SHIMLA: Putting the “doubling farmers' income by 2022” slogan in deep freeze, the state government has been beating the drum that its Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana is doing wonders in the fields of farmers, without sharing any concrete data on income of farmers under this scheme”.
There is no denying the fact that the ill-effects of spraying of chemicals on crops to protect these from the seasonal attacks of pests and insects and fungi are well-known to the world.
Dr Vandana Shiva of Nav Danya fame termed " chemical industry which control the fields of the farmers as a “poison cartel”. Founded in 1987 in Tehri Garhwal and Karnataka, Nav Danya (nine seeds) andolan aspired for “Seed Swaraj”, protecting biological and cultural diversity of the mountains and country as a whole.
Dr Shiva has been making efforts to save the native seeds from the clutches of the “poison cartels”.
But after the post-Covid period no major andolan was launched. Dr Shiva has been attacking the poison cartel every now and then by roping in lakhs of farmers to her "seed Swaraj" campaign".
PadamShri Dr Parlekar launched the similar eco-friendly zero- budget natural farming in Maharashtra in the 1990s in his bid to free the farmers from the clutches of debts and chemical-raj in agriculture in India.
The critics say that Dr Parlekar's model to spawn another “green revolution” free from pesticides and chemical use in agriculture to double the farmers' income has turned out to be successful in some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra for many years.
But the gains were not sustained for longer time. Hence they suggest a “judicious use of methods of ZBNF and some chemicals”, which are a must of food security and sustainability.
Natural farming has beyond doubt proved that it improves fertility of soil, cut the cost of production to abysmally low level.
However, nobody knows whether the farmers have enhanced their income or not, if yes for how many years as we lack scientific study on this.
Nobody knows whether they use chemicals or not as there is no agency to testify that. Both products or veggies - chemical or natural-end up in the same Mandis.
If one goes by the media release of the state government issued today its spokesperson claims that under the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana women of the state are also playing an important role in taking Himachal forward in the production of natural crops.
But the state government “has no scientific study to prove whether or not the farmers, who claim they have adopted the natural farming in its totality, have been able to double their income”.
The women of Himachal are not only moving ahead on the path of self-reliance through the natural mode of agriculture, but are also inspiring other people.
The government cites example of Panjayanu village of Pangana sub-tehsil of Mandi district, where the farmers adopted natural farming.
“Leena Sharma of this village had inspired the villagers to adopt natural farming by setting an example. She has got a chance to participate in the training camp of agricultural scientist Padma Shri Subhash Palekar organized by the Department of Agriculture few years ago.
“After this Leena started natural farming in her fields and with her inspiration today about 30 families of the village have adopted it. Another woman from the village, Satya Devi, has become a master trainer of natural farming”, spokesperson said.
Apart from traditional crops, groundnut, garlic, chilli, pulses, beans, tomato, brinjal, capsicum, linseed and coriander are being cultivated in the village.
“Natural farming has increased the efficiency and fertility of their fields, while their income has also increased”, spokesperson claimed.
How much, government does not supply the data.
They encouraged others as well. About 9 thousand 421 hectares area is being cultivated by natural method by about 1.71 lakh farmers of the state, claims the spokesperson.
For the year 2022-23, the State government has set a target of bringing 50 thousand acres of land under natural farming. “Apart from this, 50 thousand farmers will be certified as natural farmers. An online portal is also being developed for this”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also appreciated the model of natural farming in Himachal Pradesh on national forums.
Under this scheme, the solution of indigenous cow dung and cow urine (gau mutra) and some local flora is used for spraying crops in place of chemical pesticides.
For making inputs to be used in natural farming, farmers are being provided 75 percent subsidy on drums subject to a maximum of Rs 750 per drum.
A farmer family can get this benefit on three such drums. 80 percent subsidy is being given to Gaushala Parivartan for making the pucca Gaushalas and collecting cow urine, with a maximum limit of Rs.8,000.
For the supply of inputs used in natural farming, there is also a provision of assistance of up to 10 thousand rupees for opening natural farming resource reserves in each village.
So far, about Rs. 58.46 crore has been spent under Pratikriti Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana.
The government claims that apart from developing a natural farming model in all 3615 panchayats of the state, work is being done to convert 100 villages into natural farming villages.
To make the farmers self-reliant, a target based on natural farming has been set up in the state. To sell the natural farming products, as many as “10 mandis, 2 new mandis will also be created”.
Under this scheme, the state government has made a budget provision of Rs. 17 crore for the financial year 2022-23 to make Himachal Pradesh as a Model State in natural agricultural production.
At the end of the day, all that matters is economics, not mere money.
Scientists need to study sustainability of natural farming and the Rs 5000 Crore apple industry still remains a hesitant user of Parlekar’s model as they need sprays to control pests and fungi as “natural farming fruit” is yet to see the sustained production and markets in India.
