Vedic wisdom adds spice to organic pie

Apart from the land usage, the factor that will decide the country’s bid for the global organic produce market is the Swadeshi concept of organic farming, say experts. This, they claim, is ‘‘time-tested’’, and only requires an exercise in brand-building. At present, Indian export of organic produce yields less than Rs 90 crore annually.

Even as the Taskforce on Organic Farming gives bureaucrats in the Union Agriculture Ministry and APEDA a tough time for projecting low estimates of organic farming in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research suggests being selective about organic farming crops.

‘‘It is not true that organic farming decreases productivity. For instance, we tried growing sugarcane organically, and the yield increased by 25 per cent. Organic farming should focus on export-oriented crops,’’ said Gautam Kalloo, deputy director-general of ICAR.

Some 12 research institutes are working on Swadeshi organic farming under the aegis of the ICAR at present, focusing on ‘Vedic Krishi’, homa therapy, bio-dynamic practice, ‘Rishi Krishi’, homoeopathy, harnessing of cosmic energy, green manure, compost, cowdung and urine bio-fertilisers, vermicompost, vermi-wash and bio-agents and bio-pesticides.

The crops selected to meet the demands of premium organic food markets abroad are Basmati rice, select fruits and vegetables, soyabeans, cashewnuts, spices, medicinal herbs, tea and coffee.

‘‘Transgenic technology will not be allowed for crops selected for organic farming. Areas for commercial cultivation of transgenic crops and their field trial sites will be located away from organic farms to prevent pollen transfer,’’ said Kalloo.

So far as the experts are concerned, there’s no disharmony between ancient farming wisdom and the demands of the emerging export market. ‘‘Yagna is the science of purification of the atmosphere through the use of fire. The words havan and homa are synonymous with yagna,’’ says Vasant Paranjpe, international promoter of homa therapy in farming.

‘‘Homa replenishes the nutrients and corrects the chemical and molecular structures of bacteria that pollution removes and alters. It harmonises the pathological and nutritive structure of plants and acts as a catalyst to plant metabolism.’’

Former ICRISAT plant pathologist Y L Nene agrees that homa therapy — along with biodynamics, Rishi Krishi and vermitech — successfully marries Vedic wisdom with modern farming.

‘‘Rishi Krishi is a turning point in agriculture science,’’ says Dr Mohan Shankar Deshpande of Shri Samarath Agriculture Research Centre in Maharashtra. ‘‘It is based on Vedic literature and cosmic energy. The aim of Rishi Krishi is to keep the soil alive forever with the help of cosmic energy.”