Green Farming Policy: The need of the hour for Arunachal

  • 30/10/2013

  • Sentinel (Guwahati)

ITANAGAR, October 30: “The time has dawned for Arunachal to set in motion a Green Farming Policy to build a prosperous, healthy and happy Arunachal. Only then can we ensure food and economic security for the farmers and a disease free younger generation in the coming decades,” declared C Jayakumar and R Sridhar, experts from ‘Thanal’, a reputed NGO from Kerala. The NGO is in the forefront of the national ‘Save Rice Campaign’ and poison–free Holistic agriculture during the last 15 years. “This is not a matter for just the government, the political leaders and farmers, but involves all doctors, engineers, teachers, students, traders and parents,” they said during a series of ongoing workshop on conservation of indigenous rice at Lohit and Dibang Valley districts, official sources said here today. The Thanal team led by Ushakumari, its Director and the National Co–ordinator of ‘Save Our Rice Campaign’, was conducting a series of workshops at Namsai, Sunpura and Roing during its five–day visit to Arunachal, aimed at sensitizing and mobilizing farmers and eco–activists, for taking lead to conserve the rich tradition of rice and food bio–diversity in Arunachal. A number of government officials, doctors, NGO activists, teachers, students and villagers, apart from agri–officials attended the workshops, organized jointly by the KhunTa Nau Welfare Society and Lohit Youth Libraries Network in Lohit and by RIWATCH, at Roing. An exhibition of indigenous rice varieties of Namsai, Wakro, Sunpura and Dibang Valley was an added attraction of the campaign, sources said. The Thanal has offered to extend and share their expertise to Arunachal in the coming months, sources added.