Principles of Organic Farming

The textbook Principles of Organic Farming provides extensive and comprehensive information on various aspects of organic farming, including its definition, characteristics, and fundamental principles. The book also covers the history of organic farming and the initiatives taken to promote organic agriculture, as well as the concepts of organic ecosystems, nutrient management, weed management, insect management, and disease management. It also delves into the requirements for organic production, national programs for organic production and certification, and food processing and handling. Additionally, the book covers organic postharvest handling, economic considerations, marketing, and export of organic products, organic farming in dryland areas, integrated organic farming systems, and good agricultural practices and their strategies. The book also includes lessons learned from organic farming.

S.S. Walia, is working as Principal Agronomist in the School of Organic Farming, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Started organic farming research as a pioneer work at PAU, Ludhiana as Ph.D. student (2001-04) and then worked on organic farming and integrated farming systems in the All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems and Network Project on Organic Farming. Played foremost role in developing infrastructure, state of art model of an integrated farming system, and other research facilities in AICRP-Integrated Farming System project. Handled 19 projects and currently 5 projects are in hand, Involved in 35 product testing. Published 495 research and extension papers in reputed journals/magazines/newspapers. Co-author of eight books namely Science of Agronomy; Crop Management (1sted), Farming System and Sustainable Agriculture Contingent Crop Planning, Waste recycling, Moringa, Principles of Weed Management, Organic Crop Production; 21 book chapters, ten practical manuals, one research bulletin, four extension bulletins, four extension booklets, delivered 51 TV & Radio talks and guided eleven M.Sc. and four Ph.D. students. Participated in 44 National and International conferences/meetings. Recipient of Best organic farming centre award (2019) by ICAR; Dr M S Randhawa best book award (2017); Fellow, Indian Ecological Society (2016); Gold medal from Society of Recent Development in Agriculture at International Conference (2013); ISA Best Paper Award alongwith cash prize of Rs 5000/- from Indian Society of Agronomy (2011) for paper entitled,” Alternate cropping systems to rice-wheat for Punjab”; ISA P. S. Deshmukh Young Agronomist Award (2005) by Indian Society of Agronomy; Fellow, Society of Environmental Sciences (2004). The AICRP on Integrated Farming System, Ludhiana centre received the Best Centre Award (2014) from ICAR- Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut. Performance of All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems, Ludhiana centre during QRT review (2007 to 2012 and 2012 to 2017) was rated outstanding and also received four best poster awards. Received Dr. Gurbaksh Singh Gill Gold Medal, Merit Certificate for M.Sc. (Agronomy); S.S. Labh Singh Gold Medal and Merit Certificate for B.Sc. Agri. (Hons.). The chapter on organic farming and integrated farming system in package of practices was included during 2004 and 2017-18, respectively. Sixty six recommendations have been included in the package of practices for mass adoption by the Punjab Farmers especially, resource conservative cropping systems, nine organic farming based cropping systems, production technology of cultivation of direct seeded rice and consortium biofertilizer application in sugarcane, maize, wheat, potato, onion and turmeric. Developed technologies regarding application of consortium in sugarcane, turmeric, potato, onion, maize, wheat crops; integrated nutrient management in maize/soybean, highly productive alternative cropping systems, direct seeded rice and basmati rice, rice residue management for the mass scale adoption under Punjab conditions. Developed Integrated Farming System Research Model comprising dairy, fishery, horticulture, vegetables, agro-forestry, vermi-composting and chapter on Integrated Farming System included in the Package of Practices.

R.K. Nanwal, Professor (Retd), CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, India. For being B.Sc. (Hons) Ag and M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agronomy from HAU, Hisar in 1979 and 1981, respectively, he was awarded Ph.D. in Agronomy by IARI, New Delhi in 1992 with merit/ICAR scholarship throughout. He did Post Doctorate specialized training in water resource management in Rainfed Agriculture at University of Georgia, USA on FAO fellowship. He has teaching experience of more than 35 years in the university. Developed new courses on Farming Systems, Sustainable Agriculture and Rainfed Agriculture. Guided 7 M.Sc. and 8 Ph.D. students as Major Advisor. Played foremost role in developing infrastructure, state of art model of an integrated farming system and other research facilities in AICRP-Integrated Farming System project at CCS HAU, Hisar. Developed Integrated Farming System Research Model integrating field crops with dairy, fishery, horticulture, vegetables, agro-forestry, vermi-composting, mushroom, biogas etc. which is very popular among Haryana farmers. He has published 12 books, 10 manuals, 7 book chapters, 153 full research papers, 75 general articles, 35 research notes and presented 60 papers in various national/international seminars/conferences. Received ;Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi Award for outstanding Multidisciplinary team research in agriculture and allied sciences for the triennium 1994-96, awarded on July 16, 1997 by Union Minister of Agriculture, Govt of India. Awarded CCS Haryana Agricultural University ;Best Teacher Award” (Indian Council of Agricultural Research sponsored) for the year 2005-2006. He was awarded Rashtriya Gaurav Award by India International Friendship Society on Nov. 11, 2011. He was also awarded Best Citizens of India Award by International Publishing House, New Delhi on Dec. 28, 2011. Received Appreciation Certificate for excellent work by three Vice Chancellors of the university. Superannuated from active service from CCS HAU, Hisar on Feb. 28, 2017. After superannuation re-employed for three years as Officer Incharge, Students' Centre for Career Excellence in CCS HAU, Hisar.