Natural and organic farming can effectively tackle the challenges posed by climate change and soil degradation, Lieutenant Governor correctly underlined earlier this week. He said that the government was addressing the concerns of small and marginal farmers and instead of narrow silos, agriculture and allied sector was being developed to ensure farm sustainability for the farmers.
Use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, is certainly not scientific agriculture practice even though it is in high use. There has been an overuse of fertilizers, pesticides and water, which is at the root of all problems. While organic farming has enormous potential, the knowledge about it is too little to realise the productivity potential of crop varieties, even high-yielding ones.
As per professionals organic food production is defined as cultivation without the application of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides or genetically modified organisms, growth hormones, and antibiotics.
Recently, there has been increasing attention in general consumers regarding food quality and safety. Conventionally grown foods have enormous adverse health effects due to the presence of higher pesticide residue, more nitrate, heavy metals, hormones, antibiotic residue, and also genetically modified organisms. Furthermore, the conventionally grown foods are less nutritious and contain lesser amounts of protective antioxidants.
Government said that efforts to increase productivity through infusion of traditional knowledge, modern science and technology, providing improved marketing facilities and resolving several other issues like power, irrigation, cheaper credit and rural infrastructure are afoot.
Also the government said that renewed thrust is being given to organic farming to bring about a paradigm shift in agrarian policy, rural prosperity and improving the incomes and the quality of life of the farmers.
Greater diversification into high-value crops, value addition through agro-processing and market-linkages are claimed to be going on in the agriculture and horticulture sector.
The Lieutenant Governor rightly asked the Agriculture Universities of J&K to work on mission mode to connect more farmers with organic
The popularity of organically grown foods is ever-increasing owing to nutritional and health benefits. This is where there is a need to work with pace in this regard. There is already indigenous skills and potentiality for growth in organic agriculture. Across India, presently there is rapid growth in organic agriculture and is considered one of the largest organic producers in the world. Therefore, organic farming has a great impact on health and there is a need for ensuring sustainable development.