---
title: "Organic farming and its advantages"
subject: "Technology, Environment and Society"
chapter: 6
key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:organic-farming"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/organic-farming
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Organic farming and its advantages

Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 6: Climate Change

- Asked in: 2078 Bhadra; 2070 Chaitra, 3 marks (asked 2 times)
- Video: [Importance of Organic Farming | What is Organic Farming | Sustainable Agriculture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRyXlvIJFWI) — Discover Agriculture
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/organic-farming
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-6

## Question

What do you mean by organic farming? Write down the advantage of typical organic farming practice.

## Short answer

Organic farming produces crops and livestock without synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones or GMOs, using compost, crop rotation, green manure and biological pest control. Advantages include healthier food, improved soil health, environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, climate benefits, low input costs, premium prices and sustainability for small hill farms.

## Answer

**Organic farming** is a system of agriculture that produces crops and livestock **without synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones or genetically modified organisms**. It depends on natural inputs and ecological processes – compost, farmyard manure, green manure, crop rotation, biological pest control – to keep the soil fertile and control pests.

#### Typical organic farming practices
- Compost, vermicompost and farmyard manure for nutrients.
- **Crop rotation** and inter-cropping (e.g. legumes with cereals to fix nitrogen).
- Green manuring and mulching.
- Bio-pesticides (neem, *jholmal*, cow urine-based sprays) and natural predators.
- Mixed farming – crops with livestock.
- Use of local seeds.

#### Advantages
1. **Healthy food** – free from chemical residues; safer for consumers.
2. **Improves soil health** – more organic matter, better structure, water holding and microbial life; long-term fertility.
3. **Protects the environment** – no nitrate and pesticide pollution of rivers and groundwater; less eutrophication.
4. **Protects farmers' health** – no exposure to toxic sprays.
5. **Conserves biodiversity** – pollinators (bees), birds and soil organisms survive.
6. **Climate benefits** – stores carbon in soil; less energy for making chemical fertilisers; lower N₂O emissions.
7. **Low input cost** – uses local, on-farm resources; less dependence on imported fertiliser (important for Nepal).
8. **Higher price and export market** – organic tea, coffee, cardamom, honey and vegetables fetch premium prices.
9. **Sustainability** – suits small hill farms in Nepal; several districts and provinces (e.g. Karnali) promote organic farming.

**Limitations:** lower yields at first, more labour, need for certification and markets.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Organic farming is farming without:
   A. Compost and manure
   B. Synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones or GMOs
   C. Crop rotation
   D. Local seeds
   Answer: B. It relies on natural inputs instead of synthetic chemicals. (Key point: Definition)

2. Why are legumes inter-cropped with cereals?
   A. To fix nitrogen in the soil
   B. To attract flies
   C. To increase pesticide use
   D. To dry the soil
   Answer: A. Legumes fix nitrogen, supplying nutrients naturally. (Key point: Nitrogen fixing)

3. Which is an environmental advantage of organic farming?
   A. More nitrate runoff
   B. No nitrate and pesticide pollution of rivers and groundwater
   C. More N2O
   D. Loss of pollinators
   Answer: B. Without synthetic chemicals, runoff pollution and eutrophication are reduced. (Key point: Environmental advantage)

4. Which is a limitation of organic farming?
   A. Lower yields at first and more labour
   B. Toxic sprays
   C. Imported fertiliser needs
   D. Lower soil fertility long-term
   Answer: A. Early yields are lower, labour higher, and certification and markets are needed. (Key point: Limitation)

## Related in Technology, Environment and Society

- [Pathogenic pollution in drinking water](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Apathogenic-pollution-drinking-water) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5

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