Being an organic State: how Sikkim frames its farming policy

Background

The Food Security and Agriculture Development Department of Sikkim states that agriculture is still the main stay of rural population of Sikkim. Due to adverse geographical location and difficult terrain, the expansion of area under cultivation is limited. The challenge is two-fold, very low per-capita availability of land and decreasing trend of farmers working on farms. For Sikkim, the best agriculture system is sustainable agriculture, which is economically viable for the individual farmer and also environmentally friendly. Being an organic State, the Department is propagating and advocating farmers to adopt new and modern technology of organic farming system to sustain production and certification process in identified areas. The policies and programmes on organic farming envisage making Sikkim a Model Organic State. The Department has formulated a plan programme to curtail the percentage of food grain deficit. Maximum thrust is being given in increasing the productivity of various crops through proper crop management in organic system of farming, extension of irrigation facilities farm mechanization, value addition and post-harvest management.