The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Meghalaya State Organic Farming Policy.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the policy seeks to give a complete structure on how to move forward in terms of the organic mission and in terms of organic farming in the state.
He said the policy will also ensure that certification is something that people will not have to go too far.
“The Bio Resources Development Centre is already empanelled to give the organic certification and many other state organizations will also then be empanelled.”
According to him, the policy will also ensure setting up of outlets and consumption centres where people can go and buy the organic food.
Asked, the chief minister said there is need to balance things out as it is not simple to say “today we are using fertilizers and tomorrow we just stop it and we are just going to shift to organic farming in one go.”
Stating that everything has to be in a transition format, he said therefore, the livelihood of people especially in the vegetable growing section, we have seen that chemical fertilizers are still being used and it is required in some areas and it is taking time for the organic fertilizers to really have that kind of impact.”
“So yes if you are saying we are going to simply shift to organic tomorrow that is not going to happen, it takes time, it is a process, we need to continue to ensure that the people are taken on board, we need to ensure that people are given the options and are given the alternative to move forward,” he added.