Dr Anil Kulkarni, an organic farm producer from Karad in Maharashtra, has warned that pesticides and chemicals used in farming may affect the health of the end-consumers and the farmers were not here to play with the lives of people but to make their lives better.
“We do not need fertilisers or pesticides. I have not used them since 15 years of agriculture,” said Dr Kulkarni while delivering Dr K U Naram Memorial Lecture on the occasion of World Food Day. Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India)-AFSTI and Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (ICT) jointly organised a function to observe World Food Day recently. Prominent people who participated included Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and Srinivasrao, ex-joint commissioner, FDA, vigilance, Greater Mumbai. On the occasion AFSTI Members took a pledge to not to waste food and encouraged others to take up the same and Dr Anil Kulkarni, an organic farm producer from Karad, Satara; participated in the session.
Dr Kulkarni regretted that our own traditional farming methods which offered a farmer to undertake farming in an organic way have been forgotten as our farmers were influenced by Western thoughts. They may not be bad, but we should do what is good for our society, he said.
In Dr Kulkarni’s opinion vermicompost was the best way. He has grown 10 feet high sugarcane with vermicompost applying organic techniques. He informed the gathering that he has designed a ’human plough,’ a mechanical device which enables to work 80% more with a single labourer on it.
Earlier, Dr Nutan Bhajekar, Director, Inora (Institute of Natural and Organic Agriculture), delivered Prof. A Sreenivasan Memorial Lecture on urban farming techniques. She said for urban farming free spaces in the house could be used which would supply pesticide-free vegetables and fruits.
Toppers in food technology institutes in the Mumbai region were felicitated at the function.