What is organic farming and how does it promote sustainable development?
Organic farming is a whole system of farming that restores, maintains and enhances the ecological balance. It is an eco-friendly technology that substitutes costlier agricultural inputs like chemical fertilisers with locally produced organic inputs.
It promotes sustainable development by avoiding chemical inputs that deplete soil and harm ecosystems. Since organic farming requires more labour input, it generates employment. It produces food with higher nutritional value that is pesticide-free, ensuring health safety. Additionally, it generates income through exports due to rising global demand, making development economically and environmentally viable.
Explanation
The answer is derived from the section '5.6 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIC FARMING' and the subsection 'Benefits of Organic Farming'. The definition is explicitly stated in the text. The promotion of sustainable development is explained through environmental benefits (restoring ecological balance), health benefits (nutritional value, pesticide-free), and economic benefits (cheaper inputs, exports, labour intensity).