December 13,
2003, organic-research.com/Times of India: Mizoram
Governor A. R. Kohli announced Saturday that Mizoram
will become India’s first organic state. "I
have asked the government to introduce a legislation
in the forthcoming Assembly session to ban fertilizers
and pesticides and encourage organic food," Kohli
told industry leaders on Saturday at a CII sponsored
human resources conclave aimed at employment generation
for youth from North East region.
“We will be the first state to go for organic
food production. Once we do, other states in the region
will follow," Kohli said.
Kohli stated in his speech that he believed it was
the emphasis of government to encourage self-employment
among youth and bringing prosperity to the region and
he saw organic agriculture as his region’s answer
to this mission.
"Our focus is on organic food, plantation, tourism
industry, entertainment and sports activities, besides
allied business like food processing for the entire
region," Kohli said, inviting business leaders
to partner with local entrepreneurs and transfer technology
and skills to build joint businesses.
Mizoram is not the only region to question the merits
of conventional agriculture. Vikram Bokey, namesake
of the V B Foundation an organic advocate, feels that
theories which have propagated the use of fertilizers
and pesticides need to be investigated afresh. "The
results for the first few years can no doubt be impressive.
But what happens down the years when the soil is unable
to take the load anymore?" questions Bokey, pointing
to the fact that the high cost of chemical-based farming
has begun to kill farmers with the pressures of debt.
"Our studies have shown that the chemical cost
per acre for sugarcane is Rs 17,000 in order to yield
35 tons of produce while an organic farm costs Rs 2200
per acre for an output of 60 tons," he states.
|
