First Magazine SCFCA OCTO-1 | Page 10

ORGANIC FARMING – ALBERT HOWARD Albert howard was working in India as agriculture advisor. Howard has been called the father of modern composting, for his refinement of a traditional Indian composting system into what is now known as the Indore method. He went on to document and develop organic farming techniques, and spread his knowledge through the UKbased Soil Association, and the Rodale Institute in the US. His 1940 book, An Agricultural Testament, is a classic organic farming text. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining humus, keeping water in the soil, and the role of mycorrhiza. It was his first book aimed at the general public, and is his best popularly known work. Considering India it is not a new idea, even now in India 70% of the farms follow this method of agricultural farming. But it is not due to follow of any alternative farming method but it is organic by default. Most of the farmers are so poor who cant afford and not having purchase power to by the fertilizers and pesticides.They are living in a poor condition and the yield of the agriculture is so lower to the beneficiaries of green revolution. If the states like Haryana and Punjab return to the organic farming and all other states continue the same farming methods our food security will remain as a dream. More than half of our food products are cultivated by the states using the modern agriculture techniques Friends of Scientifica, October 2016