Principles of Organic Farming Renewing the Earth’s Harvest Dr. Vandana Shiva Dr. Poonam Pande Dr. Jitendra Singh NAVDANYA A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110 016 INDIA i Acknowledgement We at the NAVDANYA wish to acknowledge the farmers contributions who for centuries have grown and conserved diversity in their fields. In particular, we want to thank all those farmers who, through their participation in our conservation efforts are in effect co-authors of this work and are changing India’s farm destiny to one of hope and health. The editorial team Vandana Shiva Poonam Pande Jitendra Singh Principles of Organic Farming: Renewing the Earth’s Harvest © Navdanya, 2004 Published by Navdanya A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110 016 INDIA Tel. : 0091-11-26853772, 26532460 Fax : 0091-11-2685 6795 Email :
[email protected] Printed by Systems Vision, A-199 Okhla Phase- I New Delhi - 110 020 Publication of this volume has been made possible by the support received from The Royal Netherlands Embassy, New Delhi. ii Foreword he contemporary crisis of Indian agriculture is evident with the epidemic of farmers’ Tsuicides due to unpayable debt and the return of hunger and starvation for the first time since 1942. The shift to ecological farming has become necessary for renewal of the earth’s vital resources, for lowering costs of production and for increasing food security. We are publishing ’Principles of Organic Farming’ to facilitate the transition to an agriculture which is sustainable, guarantees livelihood security and food security. The demand for training in organic farming is increasing day by day.