sikkim’s Organic Mission

SOURCE: iSikkim

The efforts to make Sikkim as the first organic state in the country are on a fast track. Educating farmers and training them with new practices are going on at present.

An apex committee “Sikkim Organic Mission” headed by the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, has been constituted to oversee the implementation of organic farming programmes in Sikkim.

By 2015, the plan is to bring 58,000 hectare land under organic cultivation. This needs to be complete by 2013 and the rest two years are needed for the certification.

Topchen Lepcha, Executive Director, Sikkim Organic Mission, said “For the year 2010-2011 our target was to cover 18,000 hectare land for organic farming which we did. We have allotted that land to service providers who will collect all the information and do the registration and training of farmers. By May, 2011 we are planning to add 18,000 more.”

Getting status of an organic state is not an easy process. It needs meticulous planning and high standard of agriculture practices. The output should be of world class quality so that it can find its place in the international market.

End customers of organic products may not even see the fields so how they would identify whether the product is organic or not. D. Tenzing Bhutia, Additional Executive Director, Sikkim Organic Mission explains “we follow two steps before claiming it to be an organic. First is Internal Control System, it takes approximate 3 years to complete this step. Here we need to collect the data and document it. All the information about farmer, his plot size, which crop he grows etc. need to documented. After this farmer goes under training and learn organic farming methods”.

It is on the basis of this documentation an external agency conducts its survey. Agency finds whether farmers are trained or not, data has been properly maintained, products are of standard quality or not. After getting fully assured they provide certification which is called as C 1. After a year they again follow the same process and finally give the certification. This process takes 2 years.

To bring in quality and to make products marketable anywhere in the world, government is joining hands with foreign experts in organic farming. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between FIBL Institute of Organic Research Centre, Switzerland and the agriculture department of Sikkim for a long term partnership. With this agreement in place the department will get the knowhow, technical expertise and support from the institute on research and training and other possible knowledge on organic farming.

Benefits of organic farming

1.Fertility of soil is sustained for a longer period
2.Low cost on production of organic farming
3.Nurtures a healthy nature and environment
4.Use of organic food helps prevent many diseases
5.Healthy body and profitable price
6.Adopt organic method for a better health and better future.

As of now “Sikkim Organic Mission” project is in its first step. Topchen Lepcha says “we are collecting data and providing farmers training to farmers on organic farming techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests”.

It is a big challenge to part away with traditional agricultural practices and follow the new techniques. But not true for all. Some farmers have adopted organic farming quite well and won accolades for themselves.

Dhanpati Sapkota is one such award winning farmer, won a cash prize of Rs. 1.5 lakhs in a vegetable growing competition during the International Flower Festival at Gangtok.

Deviating from the traditional cultivation of Dhaan (paddy) and Makai (maize) for domestic consumption, Sapkota had introduced horticulture crops on 2 acres of his individual land after undergoing training on organic farming held at Uttaranchal which was supported by the State Horticulture Department.

But even if state becomes fully organic by 2015, there are various challenges which need to addressed. Sikkim still lacks infrastructure in the form of required number of warehouses and cold storages, given the lesser shelf-life of organic produce and proper channels of marketing such produce — from acquiring it from remote areas in the mountains to the marketplace.

But as Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamiling once said “Though the task ahead is challenging, we are absolutely committed to go totally organic by 2015,”

Areas in Sikkim Targeted for Organic Farming

1 North Sakyong-Pentong 2 East Sumin Lingzey 3 East Rhenock Tarpin
Aritar 4 East Sudunglakha
Tingbong
Passingdong-Safo
Barfok-Lingdong
Hee Gyathang
Lumgor Santok
Central Pendam
East Pendam
Pacheykhani
Aritar
Dalapchen



5 South Yangang-Rangang 6 West Sangadorji 7 West Chingthang 8 West Yangthang
Ravang-Sangmo
Ben-Namprik
Rameng Niz-Rameng
Chuba-Perbing
Phongla
Maneydara
Nagi-Pamphok
Turung-Mamring
Tanji-Bikmat
Sadam-Suntaley
Mellidara-Payong
Turuk-Ramabong
Salghari
Assangthang
Polok-Denchung
Tinik-Chisopani