CANACONA
Regional Director of the Regional Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (RCONF), Bengaluru, VK Verma, emphasised that Goa, being a small state, could be a model for organic and natural farming.
Speaking at a one-day workshop at Lata Mangeshkar Kalangan, Verma warned of the consequences of continuing reliance on chemical fertilisers.
He explained that their excessive use depletes the soil, rendering it infertile and unable to sustain cultivation.
“Fields have decreased, but hospitals have increased,” Verma remarked. He stressed that hybrid farming methods, though aimed at boosting production, harm both human health and soil vitality.
“What we sow, we get. Heavily using chemicals not only impacts our health but also makes fields entirely dependent on fertilisers to produce yields.”
Verma highlighted the lack of quality in today’s food despite its abundance.
He underscored the importance of using natural manures to maintain the soil’s living organisms, likening soil to a ventilator that must be kept alive.
“Chemical usage has become irreversible and poses a severe threat to health and the environment. Organic farming is the way forward for sustainable and nutritious food production,” he said, urging people to choose organic food for a healthier lifestyle.
Farmers from Sanguem, Quepem, and Canacona attended the workshop themed “Jaivik Kheti”.
A resource person demonstrated through a presentation the harmful effects of hybrid farming and the benefits of organic methods.
The workshop began with the traditional lighting of the lamp by Chief Guest CMC Chairperson Sara Shamba Naik Desai, accompanied by RCONF Regional Director V.K. Verma, Director of Agriculture Sandeep Phaldessai, Deputy Director Kishore Bhavi, and Assistant Directors Nagesh Komarpant and Sangeeta Velip.
Other speakers highlighted that organic food tastes better than chemically produced fast food and warned of future food shortages if chemical farming continues.
Director Phaldessai noted that Goan farmers are naturally inclined toward organic farming, but many have shifted to chemical-based practices.
“With small-scale farming in Goa, reverting to natural farming practices is both feasible and beneficial,” he concluded.
