![The motto of the agriculture department is, \Let farming take place everywhere, let everyone resort to farming.\](https://images.deccanchronicle.com/dc-Cover-41rtlm9aprdnrdjhe55m1qhi57-20180605003628.Medi.jpeg "The motto of the agriculture department is, \Let farming take place everywhere, let everyone resort to farming.\")
Nature has almost fulfilled human beings' requirements. But on World Environment Day, I recall the words of Mahatma Gandhi which we should imbibe: "There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed." Kerala's agriculture ministry has decided to make the farming sector environment-friendly on the occasion of another World Environment Day. The important step towards environment-friendly farming is to achieve self-sufficiency. We have to evolve ourselves from commercialisation to attaining self-sufficiency. If we start cultivating organic farming in all the homesteads, the pesticide-laced vegetables will disappear. A mass drive to have organic farming across the state has come as a revolutionary change. Last year, organic farming was done in 67,858 hectares without a trace of pesticides and 10.12 lakh tonnes of vegetables was harvested.
Within two years of the LDF government coming to power, more than four lakh tonnes of vegetables has been produced. When the Pinarayi Vijayan government assumed office, the reports of vegetables laced with pesticides had panicked the people. But now 93 percent of vegetables available in the market is free of pesticides as per the reports by the Kerala Agriculture University. This finding also revealed that with the pesticide use has been coming down drastically and the soil content has also become richer.
The motto of the agriculture department is, "Let farming take place everywhere, let everyone resort to farming." The department hopes that time is not far off when all people resort to homestead farming. The agriculture department has again launched another edition of 'Onathinuorumuram Pachakari' on Environment Day. One crore vegetable kits and two crore saplings will be distributed with the help of Haritha Keralam Mission and agriculture department.
Rejuvenative agriculture farming practice is also getting popular in the state. The intention is to wrest back the biodiversity of the state to our advantage. The agriculture department has taken steps to protect the traditional seeds that suit our soil and climatic conditions.
The use of 'natural capital' is being widely discussed which means the soil, air, water, plants and animals' natural habitat as well as the environment's possibilities, traditions and energy resources are catered to. When the world is conspiring to attain only benefits, it is the natural capital which is getting lost. Haritha Keralam Mission has been launched by the Left Government with the aim of restoring the environment's wealth. Safe food is crucial akin to food security. Kerala is evolving to a stage where the food safety and safe food practices go hand in hand in the newest form of farming.
It is man's never-ending greed which is harming the environment. The recurring issues of natural calamities and climate changes point fingers at the danger to the environment. The people must change their attitude of consumption by being vigilant and also take utmost care in utilisation. I hope that this environment day will lead us to take better care of environment.
(The writer is Minister for Agriculture, Kerala).
