Principles and Practices of

Organic Agriculture

Internal Quality Control System

Orientation – Workshop
Principles and Aims
1. To produce food of high nutritional
quality in sufficient quantity;
2. To interact in a constructive and life
enhancing way with natural systems
and cycles;
3. To encourage and enhance biological
cycles within the farming systems,
involving micro-organisms, soil flora
and fauna, plants and animals;
4. To promote the healthy use and proper
care of water, water resources and all
life therein;
Principles and Aims
5. To enhance the conservation of soil
and water, improve soil quality and
increase soil fertility;
6. To use organic matter and nutrient
elements, within a closed system;
7. To work with materials and substances
which can be reused or recycled, either
on the farm or elsewhere;
8. To give all livestock conditions of life
which allow them to perform the basic
aspects of their innate behavior;
Principles and Aims
9. To maintain the genetic diversity
including protection of plant and wildlife
animals;
10.To minimize all forms of pollution;
11.To allow everyone involved in organic
production and processing a quality of
life;
12.To foster indigenous and ecological
production systems that can produce
adequate, safe and nutritious food for
local communities
Basis of Crop Production

1. Maintenance of desirable soil

quality;
2. Build up of balanced soil
fertility; and
3. Promotion of biodiversity and
sound ecosystem.
Basis of Crop Production
• Achieved by appropriate combinations
of:
1. Versatile crop production
2. Recycling of organic residues with
inclusion of Nitrogen fixing plants and
avoid use of synthetic fertilizers
3. Wide ranges of methods for the control
of pests, diseases and weeds which
avoid the use of synthetic pesticides,
herbicides, fungicides, molluscicides.
Basis for Animal
Husbandry
• Respect for the physiological and
ecological needs of the animals.
This is achieved by:
1. Providing sufficient amount of good
quality fodder
2. Providing shed systems and allowing
sufficient run based on behavioral needs
3. Proper animal health care by preventive
measures based on natural medicine if
suitable
Importance of Animals in
Organic Farming Systems
• Manures completes nutrient cycle
• Converts organic matter which can
improve soil fertility
• Grazes in forage crops to improve
rotation, diversification and balance
• Provides draft (farm power)
• Utilizes by-products from crop
production
• Contributes to higher yields
Basis for Ecological
Balance
• A mutually beneficial and harmonious
integration of crops, trees and animals.
• A farm is designed to achieve diversity
and integration.
• Farmer’s ecological aims include
prevention of soil erosion and self-
sufficiency of biomass, manure and
animal feed on the farm.
• An ecological farm is a good provider of
food, nutrition and income for the family.
Basis of Processing
Organic Products
• Its vital qualities are maintained
throughout each step of the
process
• Emphasis on careful processing
methods, limited refining,
energy saving technologies,
minimal use of additives and
processing aids and others