Why is organic farming important and how does the Kisaan Helpline support farmers in it?

 

What is meant by organic farming?

A lot more goes into organic farming than simply deciding not to use pesticides, fertilisers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, or growth hormones when raising crops and livestock.

In order to maximise the productivity and fitness of many populations within the agro-ecosystem, including soil organisms, plants, livestock, and people, organic farming employs a comprehensive approach. Creating businesses that are environmentally friendly and sustainable is the main objective of organic production.

 

The following are the basic tenets of organic production —

• Safeguard the environment, reduce soil erosion and degradation, lessen pollution, increase biological production, and advance a healthy lifestyle.

• By improving the circumstances for biological activity inside the soil, you may preserve long-term soil fertility and keep the system's biological variety.

• Recycling materials and resources inside the company to the fullest degree possible.

• Provide cattle with the careful attention that supports their well-being and satisfies their behavioural demands.

• Prepare organic products, focusing on careful handling and processing techniques to preserve the organic purity and essential attributes of the products throughout the whole manufacturing process.

• Rely on locally coordinated agriculture systems that use renewable resources.

 

What is meant by "certified organic"?

Products produced in accordance with organic standards and recognised as such by one of the certifying bodies are referred to as "certified organic." A producer who wants their farm to be certified organic must submit an application to a certifying agency asking for an impartial examination to confirm that the farm complies with the organic requirements. Farmers, processors, and merchants are all required to preserve the product's organic integrity and to keep a paper trail for auditing purposes. Products are marketed and labelled as "certified organic" when they come from certified organic farms.

 

List of NPOP-Accredited Certification Bodies

1) Bureau Veritas Certification India (BVCI) Pvt. Ltd., based in Mumbai

2) Aurangabad's ECOCERT India Pvt. Ltd.

I. M. O. Control Pvt. Ltd.

4) Organic Certification Agency of India (INDOCERT)

5) Thiruvalla's Lacon Quality Certification Pvt. Ltd. (Kerala)

 

What is Indian organic farming?

In India, organic farming is a kind of agriculture that uses animal or plant waste and organic manure for pest control. The environmental harm brought on by chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilisers prompted the beginning of this farming. It is a brand-new approach to agriculture that improves, preserves, and fixes the ecological equilibrium. Organic farming uses green manures, cow dung, and other organic inputs.

 

Indian Organic Farming Principles

These concepts help organic agriculture expand and prosper. These might help the development of organic farming globally.

The following are the four guiding principles of organic farming:

• Health principles: the well-being of individuals, groups, and communities

• Fairness rules, as do healthy interpersonal interactions and a high standard of living.

• Care Principles: Considering the present and future environments

 

Various Forms of Organic Farming

The two forms of organic farming Take a peek at the organic agricultural practices used in India below.

(a) Pure organic farming - Pure organic farming abstains from using any synthetic chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers are obtained from natural sources in the process of clean farming. They refer to it as a pure form of organic farming. For maximum output, pure organic farming is recommended.

(b) Organic farming that is integrated -  Integrated organic farming includes both integrated nutrition management and integrated pest management.

 

Techniques for Organic Agriculture

There are certain methods used in organic farming in India.

1) Soil Management: The main method of organic farming in India is soil management. The nutrients in the soil are lost during cultivation, and the fertilizer content decreases. Soil management is the process through which soil is replenished with all the required nutrients. The fertility of the soil is increased naturally through organic farming. It makes use of microorganisms found in animal faeces. The microorganisms contribute to the soil's increased productivity and fertility. The first approach listed under organic farming is soil management.

2) Weed Management: The primary goal of organic farming is to eradicate weeds. Unwanted plants that grow alongside the crop are known as weeds. Weeds The production of the crops was impacted by soil nutrients.

There are two methods for getting rid of the weed.

• Cut the cannabis throughout this procedure if you're moving it.

• Farmers use plastic film or plant debris as mulch to prevent weed development by covering the soil's surface with it.

 

3) Chemical Management in Farming: Farms that are used for agriculture are home to both beneficial and detrimental creatures. Controlling the proliferation of organisms is necessary to protect soil and agricultural crops. To preserve the soil and the crops, natural or less toxic insecticides and herbicides are used in this procedure. To keep other species under control, the environment needs proper upkeep.

