75% cultivable land toxin-hit: Experts

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 21

About 75 per cent of the cultivable land in the country has been adversely affected by excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Commissioner in the Union Ministry of Agriculture Dr JS Sandhu said 114 million hectares of cultivable land out of total 142 million hectares had high levels of toxins. Sandhu was speaking at a seminar on “Safer and judicious use of crop protection chemicals and application of green chemistry” here today.

He said stopping the use of pesticides was not possible. But high levels of chemicals had hit the presence of micro-nutrients in the soil, which in turn affected the human body. Keeping in view the importance of this sector in ensuring food and nutrition security, special attention should be paid to it, he added.

The seminar was organised jointly by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Minister of Agriculture, Punjab, Tota Singh stressed upon the need for the use of environment friendly agrochemicals in a sustainable manner. He called for closer linkage between the industry, academia and the farming community. He released “Knowledge and Strategy Paper” on various issues relating to the sector.

Dr Ram K Mudholkar, Chairman of the FICCI Crop Protection, Chemicals Sub-Committee, stressed on the importance of crop protection chemicals for ensuring food and nutrition security. He advocated for their sustainable use keeping in view the environmental aspect. He underlined the importance of research and development with due linkage among industry, farmers and academia. A large number of industrialists, farmers and policy-makers attended the seminar.

According to experts, India, with a population of 1.2 billion, requires a robust, modernised agriculture sector to ensure food security. Technical presentations were made and participants debated various issues concerning this sector.