PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Residents of Gorada village in Gummalaxmipuram mandal have passed a resolution to eliminate chemical fertilisers and pesticides from farming, with several farmers taking an oath to adopt 100% natural farming.
In the presence of representatives of the AP Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (AP-RySS) and local NGO Jattu Trust, several farmers pledged to abandon chemical fertilisers. Four farmers who had purchased urea dumped it and dissolved it with water as a symbolic reaffirmation of their commitment to natural farming.
The government introduced Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in 2016 in collaboration with Union government. Natural farming helps conserve resources reduce production costs and minimise climate-related risks for farmers.
The district administration initially started natural farming at Kondabariki village with 3,161 farmers across 50 villages in the erstwhile Vizianagaram district under the aegis of AP-RySS. The initiative gained momentum in tribal villages and has since reached 242 villages, including 93 bio-villages, covering 65,000 acres and involving more than 55,000 farmers within a short period.
However, several farmers have continued to use fertilisers and pesticides over the past few years to increase yields. AP-RySS, in collaboration with Jattu Trust, has revitalised its ‘Bio-Village’ campaign, a movement originally launched in 2018 at Kondabaridi village, to reverse this trend in the newly carved Parvathipuram-Manyam district.
As part of the campaign, representatives of AP-RySS and Jattu Trust formed village-level bio-committees comprising women’s SHGs), farmers and youth to rebuild the momentum. They have been organising gram sabhas and creating awareness through traditional arts over the past few days.
The campaign has prompted several border hamlets, including Mooliguda and Gorada, to adopt natural farming practices. At a recent gram sabha, four farmers who had purchased urea pledged to stop using synthetic inputs, publicly dissolved the fertiliser and joined villagers in preparing Jeevamrutham as an alternative.
Speaking to TNIE, Bio-Village coordinator P Uma Maheshwari said, “The inputs expenditure very low in natural farming as they need not purchase any pesticides and fertilizers. They can get good income with less expenditure. They are helping nature indirectly in enhancing the fertility of the soil by using natural and organic manure instead of dangerous fertilisers.
Therefore, we have been conducting grama sabha and is creating awareness on the nature farming. We have been receiving good response for our “Bio-Village” campaign. Several farmer came forward to eliminate fertiliser use. As a part of this, the Gorada village residents passed a resolution to not to use fertilisers and pesticides. I hope this will help in making bio villages in Manyam district.”