Tuesday, July 3, 2012

ORGANIC FARMING NEEDS SIMULTANEOUS REVOLUTION - PART I


There is a dangerous MYTH that is being proclaimed by many in the media, documentaries and many videos about Organic Farming without really looking at various factors that needs to be mandatory before one can really think to switch over from the dangerous chemical farming. Organic Farming needs multiple simultaneous REVOLUTION, yes, REVOLUTION to be a success. There are many farmers in the nation who have had success and there are many struggling while switching over to Organic Farming. It certainly is not as easy as one perceives it to be... there are many challenges, obstacles, continuous hard labour, perseverance, patience, lots of money to support self for years and above all, one needs a clear patch of land, one that is not surrounded by GMO crops cultivation. This series will discuss various factors that  are needed for a great success in Organic Farming in a very simple manner with a very clear cut simple solutions.

Organic Farming is just not about acquiring Pure Organic Seeds, which are cheaper as compared to the hybrid seeds... but they are not available everywhere these days. The first REVOLUTION that is needed is SAVING SEEDS IN THE OLD TRADITIONAL MANNER: 


In the not so very olden days, when the modern greedy corporate companies had not invaded the agriculture sector in a big way, farmers used to save seeds from their crops in a traditional effective manner. They not only worked hard but also saved their initial investment by saving the seeds for the next sowing free of cost. In the Modern World, the growth of Seeds manufacturing companies have made the farmers lazy... because seeds were easily available in the market for a price. And with huge money spent by these companies on advertising their seeds guarantee 100%, the farmers were lured to be cheated in the long run, while losing their hard earned money. The farmers, forgot that these seeds manufacturing companies are actually exploiting their human nature and very cunningly extracting their hard earned savings, thereby increasing their initial investment. While the farmers experienced a little comfort from seeds saving activities for a price, they didn’t realize in the long run, it is their loss while the companies were making their moolah! It was a very clever ploy of the government to help the corporate companies to start manufacturing seeds on a large scale to exploit the market and make more money. Unless and until, this age-old traditional is revived among the farmers once again, Organic Seeds will not be available in large quantities for the farmers, who wish to restart Organic Farming once again.

Once the seeds are saved, one needs a GOOD CATTLE BANK for Organic Manure – the most effective is the Cow Dung with multiple qualities and benefits, which the farmers get free of cost, thereby reducing their initial investment. The second REVOLUTION that is needed to switch over to Organic Farming is INCREASING THE CATTLE BANK:


Earlier, 99 % of the farmers in the nation used to have at least two bullocks, and a cow... while the bullocks were used to plough the fields and used to pull bullock-carts, the cow would provide milk for the family. The farmers were happy about these simple arrangement and loved their cattle to take good care of them from early morning till midnight. Milk from the cow provided the farmers’ families with their morning tea, milk for the children, curd and ghee for the family to live in a healthy manner. Apart from health benefits, the cattle provided ample cow dung and cow urine, which were used in fields as manure, cow dung cakes were used as fuel and even the cow dung mixed with water were and are still being used to put a clean layer in their courtyard and flooring to prevent mosquitoes in the houses. Simple lifestyle but how healthy the earlier farmers used to live. 

But... the modern inventions of tractors and other machinery instead of really benefitting the majority of the farmers’ community, in fact, has made the community lazy while once again extracting their hard earned savings to increase their initial investment. No wonder, these modern machinery have its advantages for the big farmers, who had and have large farms in acres and acres... but majority of the farmers in the nation are marginal, who own two acres or a little more... they either had to hire bullocks to plough their fields or borrow tractors for a price or else had and have to take loan to buy one... having tractor means, one has to buy fuel, another increase in their initial investment. While the corporate companies made their billions, the poor farmers became lazy to take care of their cattle... modern inventions provided comforts but sucked the blood of the hard earned money of the farmers’ community. Today, 99 % of the farmers don’t even have cattle... those who have, are much better off. Unless and until a REVOLUTION to increase CATTLE BANK is made in a big way all across the nation, from where will the farmers bring Organic Manure for their farms? No one really thinks about this serious aspect... farmers have to take the initiative once again to start loving and taking good care of their cattle instead of shedding their existing cattle to use the modern machinery for a price. More cattle means more milk and more cow dung... it is a win-win situation like the olden days...


... to be continued...

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