In the olden era, every village was self sufficient in growing food for its population. Locally grown food was as per the climatic conditions. The eating habits of the habitants dominated the agricultural scenario.
We have observed that people lead healthy lives with their simple and chemical-free local food. Chemicals and pesticides were adopted for getting more yield-per hectare and for longer shelf-life of the yield Such innovations had its own adverse effect.
Hon. Prime Minister has always believed in ‘Progress with Preservation’. Preserving the old traditional value-products along with adopting innovative techniques is the motto Modi ji led government has adopted. The NDA Government launched ‘The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in 2015 with a goal to achieve this.
It is an extended component of ‘Soil Health Management (SHM) under the centrally sponsored scheme. (CSS), National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
PKVY aims at promoting Organic Farming, in turn, resulting in improvement of Soil health. It aims at producing chemical and Pesticide residue free agro products, adopting eco-friendly, low-cost technologies.
Key thrust areas of PKVY in promoting Organic Farming among rural youth, farmers, consumers and traders. It disseminates the latest technologies in Organic farming and also utilises the services of experts from public agricultural research systems in Bharat.
The major objective of PKVY is organising a minimum of one cluster demonstration in a village.
PKVY is implemented in a time frame of three years, in line with PGS-India’s prescribed conversion period of 36 months from conventional farm to organic.
The cluster chosen for Organic Farming is within 20 ha or 50 acres in extent and in as contiguous form as possible.
Funding pattern under the scheme is in the ratio of 60:40 by the Central and State Government respectively. In the case of North Eastern and Himalayan states, central assistance is provided in the ratio of 90:10 (Centre:State) and for Union Territories, the assistance is 100%.
Total financial assistance available for a 20 ha or 50 acres cluster would be maximum of Rs.10 Lakhs for farmer members and 4.95 Lakhs for mobilisation and PGS Certification with a subsidy ceiling of one hectare per farmer.
Out of the total number of farmers in a cluster, a minimum of 65% farmers should be allocated to small and marginal categories. Their allocation should be fulfilled at cluster level as far as practicable.
At least 30% of the budget allocation needs to be earmarked for Women beneficiaries/farmers.
Major activities under Model Organic Cluster demonstration are as follows:
In the first part of the programme implementation, mobilising farmers to form a cluster, in 20ha to 50 acres for Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification and Quality control.
The second part of the programme includes, a) Conversion of land into Organic b) Integrated Manure Management for Biological Nitrogen Harvesting c) Custom Hiring Centres. d) Packing, Labeling and Branding of Produce.
Fifty or more farmers form a cluster having 50 acres land to adopt to Organic farming under the scheme.
In this way, during a three years time span, 10,000 clusters would be formed covering 5 Lakh acres of area under Organic farming.
There will not be any liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
Every farmer would be provided Rs.20,000 per acre in three years for seed to harvesting of crops and for transporting produce to the market.
Aniish Shah, after working for 16 years in Corporate job, quit his job and decided to pursue farming. He has turned into an Organic farmer cum entrepreneur, who has chosen to grow close to 20 crops on his 30 acres of land, after receiving training from experts. Some of the crops include Groundnuts, Whet, Black eyed beans, Corn, Pepper, Chikoo, Guava, Mangoes and Cashews. Additionally, he also practises Agroforestry on 1.5 acres of land, growing trees like Silver Oak, Teakwood, Sandalwood, Papaya, Guavas, Areca nut, Banana, Pineapple, Chikoo. Aniish uses ingenious techniques of biodynamic farming, a form of alternative and natural organic farming method without using any chemicals. He has also launched a farm-to-table venture called Earth Harvests where customers are sent weekly crates of fresh organic and natural produce. He earns nearly 60 Lakhs a year and also exports his veggies to UK and the Middle East. Aniish has also inspired neighbourhood farmers to form a cluster to adopt to the Organic method of farming. He also uses biodynamic farming, which enriched the soil with nutrients before seeds are sown.
In 1950, the Organic content in Bharatiya soil was 4%, which has fallen down to 0.4%, but using organic method facilitates microbial activity and helps in growth of healthy plants and water retention.
Aniish along with others farmers have adopted ‘companion planting’ leaving aside Monocropping.
In Companion planting, different crops are grown in proximity, which helps in pest control and pollination.
Organic farming is a way forward. With advancement in technology and innovations as well as exposure to foreign lifestyles, our growth journey was being directed to blindly following the foreign footsteps, ignoring the extreme cold climatic conditions and dietary habits of their habitants.
For more than six decades, post independence, Progress in the agricultural sector had been adopted through fertilisers full of chemicals and pesticides. Our chemical less ancient farming methods had become redundant. With time, the new generation is realising that eating good food and taking care of our health is as precious as creating wealth...
And,
What is a better way than re-generating olden and golden methods of growing food...?