Azadirecta indica, Akoras Kalimas, Adthoda vesica, Ageva american, vica rosa, clirodendran enarav, Vitex nigunda, Nirium olinder, Anona scamosa, marigold, tulasi, and aswagandha, Theae leaves are fermented with cow urine and mixed with vermiwash to serve as foliar spray. neem oil, neemcake,butter milk, garlic, onion, ginger, glyricidia extraction also used as foliar spray and some Biopesticides developed by UAS, Dharwad and NGOs are Nomuraea, NPV, Metarhizium, Beauvria, Bt.K, Trichoderma, Trichogramme, Lures and pheromone traps etc., were used to prevent pest and disease infection in different crops.

Economics of sample farmers

Average cost of cultivation, Gross return and net return of cereals were Rs. 9432,24250 and 14818 per acre (Srinivasa Reddy et al., 2004) [13] , pulse crops Rs. 8460, 20975 and 12515 per acre, Oil seed crops Rs. 11236, 32500 and 21264 per acre, Commercial crops Rs. 15383,47000 and 31617 per acre, plantation crops Rs. 20537,77525 and 56988 per acre, Fruit crops Rs. 29181,77333 and 48152 per acre and Flower crops Rs. 19761,48500 and 28739 per acre respectively.

Marketing facilities for organic growers

Organic farmers do not have any separate market to sale their products. But some of the horticultural crops likes mango, chikku, papaya. and agricultural crops like paddy, vegetables, groundnut, Soyabean etc. they are sell through some NGO's. Organisation like Skal, Tinna agro and some private companies like ITC, Reliance etc by which they are getting higher price. Small and marginal organic farmers presently facing certification problem for sale their organically growned products for higher prices, because cost of certification of farm is high. But with increasing competition, increasing numbers of products and introduction of grower groups certification system, per farmer costs have reduced drastically. Some important certification agencies are Skal, APOF, IMO and INDOCERT.

Sustainable yield index, value index and system economic efficiency of organic and convention farming system

The farmer adopted organic farming system having a sustainable yield index of 0.72 and sustainable value index of 0.76 and system economic efficiency of 477 per day over conventional farmers (0.52, 0.61 and 325, respectively). It clarifies the benefits from different combinations/unit area, higher sustainability index and net returns was achieved in organic system (Vittal et al., 2002) [14] . Important constraints were observed in adopting organic farming 1. Less availability inputs. 2. Farmer has to prepare organic inputs themselves. It is time consuming and laborious. 3. Not feasible for small and marginal farmers. 4. Organic manures contain low nutrients hence it required large quantities which resulted in huge cost on transportation and application. 5. Slow release of nutrients in may not be appropriate for short duration crops. 6. Yield levels are not stable in the initial period of transition. 7. Pest and disease management appears to be difficult. 8. Certification of organic goods require which may adds extra cost to the cultivar. 9. At present there is no out lets for marketing every where it needs to be strengthened. 10. Organic production system require technical support. 11. Lack of technical guidance regarding organic manures, organic growth Promoter, green manuring, plant protection measures, including ioagent/parasites for the control of particular insect pests (Farkade.et al, 1999) [2] . 12. Non availability of bio-agent/parasites at proper time. 13. Insufficient price for crops.

Conclusion

The findings of the survey conducted on organic farmers of North Karnataka clearly showed that farmers were developed their own technology for nutrient, pest and disease management of various crops grown in organic farm. These farmers have good opinion about organic farming because there is reduction in cost of cultivation, improve soil fertility, produced healthy food and fodder for human and animal consumption and diversification in farming systems create employment opportunity over entire year. Farmer wanted scientific background regarding nutrient, pest and disease management of various crops grown in organic farming and marketing facilities for sale of their organically grown products.

References

1. Farkade BC, Ahire RD, Patange NR, Ahire PS. Constraints in adoption of biological pest control in cotton. Journal of Soils and Crops. 1999;9(2):185-187.
2. Haung SS, et al. Bulletin, Jaichung District Agricultural Improvement Station. 1993;32:109-125.
3. Khem Chand, Singh K, Singh RV. Economic analysis of commercial dairy herds in arid region of Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics. 2002;57(2):224-233.
4. Pandey MK, Gupta V, Kalha CS, Gupta D. Organic farming -principles and practices for progressive agriculture. Green Farming. 2008;1(6):16-19.
5. Organic Farming Newsletter. 2007;3(3).
6. Pathak H. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science. 1992;40:752-757.
7. Pathak RK, Ram RA. Jaivic (organic) holistic farming system for sustainability of small farmers. Plants Hortitech. 2006;6:34-35.
8. Prasad R. Nutrient management strategies for the next decade -challenges ahead. Fertilizer News. 2000;45(4):1318, 21-25.
9. Mishra PK. Farmers practices of mulching to improve soil health in semi-arid India. Leisa India. 2003:12.
10. Rajagopal D, Sreeramalu KR. Indian Farming. 1999;49(2):7-10.
11. Reddy MS, Reddy DS. Economic evaluation of organic farming in rice based cropping system. The Andhra Agricultural Journal. 2004;51(3&4):273-276.