Date:11/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/11/stories/2006111113510500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Organic farming a solution to poverty, says Vandana Shiva

Staff Reporter

`People must be reminded of old food culture'

Environmentalist calls for priority to market organic produce

`Climatic change taking its toll on farming'

BANGALORE: Environmentalist Vandana Shiva on Friday cautioned that poverty in rural areas was increasing and called for adoption of ecological agriculture which was not only productive but also a solution to poverty.

Delivering a lecture on agrarian crisis at the Indian Organic Congress 2006 organised by the Organic Services and International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) here, Dr. Vandana Shiva dwelt on the hazards of chemical farming. Risks involved in genetic engineering threatened public health.

Challenge

What the people of the country needed the most was good and clean food at affordable prices. This was the biggest challenge, Dr. Vandana Shiva said.

Farmers were not getting remunerative prices for their produce, but were forced to pay more for fertilizers and pesticides.

The cost of production had gone up in the wake of the increasing prices of fertilizers, pesticides and hybrid seeds. This pushed farmers into a debt trap. Around 40,000 farmers had committed suicide as they were unable to clear their loans.

Conservation of biodiversity, promotion of organic farming and fair trade should be encouraged to prevent farmers from taking the extreme step, she said.

Research on ecological agriculture had proved that it was highly productive and was the only solution to hunger and poverty.

Organic farming was not just a source of safe, healthy and tasty food, but was also an answer to poverty.

Along with organic farming, marketing of organic produce should be given priority to help farmers and consumers, Dr. Vandana Shiva pointed out.

Dr. Vandana Shiva said that it was time people were reminded of centuries-old food culture and crops. Climatic change was also taking its toll on agriculture and the recent floods in Rajasthan had made the Government and farmers think of taking corrective measures, she added.

Claude Alvares of the Organic Farming Association of India said chemicals were not killing the microbes. They could be controlled using "Panchagavya", which is a mix of natural products. Many fertilizer companies were feeling the heat of organic farming, he added.

Gerald A. Herrmann of Germany and Vokert Engelsman of The Netherlands spoke.

Ramesh L. Harve, president of ICCOA, welcomed the gathering.