The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has decided to set up the National Organic Farming Research Institute in Sikkim. The decision to this effect was taken by the Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh and Sikkim Agriculture Minister Som Nath Paudyal in New Delhi.

The institute will be established by upgrading the existing Regional Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Gangtok. The setting up of the institute is of primary importance for Sikkim as it was declared as the first organic farming State in the country in January 2016 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 Some Facts about Organic Farming 

• Organic food is food that has been grown or processed without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.
• Studies have shown that pesticide levels in children’s urine were significantly lower if they ate organic diets.
• When farmers spray pesticides, this can leave residue on produce. Organic farmers use insect traps, careful crop selection (disease-resistant varieties), predator insects or beneficial microorganisms instead to control crop-damaging pests.