 

4) Crop Diversity: These days, a new practice known as "polyculture" is popular. To meet the rising demand for food products throughout the world, polyculture allows for the simultaneous cultivation of a number of crops.

Traditional farmers, on the other hand, were accustomed to using "monoculture," or the cultivation of only one type of crop in a certain area.

In addition to increasing productivity, the polyculture farming technique also aids in the creation of essential soil microbes.

 

5) Biological pest control: Many creatures live on agricultural soil. Some of these creatures aid in the production of crops, while others are detrimental to the crop because they interfere with it.

To keep the soil fertile and ensure the safety of the crops, we also need to restrict the growth and population of hazardous organisms. So, to control pests naturally, organic farmers can employ gentle (containing fewer chemicals) or natural herbicides and insecticides. To effectively prevent hazardous organisms in the field, farmers may also adequately clean the farm.

 

The Advantages of Organic Farming

• In India, organic farming is particularly cost-effective since it doesn't use pricey pesticides, fertilisers, or HYV seeds to grow the crops. It incurs no costs.

• A farmer can have a strong return on investment by using inexpensive and nearby inputs. One of the most significant advantages of organic farming in India is this.

• The demand for organic products is quite high in India and around the globe, and exporting them might increase revenue.

• Compared to items made with chemicals and fertilisers, organic foods are more nutritive, palatable, and healthy.

• In India, organic farming is particularly environmentally beneficial because it doesn't use pesticides or fertilizers.

 

How can Kisaan Helpline assist farmers in utilising organic agricultural practices?

1. Farmers can pick up new agricultural and marketing methods.

2. The strategies for protecting crops from the 100+ organic approaches that are already accessible.

3. Information about crop insurance.

4. Nearby shops, support services, and research facilities.

5. Commodity prices on a daily basis.

6. Different organic farming methods Numerous bug species that harm crops and pests that affect several crops obscure natural phenomena.

7. Predictions for the weather in the region where the farms are situated.

8. A facility for farmers to chat and get help.

9. Organic farmer's success tales.

 

Conclusion

These details about organic farming in India include its various forms, techniques, and benefits. We hope you enjoy reading this site and learn everything there is to know about organic farming methods.

If you want to learn more about how organic farming is carried out, the many forms of organic farming, and organic farming in India, you must continue to contact us for further details. Follow the Kisaan Helpline for further details.

The value of a soil testing lab franchise and the help that partners would contribute

 

To make packing and sending samples to a lab easier, prepaid mail-in kits for testing soil and groundwater are available. Similar to this, scientists started recommending fertiliser together with the report on soil composition in 2004.

Lab tests are more exact and frequently use Near InfraRed (NIR) scanning (or highly precise flow injection technology). Additionally, expert interpretation of the findings and recommendations are typically included in soil lab testing. Always read the proviso statements in a lab report since they may describe any irregularities, special cases, or flaws in the sampling and/or analytical procedure and/or results.

Soil Testing: What Is It?

It is an investigation of farmland for a variety of factors, including chemical content, toxicity, pH level, salinity, earth-dwelling biota, etc. These tests also provide information on physical and chemical characteristics such as chemical contamination, humic or organic content, electric conductivity, cation exchange capacity, and others.

Various Soil Tests

The type of analysis is determined by the examined field ground elements or features that might have a positive or negative influence on crop development. The most popular types assess and measure:

• mineral content, 

• pH level, 

• moisture and salinity of the soil, 

• contamination with chemicals and pesticides, 

• structure, and texture are a few examples.

How Do I Test the Soil?

You have a variety of alternatives when deciding how to do a soil test, including:

• DIY using specialised kits.

• Send samples to a public or commercial laboratory for expert examination. Some local laboratories provide free soil testing services.

• Employ a corporation that will handle the entire procedure, from sample to field improvement suggestions.

What is a Soil Testing Lab Franchise?

 

Frequently, three types of plant nutrients are tested for in laboratories: Three important nutrients: potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen (K) Calcium, magnesium, and sulphur are supplementary nutrients. Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, and chlorine are minor nutrients. This service is offered by us, Kisaan Helpline. 

