B K Save's recommendations on farming policy in India.

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Suggestions/Recommendations of Sri B K Save as written to Sri M S Swaminathan. --------- (courtesy GM Watch) Bhaskar Save,'Kalpavruksha', Vill. Dehri, Via Umergam,Dist Valsad, Gujarat.(Ph: 0260 – 2563866, 2562126)Shri M.S. Swaminathan,Chairperson, National Commission on Farmers,Union Ministry of Agriculture,New DelhiOctober 9, 2006 (1) The major thrust of our national policy should be to ensure the water security and food security of India through organically growing mixed, locally suitable crops, plants, and particularly trees, following the laws of Nature. 2) The Government should provide all necessary encouragement and support to the farmers presently using chemicals, for converting at least 20-25%

of their land each year to a 100% organic path without any chemicals whatsoever. It is thus possible for India to be wholly (and happily) liberated from the poisonous agro-chemicals in about 4-5 years. 3) We should restore (organically) at least 30% ground cover of mixed, indigenous and locally adapted trees and forests, preferably within the next decade, especially on sloping lands prone to soil erosion. This is the core task of ecological water harvesting – the key to restoring the natural abundance of groundwater. Outstanding benefits can be achieved thereby in the shortest possible time at minimal cost. Such decentralized underground storage is more efficient, as it is protected from the high evaporation of surface storage. The planting of trees will also make available a variety of useful produce to enhance the welfare of a larger number of people. By inter-planting short life-span, medium life-span, and

long life-span crops and trees, it is possible to have planned continuity of food yield to sustain a farmer through the transition period till the long-life fruit trees mature and yield. The higher availability of biomass and complete ground cover round the year will also hasten the regeneration of soil fertility. 4) A policy of conservative irrigation must be strictly followed, according highest priority of allocation to nutritious food crops. Indeed, most crops grow best when the soil is just damp, enabling continuity of soil aeration. A high water consumption field crop like rice is a rare exception, which should be cultivated only in the monsoon, when it is a logical choice for growing in low-lying flat areas, prone to inundation. The unseasonal cultivation of rice with irrigation in dry months should be totally stopped, or at least phased out within the next five years. Growing of sugarcane in water

scarcity areas must be banned, as also in poorly drained soils and dry climates with a high rate of evaporation. By this policy, at least 60% of our irrigation waters can be saved for local priority use. The irreversible ruination of fertile, agricultural lands through soil salinisation and water-logging will also stop. 5) High priority is needed to conserve in their decentralized natural habitats – and within the control of local farmers – the enormous wealth of our biodiversity, both of crops and uncultivated species. 6) Similarly, we urgently need to document from experienced organic farmers the depth of traditional farming knowledge specific to each bioregion and agro-climatic zone. 7) No unnatural biotechnological interventions whatsoever are needed. These, particularly genetically tampered species, may prove even more dangerous to our food sovereignty than have the

chemicals. 8) Soil erosion needs to be checked on a war footing. Official records inform that presently over 350 million acres of land are seriously affected by soil erosion caused by rain and wind. The most effective and productive strategy of checking such erosion is by establishing ground cover vegetation, particularly perennials. 9) All crop residues and 'bio-wastes' must go back to the land to replenish its fertility. The drain of organic matter from our soils must stop. 10) Science can be harnessed to provide farmers with good, manual tools and implements, which can greatly help to increase work efficiency and reduce the toil. Continuous feedback should be obtained from farmers on what they find helpful. 11) Local farmer-level exchanges of experiences, skills and seeds should be encouraged and supported by the government. Again, the farmers themselves are the

best judges of what support, if any, they need. 12) Urban areas should be encouraged to vermi-compost their kitchen wastes and grow organic, rooftop vegetable gardens. Additionally, urban educational institutes should facilitate practical understanding and work experience related to the regeneration of our natural wealth. For this purpose, academic leave may be granted for spending at least 15 days every year in the countryside. Schools in rural areas should preferably have monsoon vacations for about 45 days, starting a week before the rains – to enable the rural populace to concentrate on farming and planting work, which cannot be undertaken the rest of the year. "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." -

Aurobindo.

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