Guwahati, Assam: Government officials, civil society representatives, Academicians and farmer representatives from North eastern States today urged the Central Government to create an umbrella policy to subsidize and support ecological fertilization in Agriculture, encompassing all aspects of the same. The consensus demand came out of the Northeast conference deliberations organized by Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (RGVN) and Greenpeace India as part of the nationwide “Living Soils” campaign.

The Living Soils campaign aims at promoting ecological farming in the country

“A proper research backed scientific approach to promote ecological fertilization supplemented by policy support and incentives by the Central Government and respective State Governments will go a long way in preserving soil health which is crucial in achieving food security without compromise on health and environment. Putting in place an umbrella policy encompassing all aspects of ecological fertilization and soil health will enable us achieve this important objective.”, said Dr Mukul Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya in an official message which was read out at the conference.

“Sikkim has adopted a policy to go completely organic by 2015 and we have already phased out the usage of chemical fertilizers. Improved package of practices are being developed. A support system for ecological fertilization will help the farmers of Sikkim in a big way and will help to ensure food security in the state”, said SK Sinha, Principal Director of Agriculture, Government of Sikkim, in an official message read out at the conference.

Dr Purkaysta, Joint Director-Agriculture who represented the Arunachal Pradesh Government at the conference said, “More than 81% of Arunachal Pradesh is organic by default. A support system for ecological fertilization will contribute to the food security of the state.”

The conference and the demand assumes significance in the context of Central Government acknowledging the problems associated with intensive chemical fertilization and initiating a reform in its fertilizer subsidy policy. But the new Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) continue to support only chemical fertilizers. The Central Government also acknowledged the importance of organic matter in the soil and keep on reiterating in the parliament and outside that there are sufficient central schemes to incentivise ecological/organic fertilization. However, a social audit in Darrang district of Assam revealed that there is hardly any support for ecological fertilization in mainstream agriculture. 99% of the surveyed farmers didn’t receive any kind of support for ecological fertilization. An analysis of the published Government data on Central Government schemes in Assam also reveals the fact that the area and the number of farmers covered under the organic fertilization programmes are very minimal.

Dr Amiya Sharma, Executive Director, RGVN, who presided over the inaugural session said,” We cannot continue to tax the environment for satisfying our greed. Protection of soil is important for maintaining life on this earth.”

“Chemical fertilizers degrade our soil, pollute our drinking water and contribute to climate change. So it’s high time we bring in policies to shift from chemical to ecological fertilization. For facilitating this change the first step is to implement an umbrella support system for ecological fertilization,” said Gopikrishna SR, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India.

Civil society delegations from all the north eastern states except Mizoram participated in the conference.

The conference also discussed the prospects and challenges of ecological fertilization in a session chaired by Dr Bhangshi Kalita, Sr Agricultural Development Officer (Organic farming), Assam. The conference signed a charter of demands to the Central Government, the summary of which is as follows:

1. The indiscriminate usage of chemical fertilizers needs to be checked at the earliest through proper policy measures at the Central and State Government level.

2. Central Government should create an umbrella policy to support all components of ecological fertilization which includes:

• Generation of biomass, for bulk addition of organic matter in the soil for maintaining proper soil health: This includes promotion of livestock as integral part of the farm, providing infrastructure facilities to farmers for proper collection and usage of livestock manure. In situ generation of biomass through sole cropping/intercropping/bund cropping of green manure crops, planting of Green manure trees etc.
• Promotion of nutrient intensive ecological fertilizers (such as composts)
• Promotion of bio fertilizers
• Recycling of farm and house hold waste.
• Crop rotations to enrich soil (eg: to include pulses and leguminous crops)
• Eco bonus for maintaining soil health

3. Documentation, Research and promotion of indigenous traditional knowledge to maintain soil health.

4. Promotion of eco-friendly soil amelioration techniques.

5. Convergence of policies in the rural sector: Ecological fertilizer production can open up employment opportunities in rural areas and hence can find synergy with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Notes to the editor:

1. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We envision an equitable and sustainable world. To maintain independence, Greenpeace does not accept any donation from any government or corporate. Website: www.greenpeaceindia.org

2. “Living Soils”, a nationwide campaign launched by Greenpeace India aims to critically review the soil health management support systems of Central Government through a participatory approach using social audit as a tool. The Living Soils campaign was launched on 3 August 2010 in Guwahati. More information at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/assets/binaries/concept-note-living-soils

3. Subsidising Food Crisis – A Greenpeace India report on impact of chemical fertilizer subsidies on environment (soil and climate) can be accessed at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/subsidising-food-crisis

4. Production of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser is a very energy intensive process, and requires large amounts of fossil fuel energy, and hence emits Green House Gases. Application of Nitrogen fertilizers in the fields releases N2O. The concern over N2O emissions arises from its long atmospheric life (166 ± 16 years) and its higher global warming potential (296 times that of CO2).

