Nayagarh: In a development that holds serious danger for agriculture in future, soil of over 85 per cent farmlands in this district has turned acidic due to mindless application of fertilisers by farmers without conducting proper soil tests.
However, many farmers aware of such problem have started organic farming in the district. According to reports, if it goes unchecked, all the farmlands in this district may soon turn acidic.
This will render the farmlands unfit for cultivation, as acidic soil prevents proper growth of crops. It has also pushed the biodiversity in the area into danger.
The Centre has implemented the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana from the 2017-18 fiscal with the aim of promoting cluster-based conversion and development of conventional farms into organic farms.
It is part of the Soil Health Management Scheme under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture. Reports said that increase in the acid content of the soil has led to a decline in crop harvest.
Reports of the Agriculture department show that 907 farmers in Ranpur block and 300 farmers in Odagaon block had undertaken organic farming in 1,500 acres and 500 acres respectively in the 2017- 18 financial year.
Similarly, 440 farmers in Ranpur and 173 farmers in Odagaon had taken up organic farming in 770 acres and 300 acres respectively in 2018-19. In 2019-20, 623 farmers had taken up cultivation on 100 acres in Ranpur.
A farmer, Padmanabh Prusty of Godipada, said that farmers should first conduct soil tests before applying fertilisers. However, most of the farmers are unaware of soil tests.
A scientist of local Krishi Vigyan Kendra said that plants fail to prepare their food from the acidic soil if it contains more nitrogen, phosphorous, potash and calcium. Bijay Pradhan, chief district agriculture officer, said farmers are being sensitised in this regard.
PNN
