100 per cent organic world possible: Chamling

A 100 per cent organic world is possible, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said Monday as he called for making organic agriculture more fashionable and exciting as done in his remote Himalayan state.

Addressing a news conference at the Chamber of Deputies in the Italian Parliament, Chamling said it took Sikkim over a decade to transform from a state which used chemical fertilizers to one which is now a fully organic.

"I am indeed very grateful to be here. I am not a scientist or researcher. I am simply a politician who experienced and led the transformation of a State of India, Sikkim, from one which used chemical fertilizers to one which is now a fully organic state," he said.

"Based on my long experience and association with the Organic initiative, I can tell you in all good faith and confidence that a 100 per cent organic world is possible. If we could do it in Sikkim, there is no reason why policy makers, farmers and community leaders cannot do the same elsewhere in the world," he said.

He said there was a need for making organic agriculture more fashionable and more exciting.

"This can be done if we can position it correctly. I am happy to say that it is happening in our State where young, educated farmers are growing all kinds of exotic fruits and vegetables and connecting to markets in cities like Bangalore and New Delhi," he said.

"Finally I would like to appeal to all that we need to approach development in a way that it is environmentally friendly and good for the planet. If we are to heed to the warnings of the climate scientists then we have to stop the use of chemical fertilizers globally by over fifty percent immediately. This will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by half," he said.

Sikkim has won the "Oscar for best policies", conferred by the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the world's best policies promoting agroecological and sustainable food systems.