All pollution-related problems of the country can be resolved by shifting to 100 per cent organic farming, former Director of Agriculture Paladhi Lakshmi Narayana has said.
Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on “Scientific Farming Practices” organised by the Natural Organic Farmers Association (NOFA) for farmers from Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and other districts here on Tuesday Mr Lakshmi Narayana said that organic waste which was being dumped and scattered indiscriminately was a major source of pollution.
Storm water drains, canals and rivers were being polluted because of the dumping of liquid and solid organic waste. All crops could be organically farmed if the organic waste was utilised for generating manure. He said agriculture using chemical fertilisers was not sustainable because the land gradually loses its productivity.
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Lands continued to be productive because they practised organic farming from the beginning in China. Sewage water containing human waste was also used for cultivation. Human waste along with animal waste was utilised in making manure there. Human waste was, however, not used for making manure either in India or in the West. In the West, animal waste such as cattle dung and poultry droppings were put to good use. He recalled the disciplined way people in the West had different bins for organic, recyclable and non-recyclable waste.
Mr. Lakshmi Narayana said that chemical fertilisers were meant only to make agriculture sustainable and their use should have been discontinued two or three decades ago. The use of chemical fertilisers was forcing farmers to utilise pesticides also. Their use should have been discouraged long ago, he said.
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NOFA treasurer Ch.R.K. Prasad welcomed the gathering. Former NABARD general manager Mohannaiah, Krishna NABARD AGM Madhumurthi and others spoke.