Nagaland organic by default

Medonguno M. Chasie Internee, IPR [dropcap]O[/dropcap]rganic farming is an agricultural practice without chemical inputs involving techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to cultivate good crops for healthy food without threatening the environment on affecting the people. Nagaland with its thick forest, blessed with favourable climate and canopy of clouds over the green hills of northeast India is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspot. Home to varied tribes, the people have traditionally practiced indigenous methods of agriculture for centuries without chemical usage. Thus, Nagaland is one of the lowest consumers of chemical fertilizers in the country @1.5 kg/ha which is negligible by any standard. “The nutrient requirements of crops in traditional agricultural system of the Nagas, depends only on a natural resource (biomass). Therefore, farming practices in Nagaland is organic by default and is yet to be an organic by design,” according to the Annual Administrative Report of Agriculture department, Nagaland.Today life has become much easier with advance technology unlike the olden days. Everything is brought ready to our doorsteps with the press of a button. Varieties of crops are grown in bulk with chemical fertilizers for various reasons/to enhance the productivity rate, but with the passage of time, people are becoming more health conscious. Organic farming is gradually gaining momentum across the globe, on growing awareness of health and environmental issues in agriculture. Day by day, the demand for organic commodities is increasing, which is emerging as an attractive source of rural income generation. Without the synthetic chemical pesticides applied on conventional crops, organic plants tend to produce more phenols and polyphenols to defend against pest attacks and related injuries. A plant on a conventionally managed field will typically have access to high levels of synthetic nitrogen, and will marshal the extra resources into producing sugars and starches. As a result, the harvested portion of the plant will often contain lower concentrations of other nutrients, including health-promoting antioxidants. According to researchers, consumers who switch to organic fruit, vegetables, and cereals would get 20-40 percent more antioxidants. Nagaland is strategically located where all types of agro-climatic conditions suitable for cultivation of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate vegetables are available. Although, the geography of the land does not provide a good scope of cereal crops on economical scale except in some flat lands and vallers, it provides an added advantage for the development of horticulture crops especially vegetables. It is one of the foremost organically cultivated states in India wherein most farmland have never seen inorganic inputs because most of the farmers are enrolled in the age-old organic farming practice. The important vegetable crops grown in Nagaland are cabbage, tomato, onion, garden pea, cauliflower, brinjal, beans and cucumber. The organic inputs used in the production of vegetables in Nagaland are FYM (Farm Yard Manure), poultry manure, pig manure, vermicompost, garden soil, green manures, bio-fertilizer like Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Phosphotica. Organic farming helps in maintaining environmental health, reduces human and animal health hazards and helps in keeping agricultural production at a higher level and makes it sustainable. It ensures optimum utilization of natural resources for short-term benefit and helps in conserving them for future generation and also reduces risk of crop failure. Further it also improves the physical properties such as granulation and good tilth, good aeration, fast root penetration and improves water-holding capacity besides retention of soil nutrients and promotes favourable chemical reactions. After green revolution, production of vegetables has increased to a great extent due to the usage of chemical fertilizers but their indiscriminate use has led the soil sickness, ecological hazards and depletion of non-renewable sources of energy. To triumph over the ecological imbalances and increased cost of cultivation due to persistent use of chemical fertilizers, the latest trend of growing vegetables by using organic inputs is considered to be ecologically and economically viable. Therefore, to promote organic farming and its trade, the state government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore based International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA). Nagaland has many natural advantages to promote organic farming because traditionally, the Nagas have practiced a system of agricultural farming without the use of external inputs. The nutrients requirement of crops, in the traditional agricultural system of the Nagas, depends only on the natural resources (biomass). The average cycle of