THE CONTRADICTION defies logic. Organic farming is highly productive, cost-effective and sustainable. Its multiple benefits on human health and the environment are also well established (see 'Natural option', Down To Earth, 16-28 February, 2022). Yet, data with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare shows that as of 2018-19, only 2 per cent of the country's 140 million hectares (ha) of net sown area is under organic farming. A September 2020 report titled "State of Organic and Natural Farming in India: Challenges and Possibilities", published by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), says only 1.3 per cent of 146 million farmers in the country practise it.
The Union and state governments have for two decades promoted organic farming through various schemes and policy incentives. This includes certification of organic produce through the National Programme for Organic Production or NPOP (since 2000) and the Participatory Guarantee System or PGS (since 2015). But CSE's recent analysis shows farmers still hesitate to take it up due to an ineffective marketing mechanism.
Santuram Netam, small farmer in Ulera village, Khadgaon district, Chhattisgarh, shifted to organic farming in 2012. “Even after diligently following organic practices and obtaining the PGS certification, I was unable to get better prices for my organic rice and black gram," he says. Netam has now reverted to conventional farming. Vinod Gajananad Kshirsagar, a farmer from Vivra village in Akola district, Maharashtra, faces similar obstacles. "Interstate retailers do not recognise my fruits and vegetables as organic because they are not aware of PGS certification and only trust NPOP.”
Denne historien er fra March 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra March 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