Facilities on Hand

At Kisaan Helpline, in a year, the facility has the capacity to evaluate about 10,000 samples. 80 percent of the whole sample will be tested for NPK alone, and 20 percent of the total sample will be tested for micronutrients.

The laboratory is equipped with cutting-edge analytical tools such as the ICP-MS, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Spectrophotometer, Flame Photometer, and N-Analyzer, among others. Farmers and other clients can request soil, plant, and irrigation water analysis services from the laboratory. The scientific and technical staff involved in soil testing receive frequent Advanced Level Training on various elements of Soil Plant Analysis and Water Quality Assessment.

The following services are provided:

• Evaluation of irrigation water quality.

• Soil and plant testing for macro- and micronutrients.

• Manure total nutritional analysis for research purposes only.

• Heavy metal and pollutant element analyses of soil and plants.

• Advice on the usage of fertilisers in moderation.

• A recommendation for managing problematic soils.

Supplies Accessible

The equipment accessible in the research center are referenced beneath:

• Nuclear Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)

• Spectrophotometer

• Fire Photometer

• Conductivity Meter

• pH Meter

• Shaking Apparatus

• Electronic Balance

• Logical Balance/Top Loading Balance

• Drying Oven

• PC with suitable programming

• GPS System with Mobile Phone

• Backup Generator/Online UPS

Some of the Government Soil Testing Laboratories

1) Office of District Agriculture, Andaman, and the Nicobar Islands

2) Panat Bungalow, Badgujar Plot, Parola Road, Dhule - 424 001, Soil Testing Laboratory

3) Varsha Colony, Telephonenagar, Collector Bungalow Road, Jalgaon, 425 001 Soil Testing Laboratory

4) Soil Testing Laboratory Chedia Plot, Akola-444 005, Pakhare Building

5) ARUNACHAL PRADESH, District Agriculture Office, ANJAW

Important precautions to be taken while taking soil samples -

• As far as possible, a sample of wet soil of the field should not be taken. If necessary, the soil sample should be sent to the soil testing laboratory for testing only after drying it in the shade.

• Do not take samples from standing crops in the field. If necessary, take samples from between the lines, in which chemical fertilizers have been applied a month in advance.

• Soil samples should not be taken from the field if fertilizers or any other chemical substances have been put or kept on the side of the road, near the roads, from the drain, or near the tree.

• Soil samples should be kept away from sacks of chemical fertilizers, batteries, diesel, oil, ash, and chemicals.

• Remember that about one month before the sowing of the crop, the soil sample should be taken and sent to the soil testing laboratory for testing.

• A rusty shovel/shovel should not be used for taking soil samples.

Benefits To Soil Laboratory Owners

• Services for soil testing are in great demand.

• Across the nation, more soil testing labs are required.

• The proprietor of the facility makes a nice living from the soil testing lab.

• The proprietor of the lab is able to offer the farmers several more goods and services at his lab.

• Anyone can operate it with ease.

• Kisaan Helpline provides the lab owner with full assistance and guidance for his business.

Who is the Kisaan Helpline and how is it helping us?

Kisaan Helpline is a make the greatest efforts data-driven technology platform for farmers with the objective of boosting farming and farmers' intelligence. Our research-based information provides farmers with improved options for 150 crops up to harvest.

We provide rural youth, individual farmers, and groups the chance to set up their very own micro lab for a soil health assessment.

Some of the parameters tested by us are-

• Organic molecule

• Available nitrogen (N)

• Available phosphorus (P)

• Available potassium (K)

• Available copper (Cu)

• Available manganese (Mn)

• Electrical conductivity

• Available zinc (Zn)

• Available sulphur (S)

• Available boron (B)

• Available iron (Fe)

• Lime Requirement Test for Acidic Soil Gypsum Requirement Test for Alkaline Soil pH

We hope that this article helped you to learn something new about soil testing laboratories and if you wish to learn more about such topics you are free to contact us anytime. Kisaan Helpline would be glad to help you in any way!

