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ABSTRACT
The Green revolution technologies involving greater use of synthetic agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides with adoption of nutrient- responsive, high- yielding varieties of crops have boosted the production output per hectare in most of the cases.
1. Introduction
Conventional agriculture relies heavily on chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides, which are harmful to human health, and which enter the food supply, penetrate water sources, harm the livestock, deplete the soil, devastate natural eco-systems, and contaminate the foods grown for the general public. In addition to which, there are over 7000 artificial and/or chemical preservatives and additives permitted in non-organic food including colorings, stabilizers, fillers, residual antibiotics, hydrogenated fats, etc. Environmental and health problems associated with agriculture have been increasingly well documented, but it is only recently that the scale of the costs has attracted the attention of planners and scientists
In the words of Shri Bankim Chandra Chatterji, we have nature's bounties in form of
Vande Mataram!/ Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam,/Shasyashyamalam,/ Mataram!
When translated it means
I bow to thee, Mother,/richly-watered, richly-fruited,/ cool with the winds of the south,/ dark with the crops of the harvests,/ The Mother!
In the rapid pace of development we have inflicted serious damage to the natural resources and consequently we are now faced with questions as Where is that Sujalam /clean water/ Where is that Suphalam (healthy crop/? and where is that malayaja shitalam (refreshing air? ? These questions have given rise to a process of serious thinking to safeguard the environment and the quality of natural resources for sustainability. As a result more and more emphasis is being given towards returning to nature and adoption of organic agriculture to produce natural/green or organic food.
The advantages of organic food are multidimensional and highly supportive of good health. It is evident that much care is taken when growing and creating natural organic foods. But this care is not without purpose for there are many benefits to eating organic food.
The first and foremost benefit is that the organic food developed in organic hydroponics greenhouses, for example, is healthier than the products harvested from the usual and conventional forms of farming. This is because the average farmer often uses toxic anti-pest, fertilizers to enhance production. The toxic elements...