Agriculture in India is not just a profession but a tradition. It is the backbone of our economy, with about 60 percent of the country's population directly or indirectly associated with it. After the Green Revolution, the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and hybrid seeds increased, leading to a significant rise in agricultural productivity. However, this also brought many adverse effects. Soil fertility is decreasing, water sources are getting contaminated, and the quality of crops is being affected. As a result, the cost of farming has increased, but farmers are not receiving proper benefits. Moreover, the consumption of grains and vegetables produced through chemical farming is also negatively impacting health.
Organic and natural farming offers a better solution to address these problems. Organic farming does not harm the environment; rather, it helps maintain soil fertility and can also provide a stable income for farmers. However, transitioning from chemical farming to organic farming is not easy, and farmers face many challenges in this process. Therefore, proper guidelines and support are necessary to help farmers make this change and improve their farming practices.
Challenges Faced During the Transition from Chemical Farming to Organic Farming
Despite the many benefits of organic farming, there are many challenges in adopting it. Some of the major obstacles are as follows:
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Lack of organic fertilizers: The availability of high-quality organic fertilizers is low, and it becomes difficult for farmers to get them on time.
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Dependence on chemical fertilizers: Farmers have become accustomed to chemical fertilizers, which give quick results, whereas organic fertilizers have a gradual effect.
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Soil fertility: Chemical farming depletes soil nutrients, making the shift to organic farming difficult and time consuming.
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Pest Management: Lack of biological pest control measures and lack of technical knowledge is also a major problem.
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Water scarcity: Declining water levels and erratic rainfall pose challenges for organic farming.
Zytonic Technology: Revolution in Organic Farming
To support farmers across the country in practicing organic farming with ease, Zydex, a leading research-based organization, has introduced the Zytonic Technology Platform. This revolutionary innovation promotes sustainable and profitable organic farming. Zytonic technology enhances soil fertility and provides farmers with easy access to the essential nutrients required for organic farming. Additionally, it improves crop quality.
The use of Zytonic technology has relieved farmers of their dependence on chemical fertilizers and has led to an increase in production at a lower cost. This technology provides the right direction for organic farming, offering not only economic benefits but also environmental preservation.
According to the company, by using products manufactured with Zytonic technology, more than 200,000 farmers across the country have reduced their use of chemical fertilizers by 50-100% and have seen improvements in productivity and soil health.
Solutions to the Challenges Faced During the Transition from Chemical Farming to Organic Farming
Zytonic Technology has addressed the challenges of organic farming in a simple and effective way:
Availability of Organic Matter: Through Zytonic Godhan technology, dung can be completely digested by a fungal-based biological digestion process and converted into high-quality Farm Yard Manure (FYM). This process is completed in just 45-60 days, compared to the traditional 8-10 months, providing quick and timely organic manure to farmers. This improves the soil quality, making it more nutritious and fertile, while also reducing cultivation costs.
Progressive farmer Gurujant Singh, a resident of Gill Farm Dhakki, Majhola, District Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, said, “I have about 100 acres of land, where I mainly cultivate sugarcane, paddy, and wheat. I also do gardening on some parts of the land. I have been transitioning to organic farming for the last three years. I started with 2 acres, but now I am cultivating a mix of organic and chemical products on about 35 acres, with a 50:50 ratio of organic and chemical products. My goal for the future is to practice 100 percent organic farming. I use Godhan products to digest my cow dung manure. This makes my cow dung manure crumbly in about 40-60 days, which I apply at a rate of only 10 quintals per acre before cultivating wheat or sugarcane. I get good results by using it.”
Dependence on Chemical Fertilizers: The Zytonic product enriches the soil with organic carbon, reducing farmers' dependence on chemical fertilizers and increasing yield. By using this product regularly, farmers can achieve good yields even with less use of chemical fertilizers.
Vivek Sharma, a progressive farmer from Maksudapur, District Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, said, “I have about 20 acres of land. I have been actively involved in the agriculture sector for the last 6 years and have been practicing organic farming for the last 5 years. I mainly cultivate paddy, wheat, and sugarcane. I have been doing 100 percent organic farming for the last 3 years using only Zydex company's Zytonic-M, Zytonic Zinc, Zytonic Potash, and Zytonic Neem organic products. These products have increased the fertility of my soil, improved the yield, and reduced costs.”
Soil Health: The use of Zytonic increases the amount of organic matter in the soil, making it soft and airy. This improves the water-holding capacity of the soil and encourages deeper root growth, resulting in healthier and stronger crops.
Rajaram Prajapati, a progressive farmer from Badhedih, District Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, said, “I cultivate paddy, wheat, sugarcane, potato, cabbage, onion, and chili. I have about 5 acres of land. I use the organic product Zytonic-M along with chemical products on my crops. I started using Zytonic-M on a small area, and now I have used it on my wheat and onion crops. I now use less than 50 percent chemical products and the rest are organic. The results have been good. With the use of Zytonic-M, my soil has become soft, friable, and airy. This also leads to better germination of seeds. Overall, my crop cycles have yielded good results, and the cost has also reduced.”
Lack of Effective Pest Management: Spraying Zytonic Neem on crops reduces pest attacks and helps maintain crop quality. This natural and environmentally friendly method also reduces the losses associated with pesticide use.
Krishna Kumar Verma, a progressive farmer from Chadupur Sariya, District Barabanki, UP, said, “I have been involved in farming for almost 20 years. I mainly cultivate bananas. Since 2016, I have used 50 percent organic products and 50 percent chemical products in my crops. I use many other organic products, including Zydex Company's Zytonic-M, Zytonic Godhan, Zytonic Zinc, Zytonic Suraksha, and Zytonic Neem in my crops. Beetle attacks are a serious problem in banana crops, causing spots on the fruits and leaves. Using Zytonic Neem controls this. This organic product is very effective in preventing beetles. Apart from this, the use of Zytonic products also increases the disease resistance of plants, which greatly reduces the chances of disease.”
Water availability: The use of Zytonic products in the fields increases the water-holding capacity of the soil. This makes the soil friable, allowing water to remain in the fields for a longer time, providing the crop with adequate moisture. This reduces the need for irrigation, ensuring that water is used properly.
Dost Mohammad, a progressive farmer from Pratappur (Maharajganj forest), District Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, said, “I have been farming for about 35 years. I cultivate sugarcane, paddy, wheat, mustard, gram, and onion, along with many other crops. Earlier, I used to use only chemical fertilizers, but since I got Zydex company's Zytonic-M product, I have started moving towards organic farming. This is giving me better crops than before. Apart from Zytonic-M, I also use Godhan products. Earlier, where I used to put 5 trolleys of cow dung manure in one acre, now I use only 1 trolley of cow dung manure digested from Godhan product. Currently, I use 60 percent chemical and 40 percent organic products in all my crops. I am trying to increase the percentage of organic products further in the future. The fertility of my soil has increased due to the use of Zytonic-M. The soil remains moist for a long time, and the crop does not get spoiled even if water is given a little late.”
Zytonic technology has not only solved the challenges of agriculture but has also inspired farmers to take a big step towards organic farming. This technology is not only beneficial for farmers, but it also helps in saving our environment. This can prove to be a long-lasting and significant step to promote organic farming, which will be very beneficial for the agriculture sector in the future.
