Indian Agriculture

Organic agriculture in the country has grown from 42,000 hectares in 2003-04 to 10.5 lakh ha, according to initial estimates for 2009-10. Out of this, nearly 7.5 lakh ha are fully certified while the remaining 3 lakh ha are under various stages of conversion, minister of agriculture, consumer affairs, food and public distribution Sharad Pawar said today.

Addressing a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry, Pawar said, the growth has been significant since India had a mere 42,000 ha under certified organic farming in 2003-04.

Pawar said the agriculture ministry is promoting organic farming in the country by implementing various schemes such as National Project on Organic Farming, National Horticulture Mission, Technology Mission for North East and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

He said two new innovative components – biological soil health assessment and introduction of PGS certification system – have been added to the National Project on Organic Farming from the current year.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has initiated an all-India network project on organic farming to ensure the development and promotion of scientifically proven methodologies in organic farming, he added.

Organic farming will not only ensure increased availability of organic and biological source of nutrients but will also provide technologies and information which help other forms of agriculture in restoring soil health and conservation of resources and is an ideal option for rainfed, marginal land and hilly areas, Pawar said.

He called for tapping the growing demand for organic food in domestic and international market for the benefit of farmers and the country.

Besides the efforts of central government various state governments have also started their own organic farming promotion programmes. Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Uttarakhand have already drafted policies for organic farming promotion.

Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Uttarakhand have declared their intention to go 100 per cent organic in due course of time, he pointed out.

With a combined effect of farmers’ efforts, NGO’s work, government interventions and market forces, Indian organic agriculture has reached a stage where it can play a significant role not only in the growing domestic market but also in global organic food trade, Pawar added.

source- domain-b.com