5. Chemical fertilisers in our water – A recent study by Greenpeace India in the Malwa region of Punjab which has shown that drinking water was heavily contaminated with nitrates. 20 percent of all sampled wells had nitrate levels above the safety limit of 50 mg per litre as established by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The report can be accessed at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/chemical-fertilisers-in-our-wa-2

For more information, please contact:

Gopikrishna SR, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, 9900897341, email: gkrishna@greenpeace.org

Dr Amiya Sharma, Executive Director, RGVN, Mob: +91 9435118871

Prarthana Banikya, Greenpeace India, Mob: +91 7399105251

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Guwahati, 3 Aug 2010: Greenpeace India today launched “Living Soils”, a nationwide campaign with a call to implement Government policies to save soils from the harmful impacts of chemical fertilizers. This campaign assumes significance in the context of the Central Government acknowledging[1] the agrarian crisis due to soil degradation and initiating a reform in its fertilizer subsidy policy. As part of the campaign, a series of social audits will be organized in selected districts of Assam, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka.

“The ‘Living Soils Campaign’ will bring out grass root level realities concerning soil health and soil fertility management policies of the Central Government, including the newly launched Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS)[2] for chemical fertilizers and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)[3].which aims at overall agriculture development. These will be reviewed using a participatory approach, basically to examine their capability to solve the soil degradation crisis and the impending food security threat” said Gopikrishna SR, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India. He further stated that “The information, observations, data, and insights collected from the grass roots will be compiled and submitted to the policy makers at the Centre and respective states”.

Soil is an ecosystem which is home to several living organisms. Organic matter both in terms of quality and quantity is vital to sustain life in this ecosystem. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers gradually leads to its degradation. Deteriorated/dead soils lead to poor plant growth and thus reduced productivity of agricultural system.

“Any policy in Agriculture will be successful, only if we have a vibrant soil ecosystem. If the soils are dead, all investments in Agriculture will go waste. So there is an urgent need to act on a comprehensive policy to support ecological fertilization practices. This is critical to ensure food security of the country”, said Dr Amiya Sharma, Executive Director, Rashtriyia Gramin Vikas Nidhi (RGVN).

Every year Central Government spends around Rs 50,000 crores on chemical fertilizer subsidies, and this is a major driver that catalyzes intensive chemical fertilizer usage4. The Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) policy which was brought in to correct this problem continues to support only chemical fertilizers, and hence fails in its own cause. The new policy proves to be an old wine in new bottle.

“On one hand our Union Government worries about the declining agricultural productivity due to soil degradation and food security and on the other hand they continue to support chemical fertilizers. Support for organic fertilization practices in mainstream agriculture is very minimal. This anomaly can jeopardise the Agriculture production system”, said Tapan Sharma of Diamond Club Community Center, Sipachar, Darrang.

“We should not wait for the problems to appear. In the case of Assam we should learn from bad experiences from other regions and go the ecological way at the earliest, said Kulendra Deka, General Secretary of North East Centre for All Round Development (NE CARD), Darrang

In Assam, the survey and the public hearing will be organized in Darrang district, which has one of the highest per hectare fertilizer consumption in the State.

Apart from the direct visible impacts, manufacture and use of chemical fertilisers also contributes significantly to emissions of greenhouse gases, and thus climate change. The total emissions from the manufacture and use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers represent six per cent (3% from manufacture and 3% from usage) of India’s total emissions, comparable to sectors like cement or iron and steel industries, and to emissions from the entire road transport system[4& 5]. Chemical fertilizers also contaminate drinking water[6] and pose threat to human health..

Several states in the country including Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Uttarakhand have initiated policies to support ecological farming. North eastern states have taken more pro-active roles. Sikkim, Nagaland, and Mizoram have decided to go completely organic. But the Central Government continues to push the high external input chemical intensive model of farming, which is evident from the new NBS policy and the decision to push intensive agriculture models in the eastern states under RKVY.

