Manipur Agriculture and Soil Conservation Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar appealed to the farmers of the State to end the use of chemical fertilizers to achieve organic state status for Manipur urging them to unanimously stop using it for a healthier Manipur.
The Minister was speaking at the inaugural function of ‘Two Days Interface Programme on Strengthening of Farmer Producer Companies under MOVCDNER (Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region)’ held under the aegis of Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA), Departments of Horticulture and Agriculture in Imphal on Monday.
Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Letkhogin Haokip, Principal Secretary (Horticulture and Soil Conservation) J C Ramthanga, Director Agriculture Ph Rajendra Singh, Director Horticulture K Kipgen, Mission Director, MOMA K Debadutta Sharma besides others attended the inaugural programme.
Minister Shyamkumar said he had proposed to ban chemical fertilisers in the State and replace with vermicompost considering the health hazards caused by the chemical fertilizers.
It is the collective responsibility of all the stakeholders to resolve to take serious action, he said.
Advising the officers to impart awareness about organic cultivation and various schemes/programmes, he said there is a need for an emotional connection between the farmers and the officials to succeed in achieving the organic state status.
Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Letkhogin Haokip said for the State to become food self-sufficient, cooperation is needed both from the Government and the farmers of the State while Principal Secretary (Horticulture and Soil Conservation) J C Ramthanga said the continuous usage of fertilisers has been the cause of various health ailments.
Ramthanga added government alone cannot ensure success of the programme, as full cooperation is needed from the farmers/ producer organizations and the process of setting up of various farmers producer organizations are under process.
Farmer producer company is a way forward to get some form of land consolidation and an integration of smallholders within an agricultural value chain which is critical to tackle the problem of rural agrarian crisis.