Lakshadweep- First organic UT of India

The Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep have become the first 100 percent organic UT of India after Sikkim had become the first Union Territory to become 100% organic. In these states and Uts, all the farming is carried out without using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Highlights

  • The initiative to opt for the organic farming was taken so as to provide access to safer food choices and to make agriculture a more environment-friendly activity.
  • The Secretary of agriculture of the UT of Lakshadweep, OP Mishra, highlighted that the UT can benefit by marketing the organic products including the coconut milk and desiccated coconut.
  • This proposal for the 100 percent organic farming was provided after going through the evidence and certificates provided by the administration of Lakshadweep.
  • After that the competent authority approved the proposal and declared the UT as organic.
  • The UT was certified organic on occasion of the 55- formation day of the UT on November 1.

Organic certification in Lakshadweep

  • Under the Participatory Guarantee System, the entire islands has been declared as an organic agriculture area.
  • However, one-third area of the island was certified as organic in the year 2012. Since then, the agriculture department was working to bring 100% area under the organic certification.
  • Now, the UT has acquired the “100 percent organic” certification with the help of the central government’s Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and the financial assistance given to the UT under the scheme.

Benefits

After the certification, around 12000 coconut farmers and 100 million coconuts produced in the region including the value-added products made out of them will get the benefits. The certification would help the products in attaining the premium status and price in the market.

Organic Farming

Organic farming us a farm design and management system that develops an ecosystem of agriculture production without using any form of synthetic external inputs like pesticides, synthetic hormones, chemical fertilizers or genetically modified organisms.