Pursuing an agenda to ensure healthy soils and sustainable Agriculture production Greenpeace has been making the following demands

1. Create an alternate subsidy system that promotes ecological farming and use of organic soil amendments.
2. Shift the irrational subsidy policy for synthetic fertilisers to sustainable ecological practices in agriculture.
3. Re-focus scientific research on ecological alternatives, to identify agro-ecological practices that ensure future food security under a changing climate.

Notes:

1. In 2009, during the budget speech, Union Finance Minister expressed concerns over the declining response of agricultural productivity to increased fertilizer usage and initiated a reform. Union Finance Minister’s budget speech can be accessed at http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2009-10/bs/speecha.htm (Refer para. 34 in this page for his statement on fertilizer subsidies)

2. Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS)

The newly introduced subsidy system for chemical fertilizers, made effective from 1 April 2010. As per the Government it was devised to address the issue of soil degradation due to indiscriminate fertilizer use. However it proved to be old wine in new bottle as it continues to support chemical fertilizers only with no support for organic fertilization. A short summary of Greenpeace policy brief on NBS is enclosed. Full version can be accessed at http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/fertilizer-subsidy-policy-brie

3. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojans (RKVY)

Concerned by the slow growth in the Agriculture and allied sectors, the National Development Council (NDC), in its meeting held on 29th May, 2007 resolved that a special Additional Central Assistance Scheme (RKVY) be launched. One of the components of RKVY is soil health management. More details about RKVY at http://rkvy.nic.in

4. Subsidising Food Crisis – A Greenpeace India report on impact of chemical fertilizer subsidies on environment (soil and climate) can be accessed at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/subsidising-food-crisis

5. Production of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser is a very energy intensive process, and requires large amounts of fossil fuel energy, and hence emits Green House Gases. Application of Nitrogen fertilizers in the fields releases N2O. The concern over N2O emissions arises from its long atmospheric life (166 ± 16 years) and its higher global warming potential (296 times that of CO2).

6. Chemical fertilisers in our water – A recent study by Greenpeace India in the Malwa region of Punjab which has shown that drinking water was heavily contaminated with nitrates. 20 percent of all sampled wells had nitrate levels above the safety limit of 50 mg per litre as established by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The report can be accessed at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/chemical-fertilisers-in-our-wa-2

7. Ecological fertilization includes a wide array of eco-friendly practices that nourishes soil and facilitates the natural cycles within the soil ecosystem. Fertilization using Farm Yard manure, Green leaf manure, biofertilizers, compost etc forms part of this model. In addition to this there are several practices developed by farmers through years of observation and on farm experimentation.

For more information, please contact:

* Gopikrishna SR, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India. Mob: +91 9900897341, email: gkrishna@greenpeace.org
* Prarthana Banikya, Greenpeace India, Mob: +91 7399105251

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Yesterday was a day of many firsts for the sustainable agriculture team and Greenpeace India as a whole. For the first time we had a proper public hearing, where a survey of stake holders were conducted and a public hearing organised. Around 500 people participated in the public hearing and what we should remember is also these are among the poorest of the poor of our country.They came there because they believed that there voice needs to be heard when the country is on its way to decide the biggest of the agricultural policies,the one on fertilisers.They all came on their own, and if you ask me that is our biggest victory.And it happened because of days of mobilisation that Gopi and Kissan Adhikar Abhiyan accross 120 villages of Wardha.

Farmers at Vidharbha want subsidies on organic fertilizer

A clouded sky and sporadic drizzles in the day break had all of us in tension. Rain is a luxury in this part of the world that a farmer cannot afford to lose.Though the untimely rain caught all of us unawares we decided that even if 10 farmers turn up we will conduct the hearing. And slowly they started trickling in and by the time the hearing started the registration book showed close to 500 registrations.

The member of parliament from Wardha graced the occassion and seeing the mood of the crowd promised to take up their views to the parliament and the cabinet.

Thakur Das Bang inaugrating the public hearing of farmers

Gopi, our sustainable agriculture campaigner, spoke in Hindi about greenpeace and our sustainable agriculture campaign and why we were there, the rest is in the press release. What is not there is about Samir Nazareth who came visiting and helped us do a photo-op in front of bapu kuti, where Gandhiji lived and worked.

For the first time we did a non-violent direct action at a place where the father of non-violent direct action lived. Never had we been so close to what Gandhi believed in and did.

