Organic Farming in India

Organic farming has been receiving policy support from both the central and state governments in India since 2005. The shift in policy thrust from conventional chemical-input based farming to organic farming comes as a response to the sustainability concerns surrounding Indian agriculture. Despite this, organic farming remains niche, with less than 2% of the net sown area in the country under organic production. This paper suggests market-based instruments—which have been successful in inducing changes in farming practices in some countries across the globe—as complementary policy mechanisms for catalysing the transition to organic farming in India.