Rajouri's Organic Revolution: How 50 Families Transformed Mountain Farming

With government support, small-scale mountain farmers in Mehra have transformed their hardships into prosperity by adopting organic vegetable farming to meet community demand.

Chief Agricultural Officer from Rajouri, Rajesh Verma, stated that the region is currently focusing on sustainable farming practices. The government is supporting natural farming through various schemes and has identified specific clusters to promote organic farming. Additionally, they are also providing training to farmers.

He further noted that as people become more health-conscious, the government is encouraging farmers to enhance their interest in organic production.

"Nowadays, we are focusing on sustainable farming.... to promote the concept of natural farming...we have schemes, at the same time, we have identified the clusters for organic farming... even for natural farming..under HADP, we have identified a components, and we are providing training regarding this..with people becoming health-conscious, a demand has been created...to fulfill the demand, the government department is further encouraging farmers to scale organic production...in the aspects of marketing, branding and value addition...the work is being done.." Verma told ANI.

Abid Hussain, a farmer from Mehra village, stated that approximately 50 houses in the village have embraced organic farming practices. Due to a lack of employment opportunities, many residents have turned to farming as their profession. "Due to no help provided regarding employment opportunities, the youth have turned to vegetable farming as their profession. We sell the vegetables, and earn our daily wages. Around 50 houses in the village have embraced organic farming," Hussain told ANI.

Safeena Kousar, a farmer from Nagrota, mentioned that people from various parts of the country, including cities, buy vegetables.

"Whenever we prepare desi vegetables, people come from faraway places, and even cities to buy these vegetables", around 3,000-4,000 worth of vegetables are sold," Kousar told ANI.

Rameez Ahmed, a farmer from Rajouri, stated that the village was once poor, but development is gradually taking place. However, he mentioned that issues regarding water and seed acquisition still persist.

"We used to traditional farming, now we have started with this (organic farming)...we grow all kinds of vegetables. Earlier, our village was poor, now development is slowly taking place, but the issues of water and another issue is of seed acquisition, as we buy seeds from Jammu," Ahmed told ANI.

Meanwhile, in the Rajouri border regions of Sunderbani and Nowshera, the Department of Agriculture is promoting 100% organic vegetable farming. Under the centrally sponsored schemes, the government is providing extensive support to farmers in these remote hilly border areas.

With government support, farmers can now grow a wide variety of vegetables using organic methods. For example, Hi-Tech Vermi-Compost units have been provided to farmers in the Sunderbani area. Additionally, Hi-Tech polyhouses for protected cultivation are being supplied to enable year-round vegetable growth, even during harsh winters. Many centrally sponsored schemes are funding these polyhouses, compost units, and awareness drives to support this initiative.

- ANI