Government of SikkimSikkim Organic

Mission

Date: 7th October, 2014 Venue: New Delhi

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Pawan Chamling, made a historic declaration in 2003, in the State Legislative Assembly to transform Sikkim in to a Totally Organic State.

This was the first key policy shift towards transforming Sikkim into an organic state.

SIKKIM HAS THE PRIDE OF BECOMING THE FIRST STATE OF INDIA TO DECLARE & ADOPT ORGANIC FARMING.

Historic Declaration

WHY ORGANIC IN SIKKIM

Totally hill topography with rain-fed farming.

Traditional farming systems were in practice.

Very low use of agro-chemical inputs.Majority of farmers are small and marginal.Soil rich in organic carbon.Rich in bio-diversity due to diverse of agro-

climatic condition.

Initial steps towards organic farming

May, 2003:- A concept paper and action plan entitled “Going for Organic Farming in Sikkim” is prepared.

Conducted capacity building programmes for all Officers and field functionaries.

September, 2003:- Constituted “Sikkim State Organic Board” Government adopted a seven year plan to wipe out the use of

chemical fertilizers and to gradually replace them with organic sources of plant nutrient.

Conducted massive awareness programme for panchyats, SHGs, Farmer’s Club and farmers.

Focussed approach was adopted to create the infrastructures and to mobilize resources.

Going ahead towards –Organic State. Continued…..

2004-05:- Promoted on farm organic manure production like, rural compost, vermi-compost, EM compost, bio-dynamic compost etc.

2007-08: Two units of State seed testing and processing unit established.

Centre of excellence for Organic Farming developed.

State soil testing laboratory established in all four districts to cater to the need of soil health assessment.

Going ahead towards –Organic State. Continued…..

Vermi compost hatchery units were established in Government farms.

Organic certification programme initiated through DST in 2900 ha covering 2135 farmers.

Organic certification programme initiated through KVK, FSADD in 260 ha covering 170 farmers.

2008-09:- Organic certification programme initiated through HCCDD in 3758 ha covering 3285 farmers.

Bio-fertilizer production unit established at Majitar. 2010-11:- Ginger processing unit established at Birdang

Farm, West Sikkim.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Sikkim Organic Mission - Launched

Stopped lifting of chemical fertilizer quota.

Entry of chemical inputs in the state restricted.

Grazing of Animals in the reserve forest banned to conserve natural resources

Banned on use of plastics bags.

Launched State Green Mission

Going towards Fully Organic State. Continued…..

17th & 18th March 2010:- National Level Workshop organised in the theme of “Vision for Holistic and Sustainable Organic Farming in Sikkim– The Future Thrust.”

July, 2010:- Road map for adoption of organic farming is prepared.

August, 2010:- Three Livelihood School started fuctioning to train the educated unemployment youth in collaboration with Morarka Foundation, Jaipur.

15th August, 2010:- Sikkim Organic Mission launched.

Objectives of the Mission

1. To promote Sikkim as an organic state.2. To outline measure to discourage use of

chemical inputs and gradually substitute with organic input.

3. To develop basic infrastructures and statutory development and to initiate actual organic farming in the state.

4. To create or develop markets for organic commodities along with evolvement of related strategies.

5. To formulate a state policy on organic farming

Going towards a fully organic state. Continued…..

November, 2010:- National level NIT floated in national news paper for ICS development and Certification. Subsequently, conversion and certification process started in the mission mode.

Chapters on Organic Farming included in the course curriculum of Class 5th standard in Government Schools.

Amended trade license act- The term “chemical inputs” is substituted by “inputs of organic origin”, thereby restricting sale of inorganic inputs.

Going towards a fully organic state. Continued…..

State Organic Policy and perspective five years plan is in place.

Packages & practices on Organic farming of important crops grown in the state has been developed in collaboration with ICAR, Sikkim Centre

The regulatory Act on organic farming is

under enactment.

SECOND MAJOR KEY POLICY DECISION

“With the objective of having an environmentally clean State for better life and healthy living, members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly unanimously resolved that State of Sikkim would be made an organic State which will be achieved within the targeted period as per Human Resource Development Plan.”

