US scientist strikes a discordant note: ‘organic farming is the only way out’

Agriculture in Punjab is more like mining than agriculture. We are endlessly mining our soil and our water. But one thing is sure that we can not carry on like this for long. It scares me to see how low the water tables in my village have fallen,” said Dr Gill,who belongs to Dhudike village in Moga district,which incidentally is also the native village of the freedom fighter,Lala Lajpat Rai.

As a part of solution,Dr Gill says,“Use of chemicals has to be reduced and we should look at all options that can help us do just that. The extension services between university and farmers need to be strengthened so that there is some one on hand to tell the farmers when to spray and when not to.”

“Bio-transgenic crops too help reduce pesticide load and if we ignore them then we are ignoring a huge option. As far BT is concerned,it has been tested and retested and it has been proved to be safe,” he said.

Commenting on the recent report released by Punjab Farmers’ Commission which has given a thumbs down to organic farming,Dr Gill commented,“US is kind of coming back to organic farming. This idea that the yield in organic way of agriculture is lesser than chemical farming is false. My brothers in US grow grapes,while one grows them organically the other grows them by using chemicals and both get identical yields. It is just that the US stamps organic food as “organic” which then actually gets premium prices and at the same time helps improve soil health. The same can be done here in Punjab. What is needed is the government’s will.”

“The state government should ask the Centre to give it incentives to come out of this rice-wheat rotation. We need to sow legumes during summers just as we did in the past that helped us fix some nitrogen in our soils,” added Dr Gill.

Dr Gill added,“Breeding through nature is a long-term action,but it is the most important for it is from the natural strains that we have been able to get the crops that we sow and eat today. Wheat originated from Middle-East i.e from nations like Syria,Iran,Turkey and so on,just like mangoes came from South India and Rice from Mexico. It is in the Middle-East that we need to let the wild wheat grow and mutate and changing weather conditions will give us new strains that are conducive to changing climate. At the same time for short term solutions,the scientists can breed new varieties but nothing can happen without nature.”