Biodynamic Farming in India
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Biodynamic is a combination of two Greek words: “bios,” which means life, and “dynamos,” which means energy. In biodynamic agriculture (BDA), the farm is considered an autonomous and living organism that interacts with the environment to build healthy and living soil and produce healthy and nutritious food.1 It stresses spirituality and follows a calendar for planting and sowing crops dependent on the moon and stars' position. Biodynamic farming first originated in the context of anthroposophy. It was developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1924 at Koberwitz as part of a series of lectures for farmers: “Spiritual Foundations for a Renewal of Agriculture: A Series of Lectures.”2
The biodynamic farming system mainly works on the relationship between plant growth and cosmic rhythms and emphasizes the importance of maintaining sustainable soil fertility.3 For instance, some biodynamic practices considered biodynamic pillars are the lunar and cultural calendar synchronization, and the use of preparations (for crops and/or compost) made from medicinal plants, cow dung, quartz, and living animals on the farm.4
Biodynamic preparations are the core clements of biodynamic farming. These preparations, named BD-500 to BD-507, are not the usual compost starters but can stimulate compost organisms in various ways. They are biologically active dynamic preparations, which help harvest the potential of astral and ethereal powers to benefit the soil and different biological cycles in the soil.” ‘While farmers in the field can prepare them, it is a labor-intensive exercise. In addition to these preparations, cow pat-pit, liquid manures, peppering for pesticides, and biodynamic compost heaps are crucial elements of the practice....