The last important myth is that simply avoiding the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is organic farming. That is not so. While organic farming is all about maintaining soil health (“feeding the soil” rather than “feeding the plant”), it entails producing the highest yields possible, in a sustainable, eco-friendly manner using a number of techniques. Indeed, for any agriculture system to succeed, it must take a responsibility towards feeding the earth. Organic farming entails a lot of hard work and even systems like Do-nothing (or Natural) farming – as propagated by Fukuoka and used so effectively by Bhaskar Save at his Gujarat farm – entail tremendous understanding of nature, natural agriculture, the local ecosystem and require a little hard work even though the name may suggest otherwise! You may learn about many techniques that can be used by an organic farmer in the section on organic farming techniques.
External inputs, even if eco-friendly or bio-degradable are ecologically questionable and commercially unsustainable for an organic farm. Work is hence required on-farm to produce inputs such as composts and biopesticides. Farms and farmers who would like to make their own inputs may read “Making your own organic farming inputs”.