Organic foods generally cost more because they are difficult to grow – they are more labor intensive and require more time to grow compared to the conventional counterparts. Organic farms are also comparatively smaller than commercial farms, and so they don’t benefit from the economies of scale.

Organic farmers also do not receive subsidies on fertilizers unlike those received by conventional farmers on chemical fertilizers. Their production cost is also increased by the lower yields of organic crops (compared to GMOs). The post-harvest processing and handling of organic food is also more expensive, because farmers have to ensure that their produce isn’t at risk of contamination from chemical fertilisers and pesticides from the water and neighboring farms.

However, to increase the viability of organic farming, the Indian government and several organizations are currently working together to promote and increase the adoption of organic farming and consumption of organic food in India – they educate and have certified over 1 lakh farmers, also providing them with subsidized tools for farming and harvesting.

The more that we eat organic products, the more these farmers will see a demand for their organic products, which in turn will lower costs.

Yes! Because organic farming focuses on creating a natural ecosystem, using natural pesticides and fertilizers, using native (non-GMO) varieties of seeds, and conserving the soil’s fertility and biodiversity, the nutritional content in organic foods is significantly better! Interestingly, organic foods have been found to be significantly higher in antioxidant compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonoids, and carotenoids – their antioxidant levels are 20-40% higher than conventional non-organic produce.

Yes! A lot of evidence favors the superior flavor of organic foods. Many food experts and chefs actually believe that organic foods taste better. They give credit for this flavor to the soil care practiced by organic farmers. Essentially, strong nourishment of the soil leads to well-nourished plants, which in turns provides food with a high nutritional content and optimal flavor. Organic produce doesn’t simply taste better – it tastes unique! Organic produce reflects the soil in which it was grown, lending a characteristic terroir. Terroir is the effect that climate, geology, and most importantly, soil factors have on the flavor of what’s grown there, and this effect moves up the food chain. This is reflected, for example, in the texture and flavor of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, or coriander.

Organic farming refers to the way that farmers grow food, and it differs from conventional agricultural practices in many ways.

First, in organic farming, manure and natural compost are used to fertilize the soil, whereas conventional farming uses chemical fertilizers.

Second, organic farming uses birds or insects, mating disruption, or traps to get rid of pests, but conventional farming sprays chemical and artificial pesticides.

Third, organic farming uses natural fertilizers, crop rotation, and cover crops to enhance soil quality, composition and fertility.

Fourth, organic farming uses native, ancient, and non-GMO seeds/plants, whereas conventional farming includes the use of high-yield crop seeds or GMOs.

Fifth, organic farming does not use any chemicals, so it’s environmentally friendly and doesn’t contaminate the soil and water with chemicals.

Sixth, organic farming doesn’t administer antibiotics or growth hormones to its animals, allows them to roam freely, and feeds them strictly organic food. They also ensure that their living spaces are extremely clean to prevent disease outbreaks.

Seventh, organic farming is very labor intensive since traditional methods of harvesting and processing are used.

GMOs are genetically modified organisms (like microorganisms, plants, or animals) whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering or technology in a laboratory. This process creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial, and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. Further, genetically modified plants are common in today’s grocery stores and food markets.

Regenerative agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that seeks to enhance the entire ecosystem of the farm by prioritizing soil health and water management, fertilizer use, and more. This method of farming improves the resources it uses instead of destroying or depleting them.

These holistic practices also increase soil biodiversity and organic matter, which in turn leads to more resilient soils that can better withstand climate change impacts, like flooding and drought – the more organic matter in the soil, the more its water-holding capacity. Healthy soils also lead to nutritionally rich crops and strong yields. It also reduces soil erosion and water runoff, improving water quality on and off the farm. Apart from having many amazing benefits for farmers and their crops, regenerative agriculture helps fight the climate crisis through carbon sequestration.

Because it leads to better, more resilient crops grown using sustainable methods that, at the same time, fight a crisis that threatens all agriculture and our planet, regenerative farming is a win-win not only for farmers but for us and our planet.

