3. INTRODUCTION
THE INDIAN STATE OF SIKKIM IS NOWTHE WORLD'S FIRST 100
PER CENT ORGANIC SSTATE. THE STATE WON THE
PRESTEGEOUS FUTURE POLICY GOLD AWARD FROM THE
UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AFTER BEATING 51 NOMINATIONS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SIKKIM CHIEF MINISTER KUMAR
CHAMLING RECEIVED THE COVETED AWARD.
SIKKIM HAS, OVER THE YEARS, REFORMED ITSELF AS AN
ENVIORMENTALLY REPONSIBLE STATE, TAKING MAJOR STEPS
TO HELP IT DEVELOP INTO A TOURISM HAVEN. THE STATE WAS
THE FIRST STATE IN INDIA TO OFFICIALLY ADOPT ORGANIC
FARMING IN 2003, A DECISION THAT HAS PAID OFF IN THE LONG
RUN, ENSURING SUSTENANCE OF SOIL FERTILITY, HEALTHY
LIVING AND DECREASING THE RISK OF HEALTH AILMENTS.
4. WHY ARE
PESTICIDES BANNED
IN SIKKIM ?
INDIAN STE OF SIKKIM
ON EFFORTS BY THE
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
THERE TO CONVERT ALL
AGRICULTURE TO
ORGANIC BY
BANNING SYNTHETIC
PESTICIDES
AND FERTILIZERS. AFTER
YEARS OF OVER USE OF
PESTS AND FERTILIZERS
THE STATE OF SIKKIM
HAS SEEN
5. BENEFITS-
• INCREASE SOIL FERTILITY, HIGH CROPS.
• PRESERVES INDEGENOUS SPECIES
• THWARTS THE DESERTIFICATION OF ARABLE
LAND
• REVITALIZES GROUND WATER
• REDUCES RISK TO THE FOOD CHAIN
• STOPS SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARDS CAUSING
DUE TO CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS
• IT ALSO PROMOTES TOURISM
• FARMERS CAN REAP HUGE INCOME AS
THERE DEMAND FOR ORGANIC FOOD
• IT PREVENTS LONG TERM FERTILITY OF SOIL,
PROVIDES CROP NUTRIENTS BY SOIL
MICRORGANISMS, NITROGEN SELF
SUFFIECIENY THROUGH THE USE OF LEGUMES
AND BIOLOGICAL FIXATION, DISEASE AND PEST
ONTROL.
6. SINCE THE STATE HAS BEEN DECLARED
AS ORGANIC STATE IN 2003, USE OF
SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS HAS BEEN
DISCOURAGED.
ON FARM AND OFF FARM INPUTS SUCH AS;
VERMI-COMPOST
ENRICHED RURAL COMPOST
INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
BIO-FERTILIZERS
GREEN MANURE
AZOLLA
LIMING OF THE ACIDIC SOIL
MICRO NUTRIENTS
7. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.
VERMICOMPOSTING
VERMICPOST IS THE PRODUCT OF
THE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS
USING VARIOUS SPICES OF
WORMS, USUALLY RED WIGGLERS,
WHITE WORMS, AND OTHER
EARTHWORMS, TO CREATE A
MIXTURE OF DECOMPOSING
VEGETABLES OR FOOD WASTE,
BEDDING MATERIALS AND
VERMICAST
8. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.
AZOLLA
AZOLLA IS A GENUS OF SEVEN SPICES OF
AQUATIC FERNS IN THE FAMILY
SALVINIACEAE. THEY ARE EXTREMELY
REDUCED IN FORM AND SPECIALIZED,
LOOKING NOTHING LIKE OTHER TYPICAL
FERNS BUT MORE RESEMBLING
DUCKWOOD OR SOME MOSSES. AZOLLA
FILICULOIDES IS ONE OF JUST TWO FERN
SPECIS FOR WHICH A REFERENCE
GENOME HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.