Organic agriculture promotes an ecologically sound, socially acceptable and economically viable and technically feasible production of food. This is through the reduction of external inputs by avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals, while enhancing productivity without destroying the soil and harming farmers, consumers and the environment.
The elements of organic crop production include soil management, crop management or multiple cropping, seeds and planting materials and pest management. Soil management involves composting, application of organic matter and preventing soil erosion. Pest management involves crop rotation, mixed cropping, trap cropping, selective weeding, sanitation, net bagging, net tunnels and use of flowers.
Organic agriculture is more about fairness and respect than it is about parts-per- billion of pesticide residues.