Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, (Ladakh) June 12: Under the chairmanship of CEC, LAHDC Jamyang Tsering Namgyal a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency (SSOCA), Sikkim and Department of Agriculture, LAHDC, Leh at CEC’s Office Chamber here, today.
On the occasion, CEC, JTN said that it is a historic moment to be written in golden words specially for the farmers of Leh district to commence the implementation of Ladakh Organic Mission in Leh which has been a long pending dream of Hill Council, Leh. He said that in the past few months, representatives from LAHDC, Leh have visited Sikkim to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of functioning of organic farming. It was followed by series of meetings in Leh with LAHDC members, district officers, scientists and local experts to have deliberations on making Leh district completely an organic region.
He expressed gratitude to representative of Sikkim Government, Sherab Latso Dorjey, Chief Executive Officer, SSOCA, Sikkim for her time and commitment and support of Sikkim Government in making Ladakh Organic Mission achievable.
JTN said that it is for the first time that Hill Council has framed a draft policy on making Leh district an organic region and the time to implement this policy in a shape of full-fledged project with the signing of the MoU with SSOCA, Sikkim for a time period of five years. He said that there will be exchange of ideas, knowledge, expertise and training between Sikkim and Leh in the coming years to complete the project by 2025 with the target to turn entire Leh district into organic farming.
Sherab Latso Dorjey appraised the meeting about the duties and functioning of SSOCA under Sikkim Government as a recognized agency in providing organic certification. She said that Ladakh having scattered areas with clustered villages has a potential to go for organic farming in a much easier way as compared to Sikkim. She said that Ladakh by default is organic and getting organic certification will benefit the local farmers to grow organic produce with low cost of cultivation, zero dependent on outside outputs like urea, fertilizers, seeds and a better opportunity to sell their organic produces outside Ladakh. She gave full assurance to help LAHDC, Leh in getting the organic certification and other support like capacity building and guidance in phase manner.
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