All the information you need to know about soil testing and how it helps farmers

 

Soil Testing

A soil test is crucial for a number of reasons, including maximising crop production; protecting the environment from runoff and excess fertiliser leaching; assisting in the diagnosis of plant culture issues; enhancing the nutritional balance of the growing medium, and saving money and energy by using only the necessary amount of fertiliser. Analyses of the pre-plant medium give a hint as to possible nutritional deficits, pH imbalances, or too many soluble salts. This is crucial for farmers who prepare their own media. Media testing during the growing season is an essential technique for controlling crop nutrition and levels of soluble salts.

A solid nutrient management programme should start with a soil test to determine the pH and fertility level. Different tests are performed on soil samples from soilless mixtures compared to samples from field soil. Three procedures, the 1:2 dilution method, saturated media extract (SME), and leachate pour through, are frequently used to analyse soilless medium utilising water as an extracting solution. Each testing technique has a separate set of values that reflect it.

 

5 Justifications to Test Your Soil

1) Learn about the state of the soil and how to improve it.

Healthy crops require fertile soils to flourish. It must first be quantified in order to increase soil fertility. The chemistry, physics, and biology of the soil govern its fertility. It is possible to see the texture, colour, and structure of the soil. The chemical makeup of the soil, however, cannot be seen. The importance of soil sampling can be attributed to the requirement to measure this. Soil tests are used to ascertain a soil's pH level and nutrient content. With this knowledge, the precise kind and amount of fertiliser that must be used to increase soil fertility may be determined.

 

2) It is the initial stage in managing soil fertility.

Farmers may maximise the effectiveness of nutrients and water utilisation and enhance their agricultural production by using an appropriate soil fertility management approach. The first step in effective soil fertility management is soil testing. You may enhance the health of your soil by using the information that comes from soil testing.

 

3) Reduce fertiliser spending.

If you are aware of the precise type and quantity of fertiliser your soil and crops require, you won't squander money on unnecessary purchases. Additionally, supplies for inorganic fertilisers in general and minerals like phosphorus and potassium are limited. Since their costs have been rising over time and this tendency is expected to continue, it is wise to prepare for the upcoming adjustments now.

 

4) Avoid overfertilization.

Over-fertilization may result from fertiliser application without knowledge of your soil's real nutritional requirements. You may prevent applying too much fertiliser by evaluating your soils and getting fertiliser advice. This is beneficial for the environment and your crops. Over-fertilizing crops result in fertiliser burn and yellowing foliage. Additionally, it can cause nutrient leaching, water contamination, and permanent harm to the aquatic species in the area.

 

5) Avoid soil deterioration

Every farmer faces the problem of soil deterioration. According to estimates, 24 billion tonnes of rich soil are lost annually owing to erosion, which is brought on by improper soil management. Correct soil management is ensured by soil testing.

Digital Soil Testing Mini Lab

Fertilizer recommendation kit with a digital soil test (Digital Soil Testing Mini Lab). This soil testing equipment aids farmers in evaluating 14 soil factors and suggests crop-specific fertiliser doses for 100 crops in a short amount of time at a local facility, assisting them in achieving greater yields, boosting their revenue, and maintaining healthy soil. The metre is produced by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), Pusa, Delhi, under license.

Features:

• 14 soil parameters are tested using a digital soil testing mini lab.

• It prescribes the amount of fertilizer for 100 crops.

• The report of soil testing is printed using a free thermal printer.

• A soil testing report is sent to a computer and a mobile device through Bluetooth.

• It has an internal battery backup of six hours.

• Solar panel charging is possible.

• Test in a short amount of time.

• Everybody may use it after receiving free training.

• The Soil Health Card mission verifies all of the required criteria for the Soil Health Card mission.

 

Testing of Soils as a Business

Demand for appropriate information for excellent soil health was created by the ongoing degradation of land conditions, an imbalance in the use of chemical fertilizers, a decrease in organic carbon, and the expense of farmer difficulties.

Farmers' awareness of the need for healthy soil and their immediate desire for appropriate soil health certificates present a commercial opportunity.

Additionally, it helps farmers increase agricultural productivity and total profit.

 

Kisaan Helpline: Who Are We?

