Organic Farming and Gaushalas: The NITI Aayog Perspective

The report was made public by Prof Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture) of NITI Aayog.

• The report lays out strategies for enhancing the economic viability of gaushalas, tackling the issue of stray and abandoned cattle, and enabling the effective use of cow dung and cow urine in the agriculture and energy sectors.

Role of Gaushalas in Advancing Organic and Natural Farming:

• Over the past half-century, the disproportionate use of inorganic fertilizers and livestock manure has negatively impacted soil health, food quality, efficiency, the environment, and human health.
• To rectify this, the government is advocating for sustainable agriculture practices, including organic farming and natural farming.
• Gaushalas, or cow shelters, can contribute significantly to these efforts as many agricultural inputs are derived from cattle waste such as cow dung and cow urine. These can serve as plant nutrients and protectants, potentially replacing or reducing the need for agrochemicals.
• Gaushalas can foster a circular economy by recycling and reusing waste for other purposes, thus promoting waste-to-wealth initiatives.
• Gaushalas also uphold Article 48 which mandates the state to take measures for preserving and improving cattle breeds and preventing the slaughter of cows and calves, and other milch and draught cattle.
• Furthermore, gaushalas can help address the issue of stray cattle that pose a threat to crops in many regions of the country.

Key Takeaways from the Gaushala Report

1. Capitalizing on Gaushala Products: Cow dung, being the primary product of Gaushala, can be effectively utilized by setting up processing units like biogas plants. Value addition can be achieved by establishing proper marketing and certification channels for cow dung-based biofertilizers. Research into other useful products should also be encouraged.
2. Portal Development: The report proposes the creation of the Darpan portal of NITI Aayog for online registration of all Gaushalas.
3. Promotion of Biofertilizers: The subsidies provided for chemical fertilizers such as urea often deter farmers from exploring organic alternatives. Therefore, it is crucial to create a balance between the two to make organic fertilizers more appealing.
4. Integrating Natural Farming with Cow Economy: Gaushala can be effectively utilized by integrating the promotion of natural farming with the cow economy.

Conclusion: The Union Budget 2023 has also emphasized the importance of natural farming and the recommendations of this report will further enhance these efforts.