Shifting Towards Natural Farming In Kashmir

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Use of pesticides and its Impact

Pesticides are chemical constituents that are used to prevent or control pests, including insects, rodents, fungi, weeds, and other unwanted organisms. Despite their advantages in crop production and disease management, the use of pesticides poses significant hazards to the environment and public health.

From the onset of spring
in Kashmir
i.e March onwards we see apple farmers busy spraying pesticides in their orchards. The pesticides sprayed on trees
also entered our atmosphere and subsequently contaminate water, food, and soil, leading to health threats ranging from acute to chronic ailments in humans, animals aquatic life
plus impacting the local biodiversity as well.

The use of pesticides can cause
acute toxicities if a high dose is inhaled, ingested, or if comes into contact with the skin or eyes, while prolonged or recurrent exposure to pesticides leads to chronic toxicity. It causes neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. A study by noted neurosurgeon of Kashmir
Prof Abdul Rashid Bhat, and others who has for a long time been associated with
Sher e Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, linked pesticides to brain cancer.

The report published in the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology in October 2010 revealed that 389 out of 432 cases of primary malignant brain tumours that were examined by SKIMS during a scientific study in 2010 (excluding metastatic lesions), were those of orchard farm workers.

While 61% of farmers/farm workers were affected after getting directly exposed to various pesticides in apple farms, almost 39 % were indirectly exposed, which includes intake of contaminated drinking water.
Most of the affected districts, as per the study, were Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam and Shopian.

Inputs from health and other experts and studies make it clear that drinking water is not safe in J&K. The scientific institutions need to do more research on contamination of drinking water sources by pesticides. During spraying of pesticides our drinking water sources get polluted especially when it rains during the spraying time.

Are precautions taken to make sure the water bodies around apple orchards are not getting contaminated with these pesticides? Is the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Jal Shakti Department sensitive about this issue as they are busy in implementing the national flagship programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)?

Not only are the water sources infected with solid and liquid waste but the pesticides also play a great role in infecting our streams, small rivers and other drinking water sources. This is impacting our health and aquatic life both and this author has raised this serious before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well in Doodh Ganga pollution case and in its order dated 18.10.2021 the tribunal had directed the Govt to look into these facts and constitute and team of officers to examine it on spot. After this order, Rs 35 Crore penalty was imposed on Govt and finally Rs 140 Cr project has been sanctioned as well for restoration of Doodh Ganga and making it pollution free, mining free and pesticide free.

National Mission on Natural Framing

With an aim of motivating
farmers to adopt chemical free farming and enhance the reach of natural farming, the Government of India formulated National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

This is a separate and independent scheme launched last year by upscaling the Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddati (BPKP). The success of NMNF will require behavioural change in farmers to shift from chemical based inputs to naturally available products produced.

The new Govt in J&K would not have to allocate a separate budget for organic or natural farming as there are huge funds available for the same under the National Mission on Natural Framing (NMNF). This needs mass awareness, training, hand holding and capacity building of farmers in the initial years. The provision of Rs 459.00 crores for 2023-24 has been proposed after careful consideration and the requirement of increase of budget is not anticipated at this stage. The budget for fertilizer subsidy for 2023-24 has been kept at Rs 1,75,099 crore.

Natural Farming is a way of chemical free farming based using cow dung and other naturally available resources, with no chemical fertilizers and pesticides and promotes traditional indigenous practices which give freedom to farmers from externally purchased inputs and is largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm desi cow dung-urine formulation; managing pests through diversity, on-farm botanical concoctions and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs directly or indirectly and emphasis is given on improving natural nutrient cycling .

Building Resilient Food systems

There are several states who are practicing
natural farming like Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately Jammu & Kashmir which should have taken a lead in this is only dependent on chemical fertilizers . Agricultural universities like SKUAST Srinagar / Jammu through its Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) plus Agriculture and Horticulture departments
have to come forward and create model apple and vegetable farms in J&K.

Pesticide residues are not only seen in our drinking water sources but they are present in milk we drink as the cattle in Kashmir are few with fodder and grass that is harvested from our apple orchards which is highly infected with chemical fertilizers?

A nationwide movement is already visible in India as compared to other countries and the great thing is that the Govt is also serious about natural farming and there is budget allocation already available as discussed above. Many civil society groups and institutions are working on this and only a few days back a multi-stakeholders dialogue was held in New Delhi titled“building resilient food systems in India through governance, practices and learnings.”

The issue of chemical fertilizers and its negative impacts was discussed for 2 days. This national consultation was organised by National Law University School Bangalore in collaboration with Welth Hunger Hilfe (WHH
India). SK University of Agriculture Sciences (SKUAST), Srinagar , Jammu and Department of Agriculture and Horticulture have to take a lead in spreading the message of natural farming.

Let the government provide details on how much work has been done in J&K vis a vis National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) or how much funds were used under schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PPKVY)
which is meant for organic and natural farming?

Conclusion

It is never too late. If these things haven't been incorporated in the election manifestos by J&K's political parties, I am sure if they get elected to power, a natural farming programme would be launched across the J&K as there is huge funding already available which remains unutilized.

Natural farming will boost our economy as we can grow organic apples and vegetables in different parts of J&K. We can create model farms in each district to grow apples and vegetables organically which has a huge market at national and international level. SKUAST Kashmir, Jammu, KVKs, Agriculture and Horticulture Departments have to be serious. Above all, our political leaders have to show their real leadership qualities now as chemical fertilizers are destroying our health and affecting our biodiversity also. In the next 10 to 20 years, this will cause havoc in Kashmir valley.

• Views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer

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