In the background of the Covid pandemic, food is the only medicine. Today the issue of health is on the river. Poison-free food / forest and panchagavya are easily possible from all natural farming.
Will these methods help farmers to fill their stomachs with the best product in the world and help them double their income? Also, will these methods help in increasing food production? Is it difficult to sell organic products in the market? Is Modi government's ′′ Farmer-Bill ′′ useful for such sustainable farming?
To answer all these questions TERRE Policy Center had organized a webinar for progressive farmer-organizations on 26th October, 2020 with support of the Agriculture Universities who are part of Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) from Maharashtra. The speakers for this webinar have been themselves practicing sustainable farming and ayurvedic farming and have been working in sustainable farming.
The webinar was moderated by Dr. Rajendra Shende, Chairman TERRE Policy Centre. The participants for the webinar were farmers, Associate deans and scientist from Agricultural Universities in Maharashtra and other interested delegates from different backgrounds. Dr. Shende in his opening remarks explained the need for transition to natural and organic farming. He also shared his own experience on natural farming.
Vaidya Santosh Suryavanshi is an Ayurveda practitioner in Pune, but works extensively in organic farming. He has developed his own farm by using natural and organic ways. He owns around 11 acre land, from which 5 acres of land was left untouched by him for creating a jungle, now it has transformed into a jungle. On remaining land he cultivates variety of plants using natural methods. He spoke about the changes in methods and techniques that are leading to unsustainable agriculture and excessive use of pesticides that is adversely affecting the fertility and quality of soil. He explained the concept of Kutumbkrushak Vaidya that comprises of a doctor, farmer, mentor and scientist. He shared his experience and challenges he face during setting up a natural farm. He told about alternatives for chemical fertilizers like utilizing local humus and making fertilizer out of it that provides with required nutrients for the plant. By using such natural fertilizers unwanted grasses like Congress grass does not grow in the field. He also shared his knowledge on how Multi-cropping is beneficial as the farmer can get variety of products throughout the year, as well as the loss due to crop failure also minimizes which is an issue in mono-cropping. The herbs and shrubs that grow inside and on the banks of canal plays an important role in purifying the water. He suggested to grow ayurvedic plants in area 15 feet from the boundary. According to him natural farming and growing essential ayurvedic herbs and shrubs can fulfil needs related to food and minor medical requirements. He said that the overall immunity of people can improves by consuming and utilizing natural products. As an end note quoted as he said 'Develop Natives, thought Global but living Nobel'.
Prof. Shid, professor at D.Y. Patil Agriculture Business Management and a practitioner of organic farming who has an extensive knowledge on organic farming and has also developed procedures to produce organic fertilizers from readily available farm and household ingredients. Organic fertilizers are chemicals that are produced from natural products that does not harm the ecosystem, unlike the conventional chemical fertilizers. In case of urea fertilizer, only 46% of total amount is urea and other remaining parts are binding chemical which gets accumulated in the soil. For instance, of 100kg Urea fertilizer only 46% will supply nutrients to the soil. So fish oil can be used as a substitute to urea. Fish oil mixed with jaggery works as a substitute to urea. Fruits and leaves of Indian Bael (Bengal quince) are a rich source of phosphorus. Stale buttermilk after mixing with jaggery can be utilised. So this are some of the ways he has explained for producing organic fertilizers. He is also train interested people in producing this organic fertilizers.
Mr. Narendra Pawar expert in Organic Farming- Marketing, Chairman- Swami Samarth Shetkari Swanstha. He conceptualized the idea to form the chain of Shetkari Athavde Baazar (Farmer's Weekly Market) in 2014. He explained the structure and functioning of the organisation which generates around Rs.100 crore turnover. The concept has provided with employment to youth from rural areas. Continuous production is required to keep the supplies stable. So to meet the needs they work collectively, it not only provides with continuous supply but the cost also gets distributed and gives good economic benefits to everyone involved. Farmers collectively take their produce directly to the market for selling it. The mechanism is usually used to sell their products at cities so that they can fetch a good price for their produce. They also encourage the youth from villages to join this marketing chain model by training them with effective communication, marketing skills and etiquettes.
The webinar concluded with discussion and question in which the experts explained the way of converting a dryland to usable land by utilising water from regular activities for making the soil wet. By continuously conducting such activities the land will be transformed into a wet and cultivable land.
The webinar concluded with discussion and question in which the experts explained the way of converting a dryland to usable land by utilising water from regular activities for making the soil wet. By continuously conducting such activities the land will be transformed into a wet and cultivable land.
The session was concluded on note, that – For organic farming Renovation is more necessary than innovation to have sustainable agricultural produce.