Participatory Guarantee System - National Standards for Organic Production

General Requirements

Habitat Management

Habitat management is an important part of organic management system and forms the first step towards organic conversion. To ensure proper living conditions for all living beings, steady supply of green material for manuring and to create diversified plant stand it is essential that diversified plants/ trees etc are planted on bunds and other non-cultivated area of the farm. Adequate space may be provided for plantation of nitrogen fixing trees. Nitrogen fixing tree hedge not only act as biological fence but also ensure steady supply of biologically fixed nitrogen and other nutrients drawn from deeper layers of soil. These plants also provide home and shelter to friendly insects and birds. If required rain water harvesting pits and farm ponds can also be created.

Diversity

Diversity in crop production is second most important step of organic management which not only helps in management and control of pests and diseases but also ensure balance nutrition of the soil. Diversity can be achieved by a combination of mixed cropping, intercropping, relay cropping and rotation with legumes. Use of trap crops and barrier crops also add to the diversity.

Conversion period

The time taken for a farm to comply with the PGS organic standards is defined as the conversion period. In other words, it is the time required by the conventional farm to attain full PGS organic status. The whole farm including the crop production and animal husbandry shall be converted to organic management. Parallel or part conversion is not allowed under PGS organic management. For newly acquired fields or fields managed conventionally, the conversion period shall be not less then 24 months in case of seasonal and annual crops while it shall be not less than 36 months in case of perennial and permanent crops from the last date of use of prohibited inputs or from the date of taking the pledge, whichever is later.
Duration of conversion period can be reduced to 12 months if no prohibited substances have been used since last three years and all the members in the group are fully satisfied with past history of no synthetic input use and collectively declare so.
Conversion period for animal products shall be not less than 12 months provided they are fed with fully organic feed and fodder and all the members of group are satisfied that the standard requirements have been met since last 12 months.
In case of existing ICS groups (under NPOP) or members of such groups joining PGS, their certification status, as granted by accreditation certification body and valid at the time of joining PGS shall continue, provided the group/ members meets all other requirements of PGS and have necessary documents to prove their claim to the full satisfaction of other group members (if they join an existing group) or RC (if they join as independent group).

Contamination control

All organic production units shall have effective measures to check accidental contamination with prohibited substance through drift or water flow. All organic farms shall be either protected with biological fence (hedge/hedge rows etc) or maintain a buffer zone.
Organic farms also need to be protected from contaminated water flow from adjoining non-organic fields. This can be achieved by putting appropriate bunds and escape channels.

Soil and Water conservation

Relevant measures should be taken to prevent erosion, salination of soil, excessive and improper use of water and the pollution of ground and surface water.
Clearing of land through the means of burning organic matter, e.g. slash-and burn, straw burning shall be restricted to the minimum. The clearing of primary forest is prohibited.

Source :

Dr. K. Chandra, Director, National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad
Dr. Jagat Singh, Regional Centre on Organic Farming, Bangalore

Updated on : Nov 2014