This is an agriculture system which excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics and food additives. Genetically modified organisms or GMOs and their products are prohibited in organic farming.
The seed therefore must not be GMOs or chemically
treated.Organic agriculture therefore is a farming system which involves using
a variety of techniques to achieve good plant and animal yields without harming
the natural environment or the people who live and work in it. The natural farming
system does not mean going back to traditional methods .Organic agriculture
takes the best traditional methods and combines with modern scientific
knowledge. The farmers’ use all the available knowledge, techniques and
materials to work with nature. Therefore the farmer creates a healthy balance
between nature and farming, where crops and animals can grow and thrive. Kenya
exports most of its crop to Europe and
therefore the EUREGAP or good agricultural practices are supposed to be adhered
to. The following are some of the regulations that should be observed in
organic agriculture, in order to acquire European Union certification.
The following rules and regulations shall apply to organic
plant farming in accordance with law EC 834/2007 of the European Commission.
a) Organic
plant farming shall use tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or
increase soil natural matter, enhance soil stability and biodiversity, prevents
soil compaction and soil erosion.
b) The
fertility and biological activity of the soil shall be maintained and increased
by multi-annual crop rotation which includes legumes and other green manure
crops and by application of livestock manures or organic material both
preferably composted from natural materials.
c) The
use of biodynamic preparations is allowed.
d) Fertilizers
and soil conditioners may only be used if they have been authorized for use in this
system of farming
e) Mineral
nitrogen fertilizers shall not be used.
f) All plant growing techniques used shall prevent or
minimize any contribution to the contamination of the environment.
g) The
prevention of damage caused by pests, diseases and weeds shall rely primarily
on protection by natural enemies, choice of species and varieties, crop
rotation, cultivation techniques and thermal processes.
h) In
case of an established threat to a crop, plant protection products may only be
used if they have been authorized for use this system of farming under article
16
i) For the production of products other than seed and
vegetative propagation material, only organically produced seed and propagating
material shall be used. to this end the mother plant in case of seed and the
parent plant in case of vegetative propagation material shall have been
produced in accordance with The rules laid down in this regulation for at least
one plant generation, or two growing seasons in case of perennial crops.
j) Products for cleaning and disinfection in plant
production shall only be used if they have been authorized for use in organic
farming.
For more information read http://www.organicfarmermagazine.org/
