Unregulated use of pesticide on our farm lands which eventually leads to poisoning of the food we intake has been a growing concern ever since such exposé a few decades back. It is an eye opener for  Arunachal Pradesh. It is a well known fact that the agro-climatic condition of Arunachal holds huge potential for organic farming.
Already Lower Subansiri and Lower Dibang Valley has begun producing ginger organically, but we need to fast pace the potential exploits of the gifted natural resources.
Though the state government has been diligently promoting organic farming, it should shoulder more responsibility and provide better incentives to the farmers as this type of farming is comparatively more expensive than traditional method of cultivation.
Firstly, the government must involve Agricultural and Processed Food Products, Export Development Authority (APEDA), the implementing agency of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) more proactively to start an organic farming revolution in the state and convert it to an organic farming zone.
Secondly, with the growing demand for organic farm products world over, APEDA can help streamline the farmland to the market to make the organic products marketable and the cultivators and players of the region must be given proper and adequate training and be provided information on schemes and other benefits through other agencies. We need to focus on our strengths and produce accordingly.
Finally, it is said that 70% of our vegetables rot and go as waste due to lack of refrigeration facilities. Therefore, APEDA must provide refrigeration facility which in turn will pave the way for marketing the products to neighbouring countries like China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh apart from the domestic market.
Residents of cities know how much the quality and taste of vegetables and fruits differ; the locally grown fruits and vegetables are more fresh, healthy and tastier than procured from vegetable mandis.
Lately, we cannot however, turn a blind eye to the recent changes in the vegetable and fruits procured from Assam. The abnormal, size and colour of the vegetables and the visible use of pesticides in seasonal fruits is disturbing. The consequence of this will only add up to the already growing ailing health of the people, where even to this day hygienic habits are ignored by many and most hardly care to wash the products thoroughly.
Organic farming not only serves the consumers demand but also protects the health of our toiling and dwindling number of our farmers together with conservation of the fertility of our soil. We must strike the iron while it is hot. Let us follow the footsteps of our sister state Sikkim in going totally organic. As has been rightly pointed out in the programme, it is for us to initiate and not the government to demand organic products and show the willingness to pay a little extra by motivating farmers to go for organic farming.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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