With one more public hearing left the news has reached where it has to. The industries advisor in the Planning commission in charge of Agriculture has promised Gopi that once all the hearings are over she would arrange for a presentation of our recommendations on subsidies to the whole of planning commission.

In the meanwhile, Parliamentary standing committee on agriculture has taken up fertiliser policy as one the things to be discussed and promised us a hearing thanks to the lobbying with some good friends in CPI[M]. The Chair of the committee is from the party.

Read the full press release

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Thakur Das Bang inaugrating the public hearing of farmers

Thakur Das Bang, veteran freedom fighter and Gandhian while inaugurating the Jansunvayi said that “It is high time that the country as whole shift to ecologically sustainable and farmer friendly agriculture.”

Every year Central Government spends crores of rupees on chemical fertilizer subsidies. The budget allocation for 2009-10 for fertilizer subsidies is Rs 49,980 crores. However, over the years, this investment has proven counterproductive as it has led to indiscriminate use of chemicals and subsequent soil degradation and yield stagnation. Union Finance Minister during his budget speech expressed concern over the declining response of agricultural productivity to increased fertilizer usage in the country and proposed a shift to a nutrient based direct subsidy regime instead of the current product pricing regime to ensure balanced usage of chemical fertilizers. [1]

Member of Parliament from Wardha, Datta Meghe, delivered the key note address and demanded the government to give more support to dry land farmers. He also pointed out the need for subsidies for organic farming in dryland regions like Vidarbha. He promised that he will bring this to the attention of the Prime Minister and the Union Agriculture Minister and will also raise it in the coming winter session of the Parliament.

Out of 528 major districts in India, fertilizer consumption in 78 districts is over 200 kg/ha and in 15 districts, it is less than five kg/ha. The irrigated area, which accounts for 40 per cent of the total agricultural area, receives 60 per cent of the fertilizer applied.

Avinash Kakde, Chief Convenor, Kissan Adhikar Abhiyan criticized the present subsidy reforms of the Union Government citing the fact that the focus is again on the chemical fertilizers. He said, “Though government had been doling out thousands of crores in the name of subsidies to agriculture, rainfed regions like Vidarbha are deprived of the benefits of fertilizer subsidy as they cannot use chemical fertilizers due to paucity of water during most of the seasons. This historic anomaly can only be rectified by giving subsidies to organic manures that the dryland farmers use.”

Kissan Adhikar Abhiyan had earlier done a survey of 450 farmers from 41 villages of Wardha district. Ms Nuthan Malwi, an economist and the convenor of the Kissan Adhikar Abhiyan presented the results of the survey which showed that only 2% of the farmers surveyed knew about the existence of any kind of the subsidies to fertilizers. The survey also showed that, as dry land farmers, they used little or no chemical fertilizers. They wanted government support for cattle rearing so that it can act as a source of organic manure while providing them with a livelihood. They also wanted subsidies for all kinds of organic manures that they have been using.

“The farmers should be given the freedom to choose the mode of farming. The Government should just disperse the subsidy money to the farmers on a per acre basis. The subsidy should not be restricted only to chemical farmers, said Vijay Jawandhia of Shetkari Sanghatna.

Farmers at Vidharbha want subsidies on organic fertilizer

The consultation was moderated by a four member panel comprising of Ashok Bang, Atul Sharma, Dr Priti Joshi and Dyaneswar Dhage.

The public hearing at Wardha was the third of the public consultations that Greenpeace India has been doing since the time Union government had proposed reforms in the National fertilizer Subsidy policy “Greenpeace India has been organizing public consultations in dryland areas and in regions where farmers practice eco-friendly farming” said Gopikrishna, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India. “We hope that the Government would take note of the recommendation from these public hearings while deciding on policies that will determine the food security of the country and livelihood security of our farmers”. he added

After the public hearing the gathered farmers also created a formation in front of Bapu Kudi, where Mahatma Gandhi lived, to convey their demand to the Union Government The message read “Subsidies for organic Fertilisers Now!”

Notes to editor:
(1) Union Finance Minister’s budget speech can be accessed at http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2009-10/bs/speecha.htm (Refer para. 34 in this page for his statement on fertilizer subsidies)

For more information, contact:
Gopikrishna SR
Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner,
Greenpeace India
Mob: +91 9900897341

Avinash Kakde
Chief Convenor,
Kissan Adhikar Abhiyan, Wardha, Maharashtra
Mob: +91 9730216700

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