In Ancient India, vedic agricultural practices began first by ploughing, sowing, reaping, and harvesting crops on auspicious days. It later evolved when farmers began to base their harvesting cycles on the weather, monsoons, and importantly seasons. Another great traditional agricultural breakthrough is manuring, where decomposing organic material is added to the soil to increase crop fertility and productivity of the cultivated land, relying mostly on crop residue, manure, legumes, and neem to enrich soil fertility.

Ancient farmers were also well-versed with rainwater conservation and harvesting methods.

In India, these sustainable agricultural practices have been passed down from one generation to another, because agriculture is not considered just an occupation but a way of life. Traditional farmers also practice preventative insect and disease control by using methods such as crop rotation, sensitivity to plantation time, and harvesting based on seasons and lunar cycles. Further, traditional knowledge includes information about trees and plants that grow well together, indicator plants that show soil salinity, or plants known to flower at the beginning of the rains. Also part of this is planting and harvesting practices and technologies such as seed treatment, storage methods, and tools.
Importantly, traditional knowledge encompasses belief systems that are fundamental in people’s livelihood, maintaining their health, and protecting and replenishing the environment.

Traditional soil management practices are important because they are the product of centuries of accumulated knowledge, experience, and wisdom refined over generations. Farmers practicing traditional agricultural practices enrich the soil, strengthen the natural resources, and diversify and maintain production levels according to the carrying capacity of the agro-ecosystem without damaging it.

Some of the traditional harvesting methods include manual “lifting” or hand harvesting, curing and sun or shade drying, winnowing and threshing, animal/cattle trampling, and hand grounding or hamam dasta.

All this knowledge comes from one of the oldest books in existence, the Vedas.
According to the Vedas, producing healthy, nutritional food is much easier than we realize. Nature has its own cultivation method that is even better than anything man has invented, and it has been creating bountiful produce for far longer than humanity has walked the earth.

We and our farmers believe that we simply need to nurture this already existing system.

Native varieties of crops are crops that come from the world’s ancient farming systems. The seeds of these cultivars have been passed down by native agriculturalists from generation to generation and have been selected and preserved for local ecosystems. Native seeds, as well as the methods used to grow them, were developed for a range of temperatures, soil types, and precipitation without expensive, often ecologically destructive, chemicals. Many of these crops continue to be grown around the world today by traditional, indigenous farmers.

Today, most people consider crops such as khapli, black rice, or barnyard millet exotic varieties of food, but they’re actually indigenous crops that belong to a specific region and have mostly been overrun by high-yield varieties. Many of these indigenous crops have become extinct and many more on the verge of extinction. However, with people becoming more conscious about the sourcing of their foods and the benefits of eating natural food, awareness of their importance in our diets and the ecosystem is increasing among consumers and farmers.

This is especially important because once a plant variety goes extinct, an entire knowledge system is lost – our ancestors knew, for example, what varieties of rice or millets to eat if you had an ailment. Unfortunately, a significant number of native varieties have been lost due to homogenous cultivation practices brought on by the Green Revolution.

The Green Revolution was supposed to improve countries’ food security across the world, but it sounded the death knell for hyper-local crops. These indigenous, low-yield varieties were better suited to each area’s unique topography and climate. However, farmers switched to high-yield varieties of commercial crops like wheat and rice and started using modern cultivation techniques (including chemical fertilizers and insecticides), leading to the loss of many indigenous varieties of seeds. This loss has in turn affected its entire ecosystem – plants and animals dependent on the plant suffer, micronutrients are lost, and the genetic diversity of the region shrinks.

Today, farmers, activists, and organic companies (like us!) are making concerted efforts to revive these native varieties and get them to consumers. Native varieties not only reduce the carbon footprint, introduce a range of nutrients suited to the native area, and are more resistant to adverse climatic conditions and pests – the best part is that these crops are superfoods!