Jhum cultivation is between 8-10 years. The availability of plant nutrients in the soil due to re-generation of biomass during the Jhum cycle is sufficient to sustain crop productions economically without the usage of chemical and synthetic inputs. Concentration of crops of the same species, in a particular area, for a prolonged period is avoided which minimizes the insect or pest occurrence. This reduces the need for chemicals and pesticides. Over 70% of the total cultivated area in the state is under shifting cultivation where no chemical, synthetic or plastic inputs are utilized in the cultivation process. The policy to adopt Organic cultivation in Nagaland aims to produce healthy food materials of high nutritive value, preserve and maintain environment and ecosystem, encourage and enhance biological system within the farming system. To promote the healthy use and proper care of water and life sustained therein to keep and build good soil structure and fertility to enhance soil conservation and waste. The organic inputs used in organic and integrated farming are: i) Farm Yard Manure (FYM) ii) Compost iii) Biogas slurry iv) Animal wastes v) Crop residue management vi) Forest bye products vii) Concentrated oil cakes viii) Sewage and sludges ix) City garbage x) Coir pith xi) Vermicompost xii) Green manuring crops xiii) Biofertilizers (Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, BGA, PSM, VAM) The organic activities taken up by the Department of Agriculture, Nagaland during the year 2013-14: • 30 Nos. of field demonstration on organic inputs such as Bio-fertilizers, green manures etc • Distribution of organic inputs to the farmers • Training of farmers in Organic Cluster Project area-Mokokchung, Wokha, Peren and Zunheboto District in collaboration with International Competance Centre for Organic Farming (ICCOA), Bangolore. • 1000 ha Organic certification for growers group is under conversion. Consumers’ demand for organically produced food products and society’s demand for more sustainable development provide new opportunities for farming and business around the world. The state Department of Horticulture has introduced the concept of organic farming with certification for horticultural crops in the state since 2011-12, during which 2000 ha area was taken up covering all the districts for crops like large cardamon, ginger, turmeric, vegetables, pineapples etc which have a high market value. The organic programme is for three years with Registration and ICS system is done from accredited companies/ NGOs recognised by the government of India. The organic farming with certification for an area of 2000 ha is in its final stage and the Beneficiaries under this programme is likely to get their organic certification by 2014-15. Few of the many success stories under the initiative of the Department of Horticulture Molvom: The pineapple bowl of Nagaland. Nagaland has achieved the unique distinction of branding its pineapples with the tag “Naga Pineapple”, which is also the first crop to be branded in the whole of North-East states owing to its distinctive flavour and High Total Soluble Solids (TSS) ranging from 16.5 to 18%. Molvom village under Dimapur district has often been nicknamed the ‘Pineapple Village’, owing to its juicy and mouthwatering pineapples .At present about 206 households are engaged in Pineapple cultivation covering a total area of nearly 200 ha, with an average production of 14 MT/Ha. The estimated net profit is reportedly about Rs. 50 lakhs per season at an average of Rs 2500/Ha. Cardamon cultivation Mon district may well be dubbed the “Large cardamon Paradise” of the state. The farmers from the district recorded a total income of more than Rs. 2.00 crores from large cardamon cultivation during the last season. About 450 households were involved in large cardamom cultivation for 550 hectares. A progressive farmer from Mon district reportedly earned an income of Rs. 3.5 lakhs from his 2 Ha of large cardamon cultivation. Zhavame Vegetable Village Zhavame Vegetable Village under Phek district is popularly known for off season vegetable cultivation in the state, especially cabbage and potato. About 550 households are involved in vegetable cultivation, which has helped not only solve the unemployment problem in the village but also uplifted the socio-economic status of the villagers. With reported earnings of about Rs. 1.72 crores, from sales during the last vegetable season, this village continues to inspire and touch the hearts of thousands of vegetable farmers across the state. Kidima Vegetable Village With the recently, protected cultivation of Tomato and Capsicum under Green House structure, Kidima Vegetable village witnessed a promising result. During 2012-13, it has been reported that the villagers combined earned a whopping Rs. 100.30 lakhs from the sale of the winter and summer vegetables, which is a big inspiration for all the vegetable enthusiast throughout the state.