RNBA Organizes Exposure Visit to Sikkim’s Organic Farms

Shillong, India: The Regional Network for Biodiversity and Agriculture (RNBA) recently conducted a joint exposure visit to Sikkim, India’s renowned organic state, under the Agricultural Producers’ Initiative (APPI) and Bread for the World project. The week-long visit, held from June 4th to 10th, 2018, brought together 21 male and 8 female representatives from 9 partner NGOs affiliated with both APPI and Brot.

The RNBA team explored various organic farming practices in different regions of Sikkim, including Sanganath, Rabong Sangmoo, and Kitam Manpur. Key activities observed during the visit included integrated farming, compost making, cultivation techniques, pest management, marketing, and value addition.

Sikkim’s commitment to organic farming was evident, with the state boasting a total of 32 Farmer’s Producer Organizations (FPOs). The state government’s ban on imported vegetables has provided a significant boost to local farmers and FPOs, offering them support through trainings, exposure trips, market platforms, and free machinery.

The primary objective of the exposure visit was to foster an exchange of experiences and best practices between participants. Despite the short duration, the team had the opportunity to explore cherry pepper plantations, cardamom plantations, local compost-making techniques, and lemon grass cultivation.