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Cow based Organic farming vis-à-vis inorganic farming
Highlights
Albert Einstein, a great scientist, once sent a message to India through his Indian cotemporary late Dr. Amarnath Jha- “India should not adopt chemical fertilizers and insecticides based mechanized farming, because the fertility of land of America has destroyed to a great extent in 400 years of this farming.” But, unfortunately, this advice so crucial to our interest fell on the deaf ears of those sitting on the helm of affairs then.
Albert Einstein, a great scientist, once sent a message to India through his Indian cotemporary late Dr. Amarnath Jha- “India should not adopt chemical fertilizers and insecticides based mechanized farming, because the fertility of land of America has destroyed to a great extent in 400 years of this farming.” But, unfortunately, this advice so crucial to our interest fell on the deaf ears of those sitting on the helm of affairs then.
And, obviously due two reasons: First and foremost was the lack of confidence on indigenous system of cow-based farming; and, the second was the tendency of blindly imitating everything west, as a last divine truth. Consequently, the hazards of inorganic farming are now there for all to see.
That the chemical fertilizers affect the agriculture same as the wine affects an individual is now common experience. Should an individual be fed with wine, his working capacity would shoot up greatly. And, he would finish a lot of work in a far less time out of intoxication. But, if this were to go continuously for a long time, coming into his habit, a day would come when he would have lost even his natural working capacity. That’s what happens with the soil under chemical fertilizers, too; initially, we get bumper yield of crop, only to be ended with barren land in the hand, later. According to a report 1.9 k.g./hectare of chemical fertilizer was once needed in 1960-61, which increased to 51.20 k.g/hectare. in 1987-88.
Yet this is not all. The poison of chemical pesticides which are the essential component of inorganic farming percolates deep down the earth and leaves its effect for long, owing to which drinking water also gets contaminated. And, more so, crops and other edible items thus produced in virtue of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not only deficient in nutritional value but also very poisonous, causing too many incurable ailments to us consuming them.
According to a study conducted on the farmers of Punjab the excessesive use of chemical pesticides culminated in the destruction of their D.N.A. Likewise, due to excessive use of Indosalfan pesticide on the grapes and cashew nuts to be grown in the certain parts of Kerala the new born babies there began to be suffered with physical disabilities. Eventually, after much public protest and resultant intervention of Kerala High Court into the matter, govt. had to ban it.
These are just two of the many examples to realize how alarming the situation is. Of the total 53 kinds of chemical pesticides that we had been importing some 40% have been banned, because of their hazardous effect developed on the health of people. It[inorganic farming] caused decrease in the porosity of soil to no less threatening proportion, likewise. Which is why, today double and treble quantity of water is needed where the chemical fertilizers and pesticides were used indiscriminately- such as Haryana and Punjab, the hub of so-called green-revolution.
The farmer is regarded as the annadata[one who provide foods for all] in Indian context. But, the same farmer has today become the annadata for the companies producing seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, diesel and tractors; and for the traders whom he sells his crops. Thus, after giving to all those, what he is left with is only the never ending loan on his head, lastly.
Ironically, all this we are subjected to suffer in return of the amount as whopping as 1lakh 40 thousand crore rupees as a subsidy being spent by the country for the chemical pesticides and fertilizers! And, that’s too, when organic manure can be manufactured by the farmers by using gomutra[cow-urine] and gobar[cow-dung] in their own farms, and almost free of cost, with no such hazards as the inorganic farming brings in its trail. In 1904 Sir Albert Howard came to India to study its advanced farming technique. He later writes in his book, “An Agricultural Testament” that-‘There was no place at all where the things like pesticides was being used in India, because due to manure prepared from gobar and vegetation the crops were healthy, hence immune to pest attack. …..As my knowledge and skill in it [Indian farming technique] increased, my crops got to be more and more freed from the diseases.’
Almost same were the views held by the six-member committee formed in August-September 1993 by Indian govt. to conduct the study of farming through organic manure in the country. The committee made the visit to Kanpur, Nagpur, Vardha, Bhopal, Indore, Bombay, Pondicherry, Madras and other places. There they found that the crops of those farmers who were using organic manure were little or not affected by insects, and needing far less investment.
Fortunately, the ill-consequences of inorganic farming is gradually being felt by all and organic farming is being preferred worldwide; presently, overall 31 million hectare of land has come into the pale of organic farming. In India also organic area has grown 20 times in last few years.
By- Er. Rajesh Pathak
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