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Organic Grower

Course based on the curriculum approved by Agriculture Skill Council of India Organised by: Malda College under A Centre of Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development (PBSSD) under Utkarsha Bangla Project of Technical Education and Training and Skill Development, Govt. of West Bengal Training Provider: Bio-Diverse Farming Pvt. Ltd.,Tona village, P.O. Machhibhanga, South 24 Parganas

This program is aimed at training students for the job of a "Organic Grower", in the "Agriculture & Allied" Sector and aims at building the following key competencies amongst the learner

Name of the Program Organic Grower
National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) Level 4
Pre-requisites to Training Preferably 5th Standard
Project Duration 200 hrs.

Training Outcomes:

  • After completing this programme, participants will be able to:
  • Produce Organic Crops: Introduction to Organic farming, Crops selection, resources, procurement of inputs, cropping pattern, schedule etc
  • Grow and manage crop: Crop cultivation under organic farming, intercultural operations – organic farming
  • Maintain the quality of the produce (as prescribed in standards): Harvesting, Post harvesting, Quality assurance & Certification
  • Become well versed with Environment Health & Safety: Well versed with health and safety measures in terms of personal safety and others as well.

Learning Outcomes

Sl Module Key Learning Outcomes
1 Introduction Theory Duration: 5 hrs
  • 1.General Instruction to the Trainees
  • 2.Understand the Role of an Organic Grower
  • 3. Understand and study the Scopes and Opportunities of Organic Farming
  • 4. Study the Need of Organic Farming in India
2 Undertake planning for Organic Farming Theory Duration 10:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • 1.Selection of Crop
  • 2.Understand the need of safe farming practices
  • 3.Understand and practice the type of safe farming practices
  • 4.Transition to Organic Farming - Estimate the cost and time of Organic Farming - Budget estimation - Understand the phased approach to be taken to transition to organic farming
  • 5. Prepare Crop portfolios – Multi crop, Feasible crop
  • 6. Prepare Yearly Plan / Crop Schedule
3 Seed Selection & treatment under organic farming Theory Duration 10:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • 1. Crop Selection - Identify main crop and companion crop - Plan for intercrop, mixed crop, relay crop, trap crop etc - Plan for crop rotation cycle - Crop schedule
  • 2. Selection of seed variety – insect pest resistant, non genetically modified etc
  • 3. Seed Treatment - understand the organic practices for seed treatment - identify inputs/material to be used for organic seed treatment - preparation of inputs for seed treatment - implementation of seed treatment
4 Soil nutrient management under Organic farming Theory Duration 10:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • Understand the concept of soil nutrient management under organic farming
  • Understand the Soil Activation and Soil enhancement - understand importance of top soil in organic cultivation
  • identify various methods of activating microbial activity in top soil
  • prepare various organic inputs that can increase soil microbial activity - apply soil activating inputs effectively
  • Soil Testing, Soil amendment, manuring, crop selection, land preparation, green manure crop, farm yard manure, use of biomass, vermicompost, vermiwash, implementation of soil enhancement methods, protocol preparation for basal dose application & top dressing
5 Weed control under Organic Farming Theory Duration 05:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • Identification of weeds - identify the types of weed in the crop - Consult the experts
  • Weed Management
    - undertake mechanical/manual weeding process at appropriate time to avoid crop damage
    - use mulching sheets for cultivation
    - use bio-herbicides for weed control wherever feasible - use mechanized weed control equipment
6 Irrigation Management under Organic farming Theory Duration 05:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • Identify characteristics of good irrigation system
  • Understand and adopt the micro irrigation techniques
  • Identify the tools/equipments required for micro irrigation
  • Understand the optimum moisture level required for the farm
7 Integrated Pest and Disease Management under organic farming Theory Duration 10:00 hrs. Practical Duration 20:00 hrs.
  • Identify the crop infestation
  • Identify the symptoms of disease incidence in crop
  • Identify the stages of pest incidence Understand the use of suitable varieties
  • Preventive and curative care
    - Resistant varieties, crop rotation, inter crop, border crop, trap crops, interculture operations, understand the natural enemies of pest, beneficial insects, bio-insecticides, etc
8 Harvest and Post – harvest management under organic farming Theory Duration 05:00 hrs. Practical Duration 10:00 hrs.
  • Harvesting of the crop: Crop maturity, moisture content during harvesting, etc
  • Understand about the physical admixture during harvesting
  • Harvesting methods and handling of harvested crops
  • Understand the Post harvest management practices like grading, storage, organically acceptable fumigation, cold storage, packaging and marketing
9 Undertake Quality assurance & certification in Organic Farming Theory Duration: 10:00 hrs. Practical Duration 20:00 hrs.
  • Third party certification process
  • Risk management in compliance of standards
  • Participatory guarantee system
  • Documentation in third party and PGS certification
  • Documents needed for sale of organic produce and traceability
10 Undertake business of Organic farming Theory Duration 5:00 hrs. Practical Duration 15:00 hrs.
  • Economics of organic farming
  • Connecting with the market and market intelligence
  • Direct marketing
11 Maintain Health & Safety at the work place Theory Duration 05:00 hrs. Practical Duration 05:00 hrs.
  • Perform General safety Rules
  • Gain Knowledge of various health hazards relevant to workplace and basic first aid training.
  • Understand the basic safety checks and other common reported hazards before all farm operation
  • Understand, identify and study the use of equipment, materials safely and correctly
  • Understand and handle the emergency situation in workplace and during any farm operation
  Total Duration: Theory: 80 hrs. Practical: 120 hrs. Grand Total: 200 hrs. Unique Equipment Required:
White Board, Marker, Laptop, projector, Record Keeping Book, receipts, voucher, Soil testing kit, plastic bags, labels, plough, seed drill, leveler, tractor, Sprayer, bio fertilizers, irrigation tools & equipments, container, Storage infrastructure -cool chamber, crate, bags, Nose masks, first aid kit

Information on First Session:

Batch No. of Trainees Starts Ends
1 30 01-08-2019 06-12-2019
2 30 01-08-2019 06-12-2019
3 17 01-08-2019 06-12-2019
Final Examination Pending 2nd session will start after the
examinations of the First Session.