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Need to promote organic farming method
Aug 26, 2022

Indiscriminate use of chemicals in agriculture had led to deterioration of soil and human health with the increase of non-communicable diseases, said P Duraisingam, chairman, CREATE - Save Our Rice campaign here on Thursday.

Speaking at a paddy festival held at Mohamed Sathak Engineering College, Keelakarai, he said that there was a need to create awareness and popularise the organic method of farming. It would be a success with the support from the government and officials.

He said that agriculture has been contributing in a big way for the food security as well as for the Indian economy. To ensure the welfare of farmers and consumers and healthy environment and safe ecosystem, there is an urgent need to go back to our original roots of recognizing and respecting our tradition, culture and wisdom. He demanded a state organic policy along with a clear road map and time plan in achieving it.

Explaining the complexity of issues in agriculture marketing, he called for the legal provision for the implementation of Minimum Support Price. While expressing his concern on the ever increasing higher and unregulated price for the organic product, the lack of genuineness in organic claims, he called for a regulatory system to guarantee the organic products for the benefit of both consumers and farmers.

Disapproving the State move on supplying fortified rice in the PDS, he commented that it is an unhealthy idea which could be dropped. Instead, the State should design a decentralized procurement policy for traditional paddy varieties and make it available for the public through PDS and inclusion of traditional rice-based recipes in noon meal schemes for the benefit of our children. Such a design of combining cultivation, conservation, consumption will further strengthen the 'Save Our Rice Campaign,' he added.

S. Kannaiya, Joint Director of Agriculture (in-charge), supported the initiative and recalled how agriculture department and Tamil Nadu Agriculture University are focusing the promotion of both organic agriculture and revival of traditional paddy varieties. While describing the merits of traditional paddy varieties, he referred how they are adaptive to different soil conditions/soil specific, ability to withstand drought, flood and its richness in medicinal properties.

He distributed 6 traditional paddy varieties namely Thanga Samba, Athur Kitchadi Samba, Black Kouni, Thuyamallai, Karunguruvai and Seera Samba to around 200 farmers. The paddy festival was presided over by P.R.L. Hamed Ibrahim, Administrative Director, Mohamed Sathak Trust. Syed Ibrahim welcomed the gatherings and Suresh Kanna gave vote of thanks.

The event was jointly organised by CREATE Trust in association with Department of Agriculture Engineering, Ramanathapuram and Mohamed Sathak Engineering College, Keelakarai. More than 250 participants including farmers, representatives of consumer associations, students from Nammalvar agriculture college participated.

thehindu.com

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