• Chemicals in fertilizers cause health issues like hypertension, diabetes, thyroid, and cancer.
• Organic farming is linked to the health of 140 crore Indians.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Co-operative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board (UOCB).
• Shah stresses that it is through organic farming and cooperatives that India will become the largest organic food producing country of the world.

National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) Overview

• Platform that allows Indian farmers to market their organic products.
• Founded under Multi State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 in 2023.
• Headquartered in Anand, Gujarat.
• Plan to sell organic products inside India and abroad.
• Hands over about 50 percent of the profit to farmer members.
• National Dairy Development Board promotes it.
• Full supply chain of organic product is covered.
• One of the three cooperatives the government established.

Organic Farming

Organic farming also referred to as ecological or biological farming is a way of farm operation that incorporates naturally available, non-synthetic input like compost manure, green manure, and bone meal
Crop rotation, intercropping, and growing companions. Encouragement of biologically controlled pests: promotion of beneficial insects .
Arise in the early 20th century. In a response to increasing rapidly changes in farming system.

• Certified organic agriculture represents 70 million hectares of land globally, with over half of these in Australia.
• Organic standards allow the use of naturally occurring substances but prohibit or limit severely synthetic substances.
• Organic farming is based on the principles of health, care for all living beings and the environment, ecology, and fairness.
• Organic farming is internationally regulated and legally enforced by transnational organizations and individual nations.
• Organic food and other product market has been growing fast since 1990. Today, the organic food market is worth $150 billion worldwide.
• By 2022, 188 countries have been involved in organic farming. It accounts for about 96,000,000 hectares of land farmed organically by 4.5 million farmers.