Though ‘World Soil Day’ is observed across the globe on December 5, Manipur undertook almost a month long endeavour in an effort to facilitate farmers to be the solution to soil pollution.
Green Foundation, an Imphal based social enterprise on sustainable development through peaceful co-existence, being an official partner of the Global Soil Partnership by the Global Soil Partnership Secretariat, CBL – Land and Water Division Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, observed the event from December 5 to 31, 2018.
The programme included educating the farmers, introducing them to necessary resources and distributing necessary resources.
The programme was observed under the theme, ‘Be the solution to soil pollution’ at various places in different capacities by different organizations.
Green Foundation distributed more than two metric tons of bio-fertilizers to the needy farmers as part of promoting organic farming for a sustainable agriculture in the region as also to help in achieving the sustainable development goals.
The concluding programme of the month long observation was organised by Awangkhunou Organic Farmers Club (AOFC) and the Green Foundation in cooperation with the Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New Delhi at Awangkhunou Maning Leikai community hall on Monday.
Officer in charge, Dr D S Yadav of Regional Centre of Organic Farming, Langol road in Imphal, Zilla Parishad member N Pramo Devi of AwangKhunou village,ex-pradhan Kh Ibobi Singh of Awangkhunou gram panchayat, chief executive officer U Himmat of the Green Foundation and village elders attended the concluding session.
Dr Yadav delivered a lecture on soil microbiology while Dr N Surbala of Central Agricultural University shared issues relating to soil health management.
Many members of AOFC along with farmers of Awangkhunou village which has a good number of farmers’ population and most of them engaged in conventional farming activities took part in the concluding session cum interaction on organic farming and its prospects in the long run for building a healthy society by producing nutritional agricultural produce for the sports loving population.