Kerala forms Organic Farming Mission to boost agriculture

Subject : Environment

Section: Climate Change

Context:

The Kerala government has created an Organic Farming Mission to encourage the adoption of sustainable organic and climate smart farming practices in the State.
The mission aims at expanding organic farming to 5,000 hectares in the next five years through an annual target of 1,000 ha.

What is organic farming?

It is a method of farming system which primarily aimed at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic wastes (crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an eco friendly pollution free environment.

The key characteristics of organic farming include

Protecting the long term fertility of soils by maintaining organic matter levels, encouraging soil biological activity, and careful mechanical intervention.
Providing crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by the action of soil microorganisms.
Nitrogen self-sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures.
Weed, disease and pest control relying primarily on crop rotations, natural predators, diversity, organic manuring, resistant varieties and limited (preferably minimal) thermal, biological and chemical intervention.
The extensive management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioral needs and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing.
Careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

Steps taken by the Government to promote organic farming in India

National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF)
National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
Network Project on Organic Farming of Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR).
In addition to this, Government is implementing a Cluster based programme to encourage the farmer for promoting organic farming called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

Key features of PKVY

Groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50 acre land to take up the organic farming under the scheme.
In this way during three years 10,000 clusters will be formed covering 5.0 lakh acre area under organic farming.There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
Every farmer will be provided Rs.20,000 per acre in three years for seed harvesting of crops and to transport produce to the market.
Organic farming will be promoted by using traditional resources and the organic products will be linked with the market.
It will increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by involving farmers.