A dedicated full-stack data-driven technology platform for farmers called Kisaan Helpline seeks to improve farming and farmers' intelligence. Our research-based information provides farmers with improved options for 150 crops up to harvest.

We provide rural adolescents, individual farmers, and organisations the chance to set up their very own micro lab for a soil health assessment.

In order to enhance soil texture and provide better plant nutrition recommendations, we will install a small soil lab at the block level or the closest point to the farmer's reach. We will also advocate organic farming to preserve the soil.

Some of the services provided by us:

• The Web page description

• Designing an experiment Data gathering

• Statistics and data processing.

• The Findings and Discussion

• Monitoring nutrients during the crop growth season

• Estimating soil nutrients with a smartphone-based soil analysis: Uncertainties

 

If you have any questions about soil testing, please keep in touch with us for further information. For further information, check out the Kisaan Helpline.

Best Agriculture Service Provider Mobile App that you should know in 2022

 

India is an agricultural country and agriculture mainly provides the means of livelihood for the Indian population. The economy of India is also dependent on agriculture in one way or the other.

Indian customers account for over 30% of the worldwide feature phone market, making it the second-largest in the category. In 2015, there were 720 million mobile phone subscribers in India, of which 320 million live in rural areas. This estimate included 50 million smartphone Internet users. According to the research 'The Rising Connected Consumer in Rural India' by Boston Consulting Group, this percentage of rural India will increase to 48 percent by 2020. Recent steps taken by the Government of India may have accelerated this process.

Agtech firms are not protected from a one-to-one problem, as they have only one chance to impress new consumers. Even as IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) have ushered in a new era in agricultural app development, user experience serves as the great equalizer, providing long-term retention to even the tiniest of enterprises. allows competing. As the agriculture industry becomes more mobile, mobile ag professionals need to be able to find relevant data whenever and wherever a choice is made. And a positive user experience can foster the type of loyalty that keeps people returning for more, improving engagement and confidence with each visit.

Our main objective is to provide maximum information about agriculture and horticulture from a precise point of view to the farmers, traders, or any person. Below we have listed the top 10 best agriculture destinations in India.

Top apps that provide the best information about agricultures

1) Kisaan Helpline - Kisaan Helpline Mobile Application is a dedicated Kisan platform providing one-stop services to farmers since 2014. Kisan Helpline is a set of village-level internet portals which now provide various types of services to the farmers. Kisaan Helpline has built a place for itself by assisting over 1.5 lakh farmers throughout India in adopting aware and smart farming practices. Smart Kheti and Krishi App for Farmers is a comprehensive and creative agricultural platform that links farmers and ordinary people from rural areas across the country and assists them in generating high production from their job and effectively managing it. Kisaan Helpline is an online farmer forum where farmers may discuss their issues and offer expert guidance to others. In addition, we have linked Kisaan Helpline with certain agriculture professionals and expert farmers who have advanced their careers in farming and horticulture via research and experience. Farmers may contact specialists and seek help on their crops, seeds, organic pesticides, farming, and horticulture through the Kisaan Helpline site.

2) Gramophone - The smart farming app - Tauseef Khan and Nishant Mahatre, IIT-Kharagpur, and IIM-Ahmedabad classmates created the Gramophone app in 2016. The software, which has mapped over 2.5 million acres of agricultural land, assists farmers in receiving personalized agro advice on crops, soil, and weather, among other things, and serves as a one-stop solution for increasing crop yields. From crop preparation through harvest, crop management is required. Nutrition management, pest and disease control, water management, and intercultural operations are all part of this. This provides the correct diagnosis and creates personalized solutions for farmers.

3) AgriCentral - AgriCentral is the greatest Agriculture software for Indian farmers, assisting them in making key decisions in their farming operations in order to boost profitability. It uses cutting-edge technology such as global positioning, satellite images, big data analytics, machine learning, and image analytics to lead farmers into the digital agricultural era. Simply enter your sowing date and kind of cultivation, and CropPlan will provide a customized schedule of farm operations to help you achieve higher yields at a lesser cost. It's a location where you can engage with progressive farmers from throughout the country and Agri specialists to get answers to your questions.

