Only 19% farmers practicing organic farming in R'than: Survey

Just 19 per cent farmers are practicing organic farming in Rajasthan even as 91 per cent were aware of the ill-effects of chemical farming, a survey has revealed.
The fact came to the fore in a baseline survey conducted by CUTS International among 1,795 consumers, 644 farmers of 192 gram panchayats of 10 districts.
As much as 86 per cent consumers in the state are well aware about organic consumption, the survey stated.
Getting back to the Indian traditional organic farming is in the interest of the coming generations and is the need of the hour, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Neelkamal Darbari said.

She said that a balanced approach between traditional Indian agriculture value system and modern technology was required in farming.
Director of CUTS International, George Cheriyan said that the consumption of chemical fertilisers in the country has been increasing along with level of agriculture production.

He said that agriculture production increased from 83 million tonnes in the 1960s to 252 million tonnes in 2014-15. Use of chemical fertilisers (Such as those containing Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) increased from one million tonnes to 25.6 million tonnes in the same period.
SJ Singh, Director, Rajasthan Agriculture Research Institute also appealed farmers to make a shift from conventional farming to organic farming.

In the consultation, officials from the department of Agriculture and Agricultural research Institute, Durgapura, CSOs working for organic farming along with more than 75 volunteers participated.