Lakshadweep declared first UT to become 100% organic

Lakshadweep after Sikkim has become the first Union Territory to become 100% organic as all the farming in the region is carried out without the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

The step to opt for organic farming was taken to provide access to safer food choices as well as for making agriculture a more environment-friendly activity. Secretary, agriculture, Lakshadweep, OP Mishra stated that UT can benefit much from marketing organic products such as coconut milk and desiccated coconut.

As per the Agriculture Ministry, only after going through the evidence and certificates provided by the administration of Lakshadweep, competent authority approved the proposal and declared the entire territory of UT as organic. Earlier in 2016, Sikkim was declared as the first organic farming state in India.

What is organic farming?

It is a system of farm design and management that creates an ecosystem of agriculture production without the use of any form of synthetic external inputs like pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, or synthetic hormones.

Lakshadweep becomes 100% organic: Highlights

•  The entire group of islands has been declared as an organic agriculture area under the government’s Participatory Guarantee System. It is a process of certifying organic products.

•  One-third area of the island has certified as organic since 2012 but the agriculture department was working rigorously to bring 100% area under the organic certification.

•  The success of acquiring a certification of being 100% organic was achieved with the help of the central government’s Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and the financial assistance earmarked for the UT under the scheme.

•  With more than 12,000 coconut farmers and around 100 million coconuts produced in the region as well as the value-added products made out of them will definitely help in attaining the premium status and price in the market.

•  The entire Lakshadweep was certified on the eve of its 55- formation day on November 1.

Cropping pattern in Lakshadweep island:

•  The only major crop on the islands is coconut and in terms of production, there are eight lakh coconut trees in the entire region that produce 11 lakh coconut in a year.

•  There are horticulture crops as well such as spinach, brinjal, pumpkin, drumstick, chilies, snake gourd, watermelon, ladyfinger, papaya. However, these crops are grown in a very small quantity.

•  In Lakshadweep, agriculture is limited only to the specific area around habitations. While the land use in the region is dominated by plantation crops such as arecanut and coconut.

•  Apart from coconut, the other important crops grown are pulses and rice but only under rainfed conditions.

Government schemes to promote organic farming: