<p>Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic state by implementing organic practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally announced this at a sustainable agriculture conference in Gangtok. The agricultural land was gradually converted to certified organic land by implementing organic practices and principles as per guidelines laid down in the National Program-me for Organic Production.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Two important things happened simultaneously in this unique experiment. One, 13 years ago – in 2003 – the Pawan Chamling-led government decided to make Sikkim an <br />‘organic farming state’ through a declaration in the legislative assembly. Two, entry of chemical inputs for farmland was restricted and their sale was banned leaving the farmers with no option for but to go organic. <br /><br />Time passed and by 2010 Sik-kim was well on its toes following the setting up of the organic mission by the Centre. The idea is to augment productivity thro-ugh natural means. Punjab is a bad example how the green revolution has spoiled the top soil.<br /><br />While organic farming leads to sustainable agriculture, bio-diversity conservation and environmental protection, the Sikkim government had other objectives in mind: increasing the soil health which would result in enhanced crop production and also boosting the tourism industry. <br /><br />Tourists coming to this landlocked Himalayan state can now pluck, cook and relish fresh organic foods from their kitchen garden. Resorts are already ma-rketing themselves as completely organic. To the extent that tourism is the major revenue earner for the state, going organic was only expected. Sikkim has now become a bio-diversity hotspot in the whole of India.<br /><br />How Sikkim became the first fully macrobiotic state is exhilarating. Twelve years of hard work and dedication by the Organic Mission produced the desired result. The first seven years were spent in making the people and the farmers aware of the benefits of natural farming. Field officers were trained suitably for this transformation. The next step was to adopt desi practices for making bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides. <br /><br />All these processes were pr-operly documented. Then livelihood schools were set up where some 900 unemployed graduates were trained in crude farming. The next task was establishing soil testing laboratories. <br /><br />Pesticide control was the natural corollary. Consequently, un-ified mobile vans were deployed and processing units were set up for doling out quality seeds. Interestingly, as these initiatives were put in place, the government withdrew all subsidies given to chemical fertilisers. <br /><br />The net result of all this is today Sikkim produces 80% of the requisite seeds all by itself. Alongside, comprehensive techniques have been developed for producing 35 varieties of crops through organic farming.<br /><br />Natural manure<br />Sikkim is the smallest state in India after Goa with a geographical area of just 7,096 square km. Only 10% of this area is eligible for agriculture. The population of this small state is just about six lakhs. Even before Sikkim set its foot on organic farming, the farmers were using less chemical fertiliser and more natural manure. <br /><br />Sikkim’s fertiliser consumption is something like 10 kg per hectare whereas the national average is 70 kg. Once the state was well on the map of organic farming, it came up with the Sik-kim Agriculture, Horticulture and Livestock Feed Regulation Act in 2014. <br /><br />Subsequent to the Act, the sale, consumption, import and export of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was made unlawful. Punishment for those who violated the directive ra-nged from three months imprisonment and up to Rs 1 lakh fine.<br /><br />Agricultural scientists all over the world agree that compost is an excellent source of organic matter. Compost provides air, water, organic matter, and micro organisms to the plants, thus enhancing their growth. It also maintains a healthy atmosphere for the soil and keeps insects, plant diseases, and weeds away. <br /><br />Chemical fertiliser by its nature is made in large plants that are automated and have an annual capacity of millions of tonnes. Organic fertilisers, on the other hand, are prepared locally and on a much smaller scale. As a result, the production of organic fertilisers leads to employment, especially in rural areas where employment opportunities are bleak.<br /><br />Now Sikkim is realising that the full potential of organic farming can be gauged from the fact that besides tourism, the state is focusing on the production of turmeric, buckwheat, gi-nger and cardamom. Sikkim is famous for all these. The state is the largest producer of cardamom and cymbidium. Several hundred clusters have come up to grow these five spices and some 200 farmers have already adopted organic farming.<br /></p>
