JOIN USOrganic farming seems to have caught on in a big way in the State. Take Takkalupalya village in C N Halli taluk of Tumkur district, where 106 families have adopted organic farming practices. All the organic farmers in the village have taken up vermicomposting.
This has resulted in reduced application of chemical fertilisers. Farmers here have been able to save Rs 1,500 to 2,000 because they are using fewer quantities of fertilisers.
It is the same story in H Madalli village of Gundlupet taluk. As many as 80 farmers have adopted various organic farming methods.
One of them, P Kadappa, has been successful in reaping the benefits of organic farming. Earlier, he struggled to meet the high input costs of modern agricultural practices. He also faced the problem of repayment of crop loans. It was at this juncture that he came in contact with the organic farming project of the State government and became part of it.
As part of the activities, he participated in a farm visit to the organic farm of Kodi Papanna, former legislator of Hunsur. Preparation of jeevamrutha (an organic concoction comprising grains, cow urine, dung, etc), vermicomposting, mulching and other activities adopted by Papanna inspired Kadappa.
Today, he has adopted organic farming on his 2.8 hectares of land. He has been able to raise jowar, ragi, cowpea, onion, turmeric and red gram organically. Rangaiah, a small farmer adopted organic farming practices in Upparahalli village of Tumkur district.
“Earlier, I used to spend Rs 6,000 on fertilisers and pesticides for vegetable cultivation on four guntas. This year, I have saved this money by following organic methods,” he points out.
All these farmers are part of the third phase of the implementation of the government’s organic village/site programme in all taluks of the State. Initially, model organic sites of about 100 ha. were being developed one in each district. With the success of the programmes, the government decided to extend this programme to the taluk level from 2006-07 onwards.
“Availability of good quality compost in large quantities and the individual farmer’s determination is the key for success of organic farming. NGOs need to guide farmers properly and help in marketing of organic produce,” explains N C Nagaraj, Assistant Director of Agriculture and Nodal Officer, Organic Farming Section, Department of Agriculture, Tumkur.
Under the project, each organic block consists of 100 hectares. The project aims to create viable demonstrations of organic farming practices with community participation.
This has been achieved through a menu of activities including different composting methods like vermicomposting, botanical preparations for the control of pests and diseases, mixed and multiple cropping systems, planting of fruit and forestry species, fodder promotion, support for dairy animals, soil and water conservation, promotion of bio digesters, azola cultivation, collection of cattle urine as an alternative for urea, preparation and use of organic manure and fertilisers.
The project is being monitored by the Department of Agriculture at the taluk level and at the district level. A committee consisting of progressive farmers of each village under the project is being formed for the smooth implementation of the project and to involve the community in the implementation processes.