Second Policy Shift Towards Fully Organic State

The resolution No 4 of 2009 in the State Legislative Assembly

Monitoring Mechanism

State Level- Mission Chief Executive, Executive Director, Addl. Executive Directors – 2, and Joint Directors-2.

District Level- Joint Directors, HCCDD & FSADD.

Sub-Division Level-Dy. Directors, HCCDD & FSADD.

Block Level- ADO & HDO, HCCDD & FSADD.

GPU Level- AI, HI & VLWs, HCCDD & FSADD

Function of District Officers

1. To monitor and to ensure the conduction of 4 rounds of farmers training programe per ward per year by the Service Providers.

2. To verify the authenticity of entry made in farm diary.3. To verify the beneficiaries selected for input adoption

programme.4. To monitor the Construction of RC/VC units.5. To ensure 2 trainings to the beneficiaries on RC and 3

training to the beneficiaries of VC after completion of construction by the vendor.

6. To give feed back about the progress of Mission to the HQ.

Function of Service Providers

The role of Service Provider is to implement NPOP regulation for organic farming and certification in the systematic manner as given below:

1. Village meetings , awareness programmes and growers group formation.2. Baseline survey and GPS recording of each farm.3. Signing of agreement, on line registration of growers group and farmers.4. Maintenance of farm diary and internal inspection check list.5. Four round of farmers’ training programmes on production and

certification.6. Training to the field supervisors.7. Soil sample collection and submission to STL.8. Distribution of soil health card to the farmers.9. Rabi and Kharif internal inspection of individual farm.10. Uploading of crop summary in Trace-net.11. Facilitate Certification Agency for inspection and auditing.12. Review and resolve non compliance report given by external inspectors.13. Distribute Scope Certificate issued by Certification Agency

Function of certification agencies

The role of certification agency is to ensure the compliance of NPOP regulation and to issue scope certificate in a systematic manner as follows:1.Issues trace net login i.d. and pass word to access trace net.2.Receive application, scrutinize and register on line in trace net.3.Review and issue registration number to the growers group and to the farmers. 4.Guide Service Provider to comply NPOP.5.Review farm document submitted on line by Service providers.6.Conduct field inspection and auditing to ensure compliance of NPOP regulation.7.Submit inspection report to SOM.8.Issue scope certificate, characteristics of certificate and approved list of farmers.9.Issue transaction certificate.

1. 14 Service Providers (8 local NGO + 6 national NGO) are involved in ICS management and training.

2. 6 APEDA accredited Certification Agencies are involved in certification.

3. Organic farming practices is adopted by all farmers.

4. Activities of ICS for organic certification is in progress in all GPU.

5. Total 185 Organic Growers Groups are operating in the state.

6. Certification- 26,391.10 Ha farm land has attained organic status, 19216.1588 ha area is under IC-II status and 18096.6170 ha area is under IC-I status.

Present profile of certification in the State

CERTIFICATION AGENCY

Service providers No

National level NGOs (Morarka Foundation, IPL, ITS, ICCOA, Sresta Naturals, Sheel Bio-Tech.

6

Local NGOs ( Mevedir, Concede, Organic Sikkim, Amarjyoti, HVS, SSWYA, Teesta Tendong, SIMFED

8

Total 14

SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CERTIFICATION AGENCY INVOLVED

One Cert Asia, Eco-cert, Lacon Quality, SGS, IMO & Bio-cert. 6

Marketing initiatives

Sikkim has established an organic retail outlet at Greater Kailash, Delhi in the name of “SIKKIM ORGANIC”

25 local educated youth interested in agri-business trained at NIAM , Jaipur and they are operating organic stores at state capital.

SIMFED, and Denzong cooperative is operating organic outlet of vegetables in the state capital.

Farmers SHG has been allotted space for selling their organic produce in the state capital.

Challenges

• Lack of effective organic plant protection alternatives.

• Unavailability of organic seeds and planting materials.

• Lack of value addition/processing facilities.• Lack of marketing linkages. • Lack of research support on organic

farming system.• Sustainability of ICS for organic

certification after the with drawl of Govt. support is in question.