<p>Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic state by implementing organic practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally announced this at a sustainable agriculture conference in Gangtok. The agricultural land was gradually converted to certified organic land by implementing organic practices and principles as per guidelines laid down in the National Program-me for Organic Production.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Two important things happened simultaneously in this unique experiment. One, 13 years ago – in 2003 – the Pawan Chamling-led government decided to make Sikkim an <br />‘organic farming state’ through a declaration in the legislative assembly. Two, entry of chemical inputs for farmland was restricted and their sale was banned leaving the farmers with no option for but to go organic. <br /><br />Time passed and by 2010 Sik-kim was well on its toes following the setting up of the organic mission by the Centre. The idea is to augment productivity thro-ugh natural means. Punjab is a bad example how the green revolution has spoiled the top soil.<br /><br />While organic farming leads to sustainable agriculture, bio-diversity conservation and environmental protection, the Sikkim government had other objectives in mind: increasing the soil health which would result in enhanced crop production and also boosting the tourism industry. <br /><br />Tourists coming to this landlocked Himalayan state can now pluck, cook and relish fresh organic foods from their kitchen garden. Resorts are already ma-rketing themselves as completely organic. To the extent that tourism is the major revenue earner for the state, going organic was only expected. Sikkim has now become a bio-diversity hotspot in the whole of India.<br /><br />How Sikkim became the first fully macrobiotic state is exhilarating. Twelve years of hard work and dedication by the Organic Mission produced the desired result. The first seven years were spent in making the people and the farmers aware of the benefits of natural farming. Field officers were trained suitably for this transformation. The next step was to adopt desi practices for making bio-fertilisers and bio-pesticides. <br /><br />All these processes were pr-operly documented. Then livelihood schools were set up where some 900 unemployed graduates were trained in crude farming. The next task was establishing soil testing laboratories. <br /><br />Pesticide control was the natural corollary. Consequently, un-ified mobile vans were deployed and processing units were set up for doling out quality seeds. Interestingly, as these initiatives were put in place, the government withdrew all subsidies given to chemical fertilisers. <br /><br />The net result of all this is today Sikkim produces 80% of the requisite seeds all by itself. Alongside, comprehensive techniques have been developed for producing 35 varieties of crops through organic farming.<br /><br />Natural manure<br />Sikkim is the smallest state in India after Goa with a geographical area of just 7,096 square km. Only 10% of this area is eligible for agriculture. The population of this small state is just about six lakhs. Even before Sikkim set its foot on organic farming, the farmers were using less chemical fertiliser and more natural manure. <br /><br />Sikkim’s fertiliser consumption is something like 10 kg per hectare whereas the national average is 70 kg. Once the state was well on the map of organic farming, it came up with the Sik-kim Agriculture, Horticulture and Livestock Feed Regulation Act in 2014. <br /><br />Subsequent to the Act, the sale, consumption, import and export of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was made unlawful. Punishment for those who violated the directive ra-nged from three months imprisonment and up to Rs 1 lakh fine.<br /><br />Agricultural scientists all over the world agree that compost is an excellent source of organic matter. Compost provides air, water, organic matter, and micro organisms to the plants, thus enhancing their growth. It also maintains a healthy atmosphere for the soil and keeps insects, plant diseases, and weeds away. <br /><br />Chemical fertiliser by its nature is made in large plants that are automated and have an annual capacity of millions of tonnes. Organic fertilisers, on the other hand, are prepared locally and on a much smaller scale. As a result, the production of organic fertilisers leads to employment, especially in rural areas where employment opportunities are bleak.<br /><br />Now Sikkim is realising that the full potential of organic farming can be gauged from the fact that besides tourism, the state is focusing on the production of turmeric, buckwheat, gi-nger and cardamom. Sikkim is famous for all these. The state is the largest producer of cardamom and cymbidium. Several hundred clusters have come up to grow these five spices and some 200 farmers have already adopted organic farming.<br /></p>
