Sikkim Become India;s First Official Organic State

Sikkim is the first fully organic state of India. Believe it or not, the landlocked state in Eastern India has done what many other states could not. Sikkim is now a completely organic state officially. Though the state attained the status in December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the official announcement during his maiden visit to the state of Sikkim.

Sikkim is a landlocked state nestled in Himalayas with no train or commercial flight connectivity till date. But Sikkim managed to succeed in its mission overcoming all the obstacles. Around 12 years ago, in 2003, the then government took this decision through a declaration in the legislative assembly. And the journey began. Over the years around 75000 hectares of land has been converted into certified organic farms following the guidelines as prescribed by National Programme for Organic Production. However it had struggles. Though sikkimese farmers never depended on chemicals heavily but there was the use of synthetic fertilizers. It was when the state banned its use that the farmers were compelled to go the organic way. Organic cultivation doesn't involve the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and thus helps to maintain a harmonious balance among the various complex ecosystems. Also it has improved the quality of the soil which further improves the standards of the crops produced there. Within 1.24 million tones of organic production in the country around 80,000 million is supplied by Sikkim alone.

As an entirely organic it can now boast of being a state where the tourists can savor fresh organic vegetables in the heart of Himalaya. Sustainable farming goes a step ahead as it provides environmental protection, bio diversity conservation and better agricultural products. It also lowers down pollution thus maintaining the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan state.

Bestowed with varied agro-climatic conditions, some of the major crops produced in Sikkim are cardamom, ginger, turmeric, off-season vegetables, flowers, Sikkim mandarin, kiwi, buck wheat, paddy maize and millets.

Setting an example for the entire nation,Sikkim now join hands with the organic states of the foreign countries like California, Wisconsin among others. Several other parts of India now also inspire the same and working hard to achieve the status. Leading the race is Kerala followed by Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.