Karnataka - Bidar   

Bidar farmers keen on taking up organic farming

BIDAR: Several farmers in Bidar district have evinced interest to undergo training in organic farming to achieve more sustainable production and to enhance soil fertility.

Premkumar, director of Prawarda, a non-governmental organisation in Basavakalyan taluk of the district, said that response from farmers to undergo training in organic farming from the organisation was good. With the support of the Agriculture Department, Prawarda had set up a model village at Urki in the taluk to encourage farmers to take up organic farming, he said.

He said that farmers in the taluk, who were covered under the watershed programme, had taken up organic framing and were cultivating sugarcane, wheat, pulses and vegetables. Soil tests in such fields had shown increased fertility, Mr. Premkumar said.

Vivek Chakote, technical officer of Eco-Friendly Organic Farmers Association, Bhalki taluk, said: “There is no other way for farmers than shifting to organic farming from chemical farming to become self-reliant.”

The association has trained farmers in villages such as Siddeshwar, Hupala, Konmelkunda and Halbarga, he said. Training programmes and camps were being conducted regularly to encourage farmers to take up organic farming, he said.

Chandrashekar Jamakhandi, secretary of Kayaka Vikasa Vedike wing of the Basavatheerta Vidya Peetha, Humnabad taluk, said that organic framing was productive provided the farmers wait for two to three years. Organic farmers would get encouragement only when they get suitable price for their produce he said.

Shivayya Swami, president of Shanteshwar Swayam Seva Sangha, Bidar taluk, said that farmers in Kamthana, Kolhar, Anadoor, Atiwal, Manhalli and Hudgi in Humnabad taluk were trained in organic farming and they were being motivated to go organic.

According to Mr. Swami, the sangha has received 300 applications from farmers to under training in organic farming. Mr. Swami said that he had not come across any farmer who had quit organic farming to take up chemical farming again. Mahadeva Nagure, an organic farmer of Chatnalli village in Bidar taluk, said that he took up organic farming four years ago and had cultivated pulses, paddy and also sugarcane.

Sharanappa Mudgal, Joint Director of the Agriculture Department, said that a proposal had been submitted to the State Government on setting up 30 organic sites at hobli level in the district.

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