4) Krishify - The goal is to help every professional in the Indian agriculture industry better their commercial possibilities. At Krishify, we are inspired by the need to link farmers with all key stakeholders, such as other farmers, dealers, distributors, agricultural equipment vendors, cattle physicians, transportation service providers, and so on, through the use of a unified mobile-first and vernacular platform.

5) Agrostar - AgroStar is India's leading AgTech start-up, with the objective of #HelpingFarmersWin by putting a comprehensive variety of Agri solutions at farmers' fingertips. AgroStar's greatest agriculture application combines agronomy advice from Agri doctors/experts with agriculture information and goods to help farmers greatly increase their production and profitability. AgroStar presently works in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, and its Kisan agricultural Helpline app has over 5 lakh farmers registered. Farmers may get Agri solutions for the full crop life cycle with a single "missed call" or through its Android app, which is one of India's most popular agricultural applications.

6) Krishi Network - The Kisan Network app was created with a bevy of features in mind, including the location of neighboring marketplaces or mandis, weather predictions, seed and fertilizer data, cropping techniques in particular, government initiatives, and real-time insights on technical gear. "The goal behind developing such an app was to revolutionize the agricultural space in India by teaching and empowering farmers to increase yields." "Today, over 6,00,000 farmers benefit from The Kisan Network app, and we are certain that this figure will grow in the next months," says co-founder Ashish.

7) BharatAgri - BharatAgri is a Smart Kisan & Smart Farming App for Farmers that uses all-new Agri tech solutions (Kheti Badi) and existing technologies like Smart Satellite Mapping, Weather Forecasting, Soil Testing, and Water Testing to assist farmers to boost their total farm revenue. If you want to be a "Smart Farmer," download and utilize the BharatAgri App (/Krishi app) to obtain the greatest farmer support. We are already aware of the negative impacts of unpredicted weather on agriculture, which can result in farm losses; thus, weather forecasting, pest and disease control, and competent and timely advice from crop specialists are required for improved crop growth.

8) DeHaat Kisan - Get a crop advisory action schedule and sowing date, get crop issue solutions by submitting photographs, map your farm with satellite to receive weekly biotic stress data, check mandi pricing, and other DeHaat services. Create a post to receive answers to all agricultural issues from DeHaat agri experts and other community members, assist members in need by resolving their issues, gain access to articles on modern farming practices created by Agri-experts, watch videos curated for your crops, check agri-news, play quiz to win prizes, and much more.

9) Apni Kheti - Apni Kheti is a comprehensive and creative agricultural platform that connects farmers and common people from rural areas across the country, assisting them in creating good production from their job and effectively managing it. Our agricultural mobile app is accessible in various languages and provides users with more information than ever before. Essentially, this agricultural software is an online Farmer's forum where they may discuss their difficulties and provide professional advice to others. So, join this online social network right now to stay up to current.

10) Traction Field App - The Traction Field app makes it simple to collect and manage soil samples by grid or zone. Begin by loading historical data files with borders, target points, and zones for each field. You may also design field borders and arrange grids for on-the-fly sampling. Navigate to each target point or zone with ease. Because the program can export all data in shapefile format, it is compatible with the majority of agricultural mapping systems. You'll save time collecting samples, eliminate hours of tiresome tasks, and make good agronomic decisions thanks to its elegant, user-friendly design.

Conclusion

We see a significant trend among agtech companies to integrate with other suppliers when appropriate. Instead of attempting to handle everything themselves, consumers are increasingly being placed at the heart of providers' plans, which frequently necessitates integrating specific service offers and allowing diverse services to 'speak to one other.' If customers already have an agtech app that they use on a daily basis, it may make more sense for other/new providers to collaborate with this incumbent provider rather than forcing them to add another app to their daily routine.

According to Weber, the COVID-19 epidemic has infected practically every aspect of our existence, including the mobile app industry. "The pandemic transformed us as customers, and it had repercussions across many industries, including agriculture," he adds. "Think about how you use your phone or tablet to rapidly reorder or buy anything on Amazon. It is spreading to the agtech area, where our partners and their consumers anticipate a comparable experience.