Ladakh farmers switch to organic farming

LADAKH - Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh region are switching to organic farming and have decided to avoid the usage of pesticides and other chemicals that prove harmful to the ecosystem.

Aiming to grow local products without using pesticides, the farmers are attempting to use the land in such a way that it can be reused, which is not always possible when agriculture is too chemically dependent.

“With the help of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), from past two years we are trying that we will provide knowledge to the people about organic farming, and provide evidence,” said Tsewang Tundup, Executive Councillor of Agriculture, LAHDC.

“With the help of LAHDC, we are giving people organic pits to grow organic manure, which we are providing them at 50 percent subsidy,” he added.

The youngsters in Ladakh are increasingly switching from using chemicals in agriculture to more profitable organic farming.

“The difference is that urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP), are good for growth of the vegetables but they are not good for health. If we will have vegetables through organic farming, then these vegetables are good for health and are of good quality,” said Tsering Motup Baku, a farmer.

The LAHDC agriculture and animal husbandry departments have extensive programmes to distribute high-yield seedlings, and give assistance in procurement of organic seeds. (ANI)