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About Organic Farming
We are excited to tell you that this project has been transformed from a small farmers’ marketing project to a major one on Organic Farming! Please read and then Donate generously!
The project leader will still continue helping with farmers markets and getting the word out about Pagri activities.
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Pagri Faridkot Project Visit and Action Items
Our Secretary Harinder Lamba visited Faridkot March 7-8, 2023 and was hosted by Balwinder Singh. Gurlal Singhji drove us around – thanks! Here are the action items and description of the visit. Faridkot – Action Items 1. Help 2-5 farmers with Desi chickens for selling “Free-Ranging Desi Chicken Eggs”, together with chicken coop (shed) and enclosure to protect from stray dogs (all visited during trip). Broilers are a very sad story and even one farmer who is rearing them, wants to desperately get out of raising them (these chicks were all sickly and expenses very high). Desi chicks may be procured from PAU at a discount. For each farmer that is helped we will need to know their annual farm income so that we can compare it with their income after we help them. Also, Balwinder will need to begin providing regular reports that can be posted on website and on Dasvandh website. 2. Gurmail Bhullar – NRI from Norway, Moga district – wants to do Integrated Farming on 1 acre (NO COST TO US – need Balwinder to spend a little time to guide – receives same chickens as Item 1 – he should be able to afford these on his own) 3. Fruit trees – 2-3 farmers to begin with – consider our Gurdaspur expert as supplier also (see below), or procure them from PAU at a discount. 4. Demonstration plots: a. Help Gurlal Singh (1.5 acres) to develop full Integrated Model – he is fully willing. b. Jasmeet Singh (owner of Implement business with turnover of Rs. 5 crore) is willing to have his 4 kanal farm near his house used as demonstration plot and integrated farming model (NO COST TO US – Balwinder is already helping him and would need to spend time) 5. Marketing Stands: a. In summer heat they need a shade protected stand in middle of Faridkot town near their current stand on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 4:30 pm b. A marketing stand at corner of two roads right next to farm of Gurlal Singh – major traffic here – this will help our areas farmers including Sukhwinderpal Singh who is nearby 6. Get help for about 40 Bee Keeping farmers for their honey processing (see below). We met with two farmers, one with 250 boxes and one with 120 boxesOVERALL DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT – WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?
About Organic Farming
Many decades of “Green Revolution” agriculture have left Punjab with high levels of the use of water, chemical herbicides and pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and decreasing soil fertility, besides having a negative effect on economic and social welfare. So the time has come for gradual transitions to organic farming that begins to reduce these negative effects, while helping consumers overcome the negative health effects of cancer causing chemicals. Also, as of now, there is no direct support for organic farming from the government.
SO WHAT IS PAGRI DOING?
That is why PAGRI is transitioning this project to one that provides, “Education and help to farmers to transition to organic farming” in the Faridkot district of Punjab. For this we have been fortunate to find a very capable, motivated, sincere and active person in Balwinder Singh, who has good knowledge of organic agriculture, to educate and encourage farmers and educate consumers.
OUR APPROACH
Balwinderji will begin talking to farmers who have already started organic farming, conduct meetings, visit farmers to develop information and a database about them and encourage them to grow to a group of about 50 genuine farmers in the next 6 months. While he is doing this, he will be demonstrating to them and educating them about the right ways to do organic farming.
He has started to put together a training program to educate farmers about soil health, weed management, irrigation and water management, pest control, sale and marketing. Farmers markets, as were there at the start of this project will be used to disseminate information to farmers and while spreading the word about PAGRI support and activities, and most importantly, to help farmers increase their incomes, and educate consumers about the medical health benefits of organic produce so that they are willing to pay a premium, as happens in the USA.
WINTER IS A GOOD TIME TO TRY TECHNIQUES
For a number of reasons, the winter months are more favourable for organic farming. Hence, PAGRI and Balwinderji will cooperate to encourage some farmers to demonstrate to other farmers, the benefits of organic farming by devoting some of their land to organic practices. Then in the winter months and in spring, these “demonstration plots” will be used to convince other farmers to undertake such practices in the next growing season.
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