Narendra Modi: transform North-East India into organic state
New Delhi: Speaking for the first time on the Lok Sabha floor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, stressed on transforming whole of North-East India into an ‘Organic State’, which would be helpful in meeting the needs of organic products in the global market.
Modi gave an instance of a small state Sikkim, which will soon become an organic state. PM said that if Sikkim can do it, why the complete North-East can’t be developed as an organic state.
“Sikkim is a small state, sparsely populated, but is set to become the country’s first wholly organic state, which is a matter of pride”, Modi told the Lok Sabha while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on the president’s address.
“There exists a massive demand for organic agricultural produce in the world today. A large section of the world’s population today is interested in holistic healthcare, and is willing to pay any amount of money for such organic products”, he said.
“If a small state like Sikkim can do it, why can’t we dream of developing the whole of north-east as an organic state? The government of India will help it in capturing the global market.”
While PM is batting for turning the North-East Indian into an ‘Organic State’, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his senior cabinet ministers are apparently against it. They are even hindering the work of companies, which are into the production of organic products in the state.
Growth of organic farming in India
“In India, organic farming has grown manifold and number of initiatives at the Government and non-Government levels has given it a firm direction. By 2009, India has brought more than 9.2 million hectares of land under certification. Growing awareness and increasing market demand, besides other factors, has resulted in the phenomenal growth in total certified area during the last five years. As on March 2009, total area under organic certification process stood at 1.2 million ha and the overall market potential is estimated to be around Rs. 14.5 billion,” Registrar of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mr. Rabindran said.
Here is the detail which shows the rapid growth of organic farming worldwide
As of 2001, the estimated market value of certified organic products was estimated to be $20 billion. By 2002 this was $23 billion and by 2007 more than $46 billion. By 2012 the market had reached $63 billion worldwide.
Europe (2011: 10.6 million hectares, which is 5.4 percent of Europe’s farmland and an increase of 6% from the prior year; Europe has 29% of the world’s organic agricultural land) and North America (2011: 2.8 million hectares, 7.5% of the world’s organic agricultural land) have experienced strong growth in organic farmland.
In the EU it grew by 21% in the period 2005 to 2008. However, this growth has occurred under different conditions. While the European Union has shifted agricultural subsidies to organic farmers due to perceived environmental benefits, the United States has not, continuing to subsidize some but not all traditional commercial crops, such as corn and sugar. As a result of this policy difference, as of 2008 4.1% percent of European Union farmland was organically managed compared to the 0.6 percent in the U.S.
As of 2012 the country with the most organic land was Australia (12 million hectares), followed by Argentina (3.8 million hectares), and the United States (1.9 million hectares).
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Transform India to follow ecological (organic) agriculture
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday June 11, stressed on transforming whole of North-East India into an ‘Organic State’, to meet the organic produce needs of the global market. Would it not be even better for India to invest in conversion to the low cost ecological (organic) agri ‘culture’ system of each area, as it would also put the rural poor smallholder producer communities to work, ensure their access to and meeting their and the country’s nutritious food and health needs through agriculture, at little or no cost and sustainability in the long term of the 70% of India’s population (rural producer communities).
PM gave an instance, “There exists a massive demand for organic agricultural produce in the world today. A large section of the world’s population today is interested in holistic healthcare, and is willing to pay any amount of money for such organic products. If a small state like Sikkim can do it, why can’t we dream of developing the whole of north-east as an organic state? The government of India will help it in capturing the global market,” said PM.
Similarly, Bhutan, a small country will soon become the first organic country in the world, why not India, especially as conversion is low cost, smallholder producer friendly, will reduce hunger, malnutrition, poverty and the effects of climate change, whilst increasing net income and purchasing power thus improving livelihoods and agriculture, contributing hugely to the economy.
While PM is batting for turning the North-East India into an ‘Organic State’, the policy makers need to look at India as whole, especially as the ‘Green Revolution Technologies’ are in the decline in rainfed/ arid areas, resulting in the distress of the rural poor smallholder producer communities into deep debt due to huge annual increases in the cost of external inputs, reducing availability of water, productivity, net income and purchasing power, etc., without proportionate increases in prices ex farm, all of this resulting in deep distress, driving increasing numbers of producers to urban areas/ committing suicide each year.
Growth of organic farming in India
In India, organic farming has grown manifold as it is rural poor smallholder friendly and a number of initiatives taken by all stakeholders has given it a firm direction. Growing awareness and increasing market demand, besides being sustainable in the long term, has resulted in this growth.
For India to follow the ecological (organic) agriculture systems of each area is very feasible as it will put to work the rural poor smallholder families, requiring the GOI to urgently restructure the ministries of rural development, agriculture (including ICAR, animal husbandry & fisheries), water resources, forests, tribal’s, environment, school/ college education, science and technology, etc., so that they work in an integrated manner and meet all the needs of the rural poor smallholder producer communities in each area, especially women and youth, with the focus being on them meeting their nutrition, food and health needs through agriculture, by providing them with required knowledge/ education/ training as general practitioners (GPs)/ MBAs in agriculture, if they are to reduce their cost of production, add value locally to increase shelf life of the perishable produce for storage to minimize the post harvest losses, being gainfully put to work and thus ensuring the long term sustainability of 70% of India’s population.
Growth of organic farming worldwide
As of 2001, the estimated market value of organic products was estimated to be $20 billion. By 2002 this was $23 billion, doubled to $46 billion in 2007 and reached $63 billion in 2012.
Inspite of the very high labour cost Europe (2011: 10.6 million hectares, which is 5.4 percent of Europe’s farmland and an increase of 6% from the prior year; Europe has 29% of the world’s organic agricultural land) and North America (2011: 2.8 million hectares, 7.5% of the world’s organic agricultural land) continue to experience strong growth in organic farmland.
In the EU it grew by 21% in the period 2005 to 2008 with shifting of agricultural subsidies direct to organic farmers due to perceived environmental benefits resulting in 4.1% percent of European Union farmland was organically managed in 2008 compared to the 0.6 percent in the U.S.
As of 2012 the country with the most organic land was Australia (12 million hectares), followed by Argentina (3.8 million hectares), and the United States (1.9 million hectares).