Confederation of NGO’s in Rural India (CNRI) and Agrochemical Policy Group (APG) announced today a unique initiative, called GYANDEEP in the state. Under this a series of orientation programs for farmers, agriculture field officers, pesticide dealers & distributors will be held. These sessions will update them with latest techniques in the usage of various pesticides. It will also aim to remove misconceptions about pesticides and fill-gaps in knowledge in right use of pesticides.

“Many farmers lack the knowledge of using crop protection chemicals safely and correctly. Project Gyandeep is an effort to educate the farmers about the right usage of pesticides and also about the regulation governing the safe storage and distribution of pesticides,” said Dr. M Srinivasa Reddy, President of AP Chapter for CNRI.

“In India, the entire process of agro-chemical approvals is perhaps more, stringent than the regulation for getting a new drug for human consumption approved,” informed S. Kumarasamy, chairman of APG. However, lack of right knowledge prevents their wide usage by farmers, thus resulting in colossal loss – both the farmers (who get entangled in the debt trap) and at the national level. “It is perhaps not known that in India we are losing around Rs. 1, 40,000 crore agriculture produce per year, due to non and inadequate use of pesticides. This is enough to feed one-fifth of the population of the country for one full year”, Kumarasamy added.

Since not much is happening in the area of government promoted schemes to encourage farmers to adopt safe use of pesticides, the crop protection industry has decided to take on this role through partnership with organizations like CNRI. “We firmly believe that the industry can only grow, if the farmers are prosperous, it is a mutually beneficial exercise”, observed Kumarasamy who heads APG, which is an organization set-up by the crop-protection industry to combat the forces that would like to keep Indian agriculture backward and un-remunerative.

Sharing the details of the activities of Project Gyandeep in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. M Srinivasa Reddy informed that 44 NGOs have selected around 20 villages each and around 50 to 60 farmers from each village was trained on safe use of pesticides. Approximately 30,000 farmers in AP have had the benefit of this project. This would go along way in carrying forward the concept of safe use of pesticides to a larger section of farming community. This would not only help them to reap good harvests but also help consumers to get quality food, at affordable prices. It will assume greater significance in export crops like grapes, mangoes and chillies, where the importing countries monitor closely, the level of pesticides residues.

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APG is an industry body that represents over 200 crop protection companies in India. It comprises of members from three associations: Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI), Crop Life India (CLI) and Pesticides Manufactures and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI). The objective of the group is to promote, propagate and provide support for the safe use of pesticides and create a positive public perception about pesticides, by highlighting their contributory role in agriculture and public health.

About CNRI

CNRI is an apex body of Non-Governmental organizations in Rural India with the specific objective of strengthening, co-ordination and facilitating integrated development of rural India and emerge as a think-tank as well as a consultative body at the national and international level. CNRI-AP chapter has around 800 NGOs and 1 Lakh Self Help Groups and 7 lakh agrarian persons.