features

Ecological Balancing for Life
Umendra Dutt

Punjab is going to have a state policy on organic farming very soon. The Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh declared this in the just concluded Assembly session. Though such announcements have to be taken with a pinch of salt, as these are always political.

Organic farming is gaining importance agriculture globally, irrespective of their stage of development. In several developed countries, organic agriculture has come to represent a significant portion of the food system (10% in Australia, 7.8% in Switzerland) and many others are experiencing growth rates that exceed 20% annually (e.g. USA, France, Japan, Singapore). Some of the developing countries have small domestic organic markets (e.g. Egypt) and a few have begun to seize the lucrative export opportunities presented by organic agriculture (e.g. exports of Mexican coffee, Ugandan cotton.)

India had historically practiced organic farming. Sir Albert Howard, who was sent to India as an Imperial Economic Botanist to work at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute in the year 1905 to improve Indian agriculture, soon concluded that agriculture, as practiced by the Indian peasants, was rooted on the sound principles of sustainability. Howard who was elected President of Indian Science Congress in 1926, observed that agriculture research should not be misused to make the farmer exploit the soil reserves but to teach him the know-how to transfer capital in the shape of soil fertility and the reserves of his livestock to his profit and loss account.

The Indian peasant, for Howard, epitomized 'good farming' by faithfully copying Nature in their agriculture. Livestock were not merely source of nutrition in the form of milk and meat, or of energy in the form of draught animals, their urine and dung was a crucial cog in the progress of growth. So were growing leguminous crops, ploughing back crop residues and the extensive use of green manure. Howard's research proved the improved efficacy of humus for crop yield and resistance to pests and diseases, as compared to chemical fertilizers. He developed the Indore process of composting, which is practiced widely by organic farmers even today.

Since then, a lot of changes have taken place in the growth of agriculture. The pesticide centric agriculture had taken centre stage in country's planning and perception and Punjab has become most vital component of this system and was projected as the model state for the success of green revolution. It in fact became the centre of intensive agriculture practices from 50's. The consumption of pesticides went up from 154MT in 1953-54 to 80,000 MT in 1994-95 and the consumption of grade pesticides in Punjab is highest in country which consumes 7100 MT of pesticides for its 7693 hectors. Punjab forms just 2.5% area of total agriculture land in India but consumes 18% pesticides of the country, where as the cotton belt comprises only 15% area of Punjab and it consumes nearly 70% pesticide of the state. Indeed a dangerous state of affairs.  Similarly Malwa's cotton belt is less then 0.5 % geographical area of country but almost 10 % pesticides of country are used here.

The Ministry of Agriculture in 2001 had set up a Task Force headed by Dr.Kunwarji Bhai Jadav which made several key recommendations like equating the economic value of chemical fertilizers and organic manures in terms of their over all effect on soil productivity, crop production, technology packages on organic farming as developed by farmers, NGOs and others may be evaluated and the successful technology may be expanded in larger areas etc.

However, these recommendations were not implemented until in 2003, when the government accepted one recommendation and converted National Centre for Bio-Fertilizers into National Centre for Organic Farming in 2004. Moreover, National Project on Organic Farming was approved with an outlay of Rs.57.05 crores for production, promotion and market development organic farming in the country during 10th Plan.

Apart from Central government, five states have their state policies on organic farming including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal. While Andhra Pradesh is in the mid of drafting process, Himachal Pradesh has initiated a state level project on organic farming and the North-Eastern states prepared an elaborate plan   for organic farming promotion.

The Punjab Agro Export Corporation has initiated an export-oriented project. The consultants for the same are working with more then 1200 farmers covering near 8000 acres of land. Some central government institutions like CAPART, KVIC and NABARD had also come up with schemes for supporting the projects of vermicomposting, organic farming and marketing. Apart from this, large numbers of farmers are converting their farms to organic by their own or in collaboration with some private company, charitable or religious institution and even gaushalas. Shops selling organic produce are coming up in major towns as general awareness is increasing. The PAU has also come up with a project in Department of Agronomy, though it is still in infant stage.

This is the appropriate time to raise the public debate on state policy for organic farming in Punjab. As the Chief Minister himself assured to formulate a state policy in this regard. Now the question is how relevant is organic farming for Punjab?

Though relatively a new area for the farmers, although they practiced it since time immemorial, it was abandoned during the green revolution. The revival of sustainable and organic farming practices in Punjab, can be called as a rescue mission and an effort to retrieve the lost heritage.

There isn't any land in Punjab where crops can be grown without inorganic synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Virtually the total land of Punjab has turned barren because it has lost its natural nutrient pool. The situation is alarming and the signs are ominous.

We seem to be nearing a stage of "agriculture chaos". In the present circumstances, organic farming is perhaps the only alternative, which can help us combat this agricultural and ecological crisis. There is a need to shift from 'quantity' to 'quality' and that is possible only if the issue is understood holistically.

A slight change in the eco-system can cause devastating and long-term effect on the health of all living organisms including humans. Use of very high doses of lethal agro chemicals in agriculture is responsible for the spurt of many diseases, which were rare in the past.

Similarly one needs to understand the Economics of debt and suicides. The cost of inputs in agriculture is on the rise while land holdings are decreasing making agriculture unviable for majority of farmers. Barring some big farmers, almost all are caught in the debt trap and are unable to repay their loans. The land is mortgaged with the moneylenders, who some times use hard tactics for recovery. Farmers live in fear of loosing their lands. It is not surprising that Panchayat of Harkishanpura in district Bathinda and Mal Singh Wala in Mansa district had passed a resolution announcing that the village was up for sale.

Due to their inability to pay back the huge debts, hundreds of farmers have committed suicide in Punjab. Green revolution has not only gone sour, it has now turned red. The huge number of suicides is a testimony to the entire equation going wrong.

In addition, there is a need to earnestly orchestrate an organic farming revolution in which following issues need to be given stress and close attention. These include generating awareness among the farmers to bring about a change in their mindset, guiding and helping them in implementing the new techniques, proper marketing of organic fertilizer and organic pesticide. In addition help the policy maker and administration to come forward with sound policies and increase agro-bio diversity through mix cropping, conserving water resources and increasing genetic diversity.

The policy should be mission-oriented and farmer-centered, unlike the popular view of organic farming that has a commercial orientation and is corporate-centered.

Rising incidents of suicides by the Punjabi farmers is another pointer of their woes. The cost of inputs is increasing day by day, the pests attacking the crops are becoming resistant to even the most lethal chemicals insecticide, pesticides and other synthetic agents, thus creating huge losses to already struggling Punjabi farmer.

Genetic Engineering is said to be the solution (BT Cotton for example) but it can further worsen the situation given all its potential environmental and health hazards. No one should be misled by the propaganda of GE seed companies taking Bt crops as pesticide free, organic; where as Bt.crops are as bad and devastating as pesticides were. So, at no point genetically engineered or Bt crops can be considered organic at all.

Kheti Virasat Mission is of firm belief that organic farming is the need of the hour to motivate the farmers of Punjab to gradually switch over to the organic farming practices.

Punjab government should invite suggestions and inputs from all the stack holders and partners for sustainable development of state before formulating any policy.  Public Hearings and dialogue must be initiated to make policy people oriented and realistic.