Organic Farming

  • Print

Excessive use of fertilizers (particularly in cotton production) in an attempt to increase yield has damaged and destroyed the soil's ability to produce sustainably. In areas where soil quality and produce sustainability has become an issue, MYKAPS has promoted the use of organic farming methods to return to a more sustainable, long term solution.

MYKAPS is been involved in three projects in the area of organic production.

  1. Mission Sunehra Kal Project assisted by ITC Ltd.
  2. Kabini Organics Project assisted by RABOBank Foundation, Netherlands
  3. Farmer’s Technology Transfer Fund Project assisted by NABARD

Mission Sunehra Kal Project

MYKAPS has supported farmers to move over to organic farming methods to create more sustainable farming practices. Crops produced organically include chillies, turmeric and coriander.

The project activities are;

  • Establishment of vermi compost units
  • Establishment of low cost vermi compost units
  • Construction of farm ponds
  • Digging of trench-cum-bunds
  • Raising of social forestry seedlings
  • Training on enterprise promotion
  • Promotion of micro enterprises
  • Training on organic farming

Kabini Organics

MYKAPS along with ETC India, is involved in setting up and supporting a Producer Company with the goal of producing organic cotton for marketing to  Europe, USA and Japan. The soil in the Kabini river area, which crosses H.D.Kote Taluk in Mysore District is very good for farming ELS cotton (Extra Long Staple) and the crop is also less likely to be destroyed by the wildlife in the surrounding National Parks. By establishing a farmer owned and managed Producer Company, Kabini Organics is able to remove several of the costs associated with cotton production (middle men, excessive costs of short term loans, irregularities associated with weighing cotton) and hopes to produce organic cotton, certified by IMO by the year 2011. Kabini Organics currently comprises about 600 farmers covering 1200 acres of land under organic cotton cultivation.

Farmers Technology Transfer Fund

To extend the area under organic farming to the neighboring taluk by transferring the technology, MYKAPS proposed FTTF project to NABARD in Hediyala village of Nanjangud Taluk which is covered under Village Development Plan* of NABARD.  The project is proposed to cover 175 farmers covering 350 acres of land @ 2 acres per farmer.  The intervention was started in January, 2010.