A one-day seminar on “Organic Farming: Opportunities and Constraints in Kandi Region of Punjab” is organized by Punjab Agricultural University at the Regional Research Station, Ballowal Saunkhri, district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Progressive farmers from Kandi area and officers from allied departments, the scientists from PAU, Ludhiana; Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of Kandi region are participated in the seminar.

Farmers who take a sustainable approach work efficiently with natural processes rather than ignoring or struggling against them and use the best of current knowledge and technology to avoid the unintended consequences of industrial, chemical-based agriculture. Using Sustainable approach farmers are able to minimize their use of pesticides and fertilizers, hence can save money and protect future productivity, as well as protect the environment.

To be truly sustainable, a farm must be economically viable. The environmental and social benefits of sustainable production methods do not always translate into immediate economic gains. That said, sustainable agriculture practices can have a positive economic impact on a farm. For example, diversifying the farm with several crops and markets helps to reduce financial risk. Over time, improved soil and water quality, as well as other environmental benefits from sustainable practices, may raise the value of the farm. Selling products directly to local markets in the community reduces shipping and fuel costs and can potentially decrease transportation costs. While sustainably grown produce may not bring the full price premiums sometimes paid for certified organic products, growers selling directly to individuals and specialty markets can still capture added value.

Economic viability is a necessary condition for sustainable agricultural and food systems. Profitability is a good place to begin. Evaluating the likely profitability of potentially more sustainable practices can start with budgeting.

But economic viability is about more than profitability. Economics is the study of how people attempt to meet unlimited wants with limited means. Among the things that people care about are many that cannot be bought and sold in markets. Not least of these are health and environmental quality that we value for ourselves and our communities. Within limiting assumptions, economics offers ways to measure these more hard-to-quantify values.

The Economics and Policy Innovations for Climate-Smart Agriculture (EPIC) programme works with governments, research centres, universities and other institutional partners to support the transition to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) by using sound economic and policy analysis. It is a programme of work aimed at identifying and harmonizing climate-smart agricultural policies, analyzing impacts, effects, costs and benefits as well as incentives and barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. The ultimate objective of the programme is to support developing and in-transition countries to formulate agricultural investment proposals to increase resilience to climate change and promote CSA.