The field day on Organic Farming was conducted under the chairmanship of Uruththirapuram Agriculture Instructor M.Mahilan at the field of farmer Mrs.T.Ranjitharani in Uruththirapuram North in Kilinochchi on 22nd March 2019 with the objective of promoting the concept of safe food to the people, creating market for the organic produce and sharing and disseminating appropriate technologies among other members of farming community.
Provincial Director of Agriculture for Northern Province S.Sivakumar participated in the field day as Chief Guest while Additional Director (Research) Regional Agriculture Research and Development Centre S.J.Arasakesari, District Director of Agriculture for Kilinochchi A.Selvarajah, Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture for Kilinochchi District P.Atputhachandran, Managing Director of Senroop International S.Shanmugasudaram participated therein as Special Guests. Grama Niladhari for Uruththirapuram Village M.Mohanappriyan, District Coordinator of Bramma Kumarikal Yoga Meditation Centre S.Bhavan, Subject Matter Officer (Horticulture) Mrs. Latha Janagan, and Agricultural Instructors participated therein and contributed for the success of the field day.
Members of Farmers’ Organizations, Members of Young Farmers Club, Members of Women Agriculture Society and Farmers participated therein with the greater degree of interest and enthusiasm and learnt about organic farming systems, organic fertilizers and Bio Pesticide preparation and its usage and issues encountered in Organic Farming.
Organic pesticide such as 3G Solution, Garlic Solution, Neem seeds, Neem seed extract & neem leaf extract, Organic Fertilizers such as Geevamirtham, Peejamirthum, Wormy Wash, Wormy Compost, Soil reclamation substance such as half burnt paddy husk and bio char which have been continuously prepared by the farmer and applied to the organic field for the cultivation were exhibited at the field day.
Farmer Mrs. T. Ranjitharani explained the preparation methods of bio pesticides and fertilizer and its usage. She has grown chilli crop in bags. She has paid more attention to the plants which were planted in bags and she has poured the water into the bag in small quantity on daily basis. Azola is produced in a tank filled with water. The water inside the tank, which is a rich source of nutrients, is sprayed to leafy vegetables.
A cattle farmer who is a participant of the field day shared his experience in feeding azola to his milking cow. It is essential to wash the Azola at least 4-5 times before feeding it since cow dung is applied to the water in the tank for Azola production. As result of feeding azola, his milk production has significantly increased.
At the end of field observation, guests highlighted the sudden increase reported on non-contagious diseases such as cancer; kidney disorders etc. and stressed the need for giving priority for transforming present inorganic farming system as Organic Farming System.
Provincial Director of Agriculture emphasized the importance of having multi perspective approaches in agricultural development which includes marketing of organic produce. He described about “Govipola” app and as to how farmers can be facilitated to enter the details of their organic produce therein for creating marketing linkage between farmers and buyers. Furthermore he described the need for introduction of Participatory Guarantee System for Organic Certification for enabling the farmers to get either higher or reasonable price for their organic produce in the market. He explained Good Agriculture Practices and its Certification System to ensure the quality of the agriculture produce.
It was highlighted that Farm Women Society has leased a land in this village and engaged the members in Organic Farming. The society divided entire land as many plots for cultivating different crops and assigned responsibilities to the members for working in the farm under the guidance and monitoring of Agriculture Instructor. The purpose of this social organic farming is to train the farm women in Organic Cultivation and facilitate them to engage in Organic Cultivation in their own land. Other objective of this social organic farm is to maintain the particular farm as a Model Organic Farm for attracting more and more people to Organic Farming and expand the Organic Cultivation in the particular village.
