Organic farming

Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh is gearing up to transition fully to organic farming.

• About: Over 10,000 farmers from 110 villages have received organic certification under the Large Area Certification (LAC) scheme in 2023-24.
• LAC scheme is a Union government initiative launched in 2020-21 to certify large contiguous areas that have been traditionally organic.
• Chhattisgarh is the first state to have an area certified under LAC.
• About Organic Farming in Dantewada (Case Study): Farmers like Channu Kunjam from Aalnar village practice organic farming using dried leaves and cow dung.

o Jeevamrit, an organic fertilizer made from cow dung, urine, jaggery, gram flour, and soil, is widely used. Farmers like Rita Modiyam from Masoodi village have increased productivity using Jeevamrit.

• Initiatives for Organic Farming Expansion: System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was introduced to improve crop yield and soil quality.

o Mocho Badi scheme, supported by NMDC, provided fencing, solar pumps, and tools, increasing farmers' incomes by 600%.