Question

Explain ‘Integrated organic’ farming as successfully practiced by Ramesh C. Dagar, a farmer in Sonepat (Haryana).

Answer 1

Integrated Organic Farming is a cyclic and zero-waste system in which the waste produced from one activity is reused as a nutrient input for other activities. This ensures maximum use of resources and improves overall production efficiency.

Ramesh Chandra Dagar, a farmer from Sonipat, Haryana, adopted integrated organic farming by combining beekeeping, dairy farming, water harvesting, composting, and crop cultivation into a connected system. Each component supports the others, making the farming practice economical and environmentally sustainable.

This method eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers, as cattle dung is used as manure and crop residues are converted into compost. The compost acts as a natural fertilizer and can also be utilized to produce biogas, which meets the energy requirements of the farm.

To promote this practice, Dagar established the Haryana Kisan Welfare Club, which has around 5,000 farmer members and works to spread awareness about integrated organic farming.