What we have learned after the use of fertilizers and pesticides over the period of 70 years?

We, humans, learn from our mistakes and that is necessary for sustainable development. For example, we can take the case of Organic farming, a few decades ago, the story was different.

I have been hearing a lot about organic farming these days. Organic farming means, farming without the use of pesticides. A few decades ago, every farmer was running after the farming with the use of pesticides and even government was also motivating farmer to use it. A lot of money was invested to provide subsidy on pesticides. So what happens now?

To understand this, I have to take you a few decades back. Use of pesticides in India started in 1952 with the establishment of a plant for the production of pesticides in Calcutta (Now Kolkata) and which is eventually second largest producers in Asia. Ideally, pesticides were supposed to lethal to the targeted pests but not to non-targeted species such as the human. Unfortunately, this is not the case as we learned with the advancement of technologies. So the controversy of use and abuse of pesticides has surfaced. Although, there has been a high growth in the food grains production since Indians started using pesticides but it does mean that we should continue it.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, pesticides have as yet incompletely understood effects on humans. Most people are exposed to a certain level of pesticides. Farmers who experience routine exposure to pesticides have exhibited neurological symptoms such as a headache and hand tremors. Children, in particular, may be more susceptible to negative effects resulting from pesticide exposure. Pesticide runoff can have devastating effects on nontarget organisms as well. For example, roundup, an extremely common herbicide used in agriculture, is highly toxic to fish and amphibians. But these pesticides are of greater help towards the increasing of the productivity of the crops that are needed for the better growth of the economy of our country.

So the long story in short that after the use of pesticides over the period of almost 70 years we have learned that it now gonna do more harm than usefulness. As a human being, we have a habit of doing that which is more useful than harmful. This is what is happening now. Use of pesticides has deteriorated the quality & structure of the soil. Sometimes the farmer uses an excessive amount of fertilizers & pesticides without realizing its effect on the eco-system.

Organic farming in a proper way has been proved more useful than the farming by using fertilizers & pesticides. Organic farming has many features such as
•It makes use of natural microbes as bio-fertilizers to provide crop nutrients.
•It makes use of organic wastes to preserve the soil quality.
•Nitrogen content is maintained using legumes for the process of nitrogen fixation.
•Rather than using pesticides to control weed and pests, it makes use of techniques like crop rotation, natural predators, and organic manures.
•It aims to protect the environment and conserve wildlife.

Now it is time to switch to organic farming in order to save planet earth. Your suggestions are most welcome!