Sustainable Model of Organic Agriculture: A Case Study of Nepalese Farmers (Published)
Epistemology of organic agriculture is logically and practically associated with the conventional farming practices. Organic agriculture can contribute in the social life of people by improving health and ecology. It is even more important for the preservation of natural resources too. In relation to the importance of organic agriculture, the main objective of this study was to develop the sustainable model of organic agriculture. The study was based on the inductive approach; qualitative design. Study was conducted in 4 districts of Nepal among the 614 respondents. The result found that there was significant contribution made by the organic agriculture to improve the socio-economic status of farmers as well as to care the relationship between the human being and their environment. Family farming system is the fundamental base for changing trend of agriculture in worldwide practices. There is need to protect and enhance family farming through farmers’ cooperative for the sustainability of organic agriculture. The study developed the sustainable model covering the need of infrastructure development, policy improvement, and motivational factors for farmers and changing process of modern agriculture to organic agriculture. The roles of government, non-government, private sectors, individual farmers and consumers are equally important for the sustainability of organic agriculture. The model focuses on the collective effort of all responsible stakeholders. There is need to test the effectiveness of this model.
Keywords: Family Farming, Integrated Pest Management, Organic agriculture, Sustainable Model
Principles of Organic Agriculture and Its Social Implication In Reference to the Nepalese Practices (Published)
The conventional practice of agriculture system of Nepal was very similar to the Organic agriculture; only difference was there was no rule in conventional farming whereas there is standard rule in organic agriculture. The study aims to analyze the principles of organic agriculture and its social implication in reference to the Nepalese practices. The study was based on the mixed design. Data was collected from the 586 organic farmers and 28 key persons related to the organic agriculture. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select the respondent from four districts; Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktpur and Dhading. The result found that all farmers had working knowledge on importance and benefit of organic agriculture. They were aware on the principles of organic agriculture and found the significant implication of four principles of organic agriculture. Mostly, people were conscious about the caring of health and ecology from the practice of organic agriculture. Principle of ecology, farmers were conscious on the effect of OA to make the environment clean; clean air and water. As a principle of fairness, people reported that OA had supported to reduce the youth migration and could create the job opportunity. For the care of all human being and ecology, the study recommended to sustain the OA from the active contribution of all stakeholders in the initiation of Government.
Keywords: Organic agriculture, Practices, Principles, Social implication
