SHILLONG : In order to give more thrust to organic farming in the state, about 40,000 hectares of land in the state is being converted into organic certified land and some areas are in the second and third year of conversion.
Informing this, Commissioner and Secretary of Agriculture department, P Sampath maintained that the use of chemical fertiliser had degraded the soil quality which has prompted the government to push for organic way of farming in the state from the year 2014.
He was speaking at the World Soil Day under the theme, “Caring for the planet starts from the ground,” was celebrated on Tuesday at district and local research and laboratories organised by the office of the Research Officer, East Khasi Hills.
“This is an important direction, the shift that the state has taken and from 2014, the state government has been continuously promoting organic way of cultivation,” he said.
Stating that the department has been trying to give a push to the activities in agriculture and horticulture department, he said that that certain areas of intervention were identified in this regard.
Sampath stated that he has visited all blocks to learn what the farmers are doing and an immense learning experience for him to see the hardwork put in by farmers which he described as “strength of the state.”
Soil Health Cards were distributed to farmers by the Commissioner of Agriculture department, P Sampath.
