Organic Farming Becoming a Worldwide Movement

Indian Express Newsline,
Jan 29, 2003

PN Singh, a retired government officer, who grows Tulsi on acres of his land, said, "Tulsi farming has introduced me to a new lifestyle and relationship with nature". Getting on in years, Singh recollected his childhood, "Sahib. my parents had never used any chemicals or pesticides to reap a tasteless harvest. After adapting to modern methods of agriculture. we were initially thrilled, but the decaying natural capabilities of soil and loss of taste every successive year disenchanted us and we were at crossroads. Every peasant was foxed."

One could see wrinkles on the faces of the farmers narrating tales of sorrow in those years.. "Those were horrible times. I and my family had lost all hopes of recovery. Suddenly ORGANIC INDIA approached us for organic farming, and it showed us the way, which though new in its approach suited our land and tastes."

ORGANIC INDIA people ap proached us with the vedic message of "Sarve sukhinah bha vantu , salve santu niramayah," (may all live happily, may all live healthy).

It is important to point out here. that what we know as traditional farming in India, has now become organic farming.

Organic farming today is becoming a worldwide movement. One of the major findings of organic farming study done on Duchy, Home Farm in Gloucestershire, Great Britain says : "Evidence shows that the public will continue to play the additional premium prices for organically produced food. Support for organic farming is increasing as fears over food safety grow." The study further notes that pollution of air and water is reduced, estimates of whole farm nutrient losses are less under organic than conventional production" In Kamhenpur Village of Azamgarh, in contrast to the people, the environment appears much healthier. One can unfailingly experience this in twittering poetry of birds and flights of the butterflies over the fields.

The aromatic atmosphere of Kamhenpur is an added value to attract the onlookers or the newcomers. Tulsi, a scared basil of India is spread like a green and fragrant sheet over at least 165 acres of land in Kamhenpur. Cows and buffaloes grazing con veniently on the sidelines of the fields provide a sense of natural amity between different crea tures, except that the filthy small, and sight of human excreta viti ates the atmosphere. Our villagers have yet to develop a habit of natural cleanliness.

The village, with minor aberrations, is fast turning into a model village of organic farming. " If we are handled in a dig nified manner, this method of farming is going to change the face of the agriculture all over India," says Singh . He says that this would add a new chapter to the history to traditional farming of thousands of years. "We had been led astray by the so- called "Green Revolution. Doesn't matter, it is better to be late than never," he adds confidently. The sum was going down. The shepherds were bringing back their wean flock of cows and buffalos. The strong Fragrance of Tulsi seemed to grip our nostrils.

We bid good-bye to Tulsi fields and were fast asleep in the aromatic dreams of Kamhenpur.