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Skip Navigation Links Skip Navigation Links IMPACT OF GREEN REVOLUTION It is evident that State of Punjab is pioneer in bringing green revolution in India. Today, Punjab is producing highest amount of wheat and paddy for whole nation. But from last decade Punjab is facing adverse impacts of this green revoltution and highly chemicalised, mechanised and resource intensive agriculture. Punjab is paying ecological , environmental, social, cultural and economical cost of revolution. The fact behind is that man has acquired the habit of playing with nature in order to exploit it for his selfish ends, forgetting that for a healthy and sustainable life there has to be interdependence with nature and not its exploitation. In his greed he is ready, guided by his short term vision, to squeeze out all that is given by mother earth, all its resources and all its riches. Unfortunately he has only the illusion that he has succeeded- he closes his eyes to the fact that instead of gaining he is actually in the process of paying a very heavy price. Skip Navigation Links WATER

The ground water table in the past 20 years has recorded analarming decrease from 15 feet to 100-150 feet or even more. Ruthless over exploitation of this precious life giving resources has lead to this situation. Over use of these resources cannot be avoided in mechanised , chemicalised and industrialized agriculture. The severioty of this situation can be guessed by the fact that 11 development blocks in Punjab have been declared as Dark Zones and further 72 blocks have been declared Over-exploited Zones. Secondly, use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides has lead to the pollution of water resources of Punjab. Theground water of Punjab contaminated with nitrates, chromium and salinium.

 

Due to contamination the topsoil is also sick, with severe deficiency of micronutrients.Due to decreasing carbon content the soil is losing its water and nutrients holding capacity. Organic matter such as bacteria and fungi cannot thrive and earthworms are dying. These primitive life forms are essential to sustain the health of the soil. The selenium levels in Punjab are in a range that it is crossing the toxic limits SOIL DEPLETION

ECONOMIC VIABILITY

 

Intensive use of pesticides and fertilisers has also gradually increased the cost of production. Farmers are forced to increase the doses of fertiliser and pesticides to maintain the previous level of productivity. The fertiliser consumption has increased from 0.52 Kg/ha during 1950-51 to 94.72 Kg/ha during 1999-2000. With the rise in prices of inputs the cost of cultivation has gone up enormously. To cope with the increased expenditure on production, farmers of Punjab are compelled to take more and more loans . The tragic string of recent suicides by the farmers has its genesis in the policies initiated decades ago. punjab is known for its agricultural prosperity but suicidesby these farmers has left a big question mark on this so called prosperity.

Intensive use of pesticides and fertilisers has also gradually increased the cost of production. Farmers are forced to increase the doses of fertiliser and pesticides to maintain the previous level of productivity. The fertiliser consumption has increased from 0.52 Kg/ha during 1950-51 to 94.72 Kg/ha during 1999-2000. With the rise in prices of inputs the cost of cultivation has gone up enormously. To cope with the increased expenditure on production, farmers of Punjab are compelled to take more and more loans . The tragic string of recent suicides by the farmers has its genesis in the policies initiated decades ago. punjab is known for its agricultural prosperity but suicidesby these farmers has left a big question mark on this so called prosperity.

The Only Solution : Go Back To Nature

The only long term solution for sustaining our coming generations and to protect the nature from the ill effects of these chemicals is to alter our agricultural activities to a more eco-friendly, pro-nature practices. Kheti Virasat is working with the objective of propagating and publicizing this basic vision of sustainable agriculture, availability of water resources resulting from its conservation, sustainable development and eco-friendly life systems. Through its multi dimensional activities.

We inherited our healthy natural resources from our forefathers but, what will we leave behind for our future generations ?

Development of a 5 acre farm to demonstrate and to train farmers in various techniques of organic farming at Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Development at Nabha, Punjab.

Kheti Virasat had organised about 40 training camps all over Punjab to train farmers about the practical concepts of organic farming in different villages.

Kheti Virasat had organised 3 workshops and 2 seminars for medicos and agricultural scientists to sensitize them on the issue of ill effects of pesticides on human health, livestock and environment.

Development of study circles among farmers and students to spread the knowledge of organic farming and traditional methods of farming.

Kheti Virasat has provided technical assisstance to the farmers for construction of structures for NADEP composting for organic manure in the adjoining villages of Tanda toen of Hoshiarpur district.