The Hindu Business Line : Kerala seeks to host organic farming institute

The institute has been conceived mainly as a research facility to evolve methods of organic production in naturally existing conditions. It is argued that Kerala with its unique agro-ecosystem diversity is the ideal place for locating the institute.

At a meeting with the Members of Parliament from the State recently, the Government had highlighted the factors favourable to Kerala for hosting the institute and also urged them to take up the matter with the Centre.

The National Programme on Organic Farming in the country is based on the guidelines of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement (FOAM), the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), a joint organisation of FAO and WHO, and European Union Standards.

It is pointed out that Kerala being geographically located in the high rainfall tropical region, it has very good incidence of solar radiation round the year, warm temperature and copious rainfall with average precipitation of 300 cm. These are all congenial factors for high biological activity that is manifested in the State's rich bio-diversity.

Within a maximum breadth of 120 km, the State's land mass rises from three metres below sea level to a height of 2,500 m, transforming the climate from high rainfall tropics preferred by paddy-cum-fish, banana, arecanut, coconut, pepper, cashew and rubber, to the cool temperature conducive to the production of export-oriented crops such as cardamom, coffee and tea.

Such an agro-ecosystem and geomorphologic diversity, which is unique to the State in the country, is the optimum natural condition for promoting organic farming in a most enduring manner. Besides, the existing cropping patterns and farming systems in many parts of the State are the result of cumulative effort of generations of farmers. They evolved a system based on the natural resource endowments and perfect organic farming techniques and skills handed down through the generations.

It is also pointed out that the organically certified products exported from the country currently are spices, tea, coffee, basmati rice, honey, jaggery and other sugarcane products, processed horticultural products, cotton and herbs. Most of these are cultivated in a large-scale in Kerala. This experience and expertise in the State can be focussed on for developing the NIOF as an international centre.

Further, the Centre has identified six institutions as accreditation agencies for inspection and certification of organic products. They are the Agricultural Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Tea Board, Coffee Board, Spices Board, Coconut Board and the Directorate of Cashewnut Development. And most of these agencies are headquartered in Kerala.

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