Goa’s 2020 budget shows the intent of the state government to bring in more than 10,000 ha of cultivable land under organic farming in the next three years. Also, the state government will also set up an Organic Agriculture University with a state allocation of Rs 410 crore. Experts in the agriculture sector say that the transition period for preparing the land for organic cultivation itself will take three years.
“At the time of liberation of Goa we had 61% of agriculturists and today it has come down to 12%. The good news is that many of them are still organic. In fact the cashew plantation is by default organic. But when it comes to support there are hardly any for these farmers. Will just constructing of a building and calling it organic agriculture university help? The main thing is that you need to give support. We need to have a vision and just by establishing a university it would not serve an actual purpose,” said Dr Sachin Tendulkar and organic farmer from Goa.
Dr Tendulkar added that Goa has about 1500 certified farmers who are doing organic cashew cultivation. “Why not work with those and help market their products better on the shelves at airport, railway stations and bus terminals by branding Goa organic cashew?” asked Dr Tendulkar.
Miguel Braganza an agriculture expert and former chairman of the Agro committee of GCCI said, “Annually, nine students are deputed to DBSKKV-Dapoli by Government of Goa. Those who have graduated should be given incentives to do MSc (Agro) and those who completed MSc should answer NET. Otherwise, the proposed University will face the same problems that Goa University has even after 35 years of its establishment. Capacity building is as important as physical buildings. In fact, more important in Goa where there is disconnect between manpower required and existing education system.”
The Union government in its budget in 2018 had proposed to create 10,000 organic farming clusters all over India under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana to push organic farming in the country. Goa was slated for getting 500 organic clusters. One of the follow-on effects was to double the income of farmers by 2022.
“A debate has been going on whether the fruits and vegetables available in the market are food or poison. It is widely believed that calcium carbide, insecticides and pesticides are being used. So organic farming is the only way out if we want to live a healthy life,” the then Goa’s Agriculture minister Vijai Sardesai had said after the Central budget announcement. However, so far nothing much has happened in this regard in Goa till date.
Satish S P Tendulkar, retired director of agriculture and presently chairman of Agro Committee, GCCI said, “Organic Agriculture University is a totally new concept proposed to be adopted by our Government. Though it has not been outlined how it would be functioning for uplifting our farmers, it is expected that the university shall take-up research, promote teaching and provide extension services to farmers in organic setup. Being a unique university, it could invite students from all over to promote healthy food which would help our State directly and indirectly.”
Tendulkar went on to elaborate on two issues for the success in organic agriculture. First, promote farm output to the level of conventional agriculture and secondly, create a marketing strategy that would provide better remunerative rates to farm produce.
“First part would be responsibility of university while second would be by developmental department. At ground level Goa State Horticulture Corporation needs to start registration of organic farmers and open some procurement centres to buy organic produce, so that we could be ready to adopt the organic agriculture technology when developed to produce safe food,” said Tendulkar.
It should be easy for Goa to adopt this concept, as it is a progressive and small State and hence much easily manageable. Furthermore, in order to encourage organic farming in the State, the government intends to bring in the ‘integrated farming’ concept, where animal husbandry, agriculture and fisheries can be brought together.
In fact the department of agriculture in an effort to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and promote organic farming in Goa, it has launched a state sector scheme titled assistance for use of organic inputs by the farmer.
Under this scheme, 50 per cent assistance is being given on cost of organic inputs limited to Rs 10,000 per hectare and maximum up to two hectares or Rs 20,000 per beneficiary for all categories of farmers on the use of organic inputs. These organic inputs are organic fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and bio-control agents. Farmers possessing a valid Krishi card and cultivating a minimum area of 0.1 hectare in the state are eligible for this scheme.
Chief general manager of Nabard, Kamakshi S Pai believes that Goa State has by default organic agriculture. However, there is no conscious effort to retain and strengthen that tag. Knowingly or unknowingly many farmers use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, affecting the organic nature of agriculture in surrounding fields.
“Even those who religiously follow organic culture are not getting any distinct advantages in terms of price realisation, as their produce is not certified as an organic produce. Further, if more farmers want to adopt organic agriculture, they need technical support and adequate organic inputs for nutrient supplementation and pest control,” said Pai.
She informed that organic certification system in India is of two types, ie, Third Party Certification and Participatory Guarantee System. Participatory Guarantee System is a quality assurance initiative that is domestically relevant and emphasizes the participation of stakeholders, including producers and consumers and operates outside the frame of third party certification.
Pai added that it also needs to be explored whether production and supply of bio-inputs such as bio-fertilizers or microbial inoculants would make good the dearth in availability of organic manure. Besides producing bacterial bio-inputs, use of predators for preying on pests also needs extensive research and infrastructure for mass production of such bio-pesticides. As of now, there is no system of certifying bio-inputs, which is a severe constraint.
“Goa is taking initiatives for waste management. If a system of producing manure from the wet waste, food waste and supplying it to farmers is developed, it would support promotion of organic agriculture. In order to promote organic farming, Nabard would support the promotion of local groups of farmers under Participatory Organic Guarantee System under its programmes such as Watershed Development, Wadi (orchard development), Farmers Producers Organizations and various farm sector promotion interventions,” said Pai.
Nabard aims to promote a couple of Local Organic Farmers’ Groups in the State initially. State Government has been implementing Sudharit Kamadhenu Yojana for promoting dairy development. Nabard is also implementing centrally sponsored Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme. These schemes aimed at promoting dairy development, supports promoting organic farming. For producing various organic inputs, cow dung and cow urine are critical ingredients.