Araku shows the way for bio-dynamic farming: Naandi CEO

The Araku valley in Visakhapatnam district, known previously as only a hot tourist spot, has become famous for its coffee cultivation during the past 10-15 years and in the years to come it will also be recognised as a large bio-dynamic farming zone, according to Manoj Kumar, CEO of the Hyderabad-based Naandi Foundation.

He said in an interview that so far “the focus has only been on chemical agriculture, or organic agriculture, but the future belongs to bio-dynamic agriculture which preserves bio-diversity and takes care of soil nutrition.” The Girijans of Araku valley are practising bio-dynamic agriculture, he said, with the help of NGOs like Naandi.

He said bio-dynamic farming would produce organic food, improve quality and yields of crops as well and enrich soil. “If we pursue bio-dynamic farming, there is really no need for GM crops,” he said.

He said the foundation would continue to encourage and help the Girijans in the valley to pursue coffee cultivation and in future it would also take up mango cultivation. “We will encourage them to grow Banganapalli variety of mango which is famous in AP,” he said and the target was to have 40,000-50,000 tonnes of mangoes from the valley.

Manoj Kumar said coffee and cash crops were bringing prosperity to the region, but there was also the danger that with prosperity consumerist trends may gain ground, and that would be detrimental to the natural habitat of the tribals and their nutrition may also suffer. “We are educating them and sensitising them on the crucial aspect,” he explained.

He said the Mahindra & Mahindra group was financing the project along with some European companies, and “the Government has to come up with the right policy framework to encourage the private sector and the NGOs working in the area.” He said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had adopted a village in the Araku valley and promised all co-operation in its development efforts.

He said that after the devastation of Hudhud cyclone in the valley, a massive afforestation drive would be launched to make up for the lost green cover.

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