OOTY: "Good starting today for a better tomorrow." With this motive, the Nilgiris district administration, the horticulture department and hill farmers held a rally here on Tuesday to signify the need for organic farming and garner support for the cause. Plans areunderway to gradually increase the land extent under natural farming in the hills. The impressive turn out of farmers was astonishing and indicative that hill farmers are gearing up to switch over to organic farming.
Ms.J. Innocent Divya, who led the procession from the Central bus stand area to Charing Cross said that since the Nilgiris is celebrating its 150th anniversary of formation of a separate district, it was decided to take the initiative to motivate farmers to go in for organic farming. A team consisting of officials and farmers has been formed to make further efforts to encourage farmers to join the organic farming movement.
Mr. Shiva Subramanian Samraj, joint director of Horticulture said that around 300 hectares of vegetable fields and around 50 hectares of tea plantation across the hills have already come under the organic mode.
Now, efforts are underway to set up more vermicompost units and produce organic farm inputs like panchakavya and dasakavya mixtures to replace chemical fertilizers and reduce the use of pesticide. This will help to gradually regain their original health with growth of more microbes.
B. Krishnamoorthy, president of the Nilgiris Potato and Vegetable Growers Association said that this is a good initiative but will take a long time to achieve the desired goal.
