Sikkim shows way, others should try emulating
The often bitter debate on organic farming notwithstanding, Sikkim deserves to be whole-heartedly congratulated for going green and chemical-free. Earlier this week, the tiny Northeastern State was officially declared as the country's first fully organic State. What this means is that no farmer in Sikkim uses any amount of chemical fertiliser, insecticide or pesticide. Instead, only natural manure from cow dung is used in the fields. Sikkim's success story is an inspiration for the rest of the country, and other States, especially the dozen others that are focusing on organic farming, will have valuable lessons to learn, even if they are not able to fully replicate the Sikkim model. Sikkim had certain inherent advantages when it began its organic programme more than a decade ago. The soil of the State is rich in organic matter, farmers were mostly following organic practices by choice, and only a small percentage of the land under cultivation had been exposed to chemicals. Consequently, it was relatively easy for Sikkim to turn back and go green. Still, the process took 13 years since the 2003 declaration in the legislative Assembly by then Chief Minister Pawan Chamling's on the phasing out of harmful chemicals. After that, pilot projects were implemented, which included the adoption of ‘bio-villages'. The State also subsidised the construction of vermicomposting pits and encouraged the use of bio-fertilisers and organic manure. On August 15, 2010, the Sikkim Organic Mission was launched with the aim of becoming chemical-free by December 2015.
Now, the focus is on scaling up the industry. Sikkim, for instance, does not produce enough to sustain itself and its produce is fairly expensive. This is beneficial for the farmers, of course, and a welcome alternative for those willing to pay more for healthier food options. But even if one factors in the additional revenues from eco-tourism etc, organic farming overall is still unsustainable in a densely-populated, developing country like ours. It is on this issue that new research and development in the farm sector must focus. Meanwhile, the Centre should offer full support to other States like Meghalaya and Kerala, which are close to becoming fully organic. Globally, organic farming has become the holy grail of sustainable living, and the international organic foods market is worth several billion dollars today. Resource-rich India, however, does not even have a one per cent share in this lucrative market. This can and should change — not because organic farming is fashionable these days, but because it is imperative for the Indian farm sector to remain competitive, as with every passing day more and more developed nations are cutting down on non-organic food exports. One effective way to marshal resources, for the Seven Sister States, for example, is to dovetail their organic missions with the Make in North-East programme, that focuses on horticulture and food processing.