Army men get tips on organic farming

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 10

Army personnel from Gorkha Regiment visited the Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm at Ramgarh in Dehradun today to get first-hand knowledge of organic farming.

Organic farming expert Dr RS Rawat spoke at length on the importance of organic farming for the betterment of the general health of people. He stressed the need to conserve indigenous seeds and apprised the gathering about the initiatives taken by Dr Vandana Shiva, Navdanaya founder, towards conserving indigenous seeds through the Beej Bachao Andolan.

Agriculture expert Pramod Kimothi said Navdanya had sent several truckloads of seeds to earthquake-devastated Nepal. Navdanya had helped in setting up 122 community seed banks across the country and trained over 5 lakh farmers.

Subedar AB Thapa, who led the 40-member team of Gorkha Regiment, said most of the Army men who had come to Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm were from the farmers' family and would be benefited from today’s visit.

Navdanya volunteers Dinesh Chandra Semwal, Chandrashekhar Bhatt, Priti Veerkar and Anugrah apprised the farmers about various facets of organic farming.