World War 2 left behind huge surpluses of bomb ingredients. After the war, these ingredients were then repurposed as ‘fertilisers’ for the agriculture industry.

◊ By Harpal Singh Grewal

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Bombs and food. No two things could be further apart. Right?

Wrong.

It all started in Germany after the Second World War. The main ingredient used in bombs is ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate is also the main component in fertilisers that are used on agricultural land.

Disregarding the basic principles of food and purity of crops free from any kind of contamination, the respective governments of the world were impressed upon to use leftover ammonium nitrate (given the new term ‘fertilisers’) from the war without evaluating their residual long-term ill effects on living organisms (including humans), and without proving their efficacy or suitability.

Because of their crop-boosting capacity, ‘fertilisers’ continued to be used well after the war and are used prolifically till date.

The question arises: Didn’t some scientists or thinkers oppose this use of explosives in the name of fertilisers? The answer is yes. This move was opposed by the English botanist, Sir Albert Howard, but the chemical industry would not easily forfeit a newfound lucrative business such as this.

Thus, the benefit of the Second World War was harvested by the explosives-making chemical industry, whose very deep pockets have lured brainless, moralless and corrupt scientists and politicians into pushing their agenda ever since.

This has resulted in the sick population of all living organisms, and has contributed to soil damage and climate change. This process also gave birth to the greatest of all corruptions, ie, intellectual corruption.

Liebig later submitted an apology, owing to the findings and objections of Sir Albert Howard, but the incident was omitted from the Encylcopaedia Britannica. Consequently, we are at the verge of a great catastrophic environmental situation due to the prolific and long term use of chemicals on our soil.

At the same time, when the fertilisers were being propagated, there were a few groups which believed in what Sir Howard was saying, because the world had always believed that you are what you eat.

The first reform group emerged and spread in Germany, and slowly across the whole of Europe. Then, the first working group on organic agriculture, AGOL, was formed. Ultimately it was converted into IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), which carries the organic spirit forward today.

The Austrian scientist, Rudolf Steiner, learned in Haridwar about the Vedic Panchang, which is followed in India till date. Steiner gave four lectures on the subject, which constitute the Biodynamic Farming of today. Panchang are calculations based on celestial movements.

No agrochemical exists that does not harm the roots of plants. But we never look deeply or try to understand the root behaviour of the plant after feeding it with poisonous agrochemicals. Consequently, we have ended up with harmful chemical residues in our food.

WHY FERTILISERS ARE BAD FOR PLANTS (& HUMANS)

Agricultural universities promote the use of fertilisers or booster inputs without evaluating the situation of each farm (which varies from farm to farm) and also without evaluating the fertility (or lack thereof) of the soil on the farm.

When we apply fertilisers, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of the plant gets disturbed. The plant structure becomes weak, inviting more insects and pests.

When we apply fertilisers, the C:N (carbon-to-nitrogen) ratio of the plant gets disturbed. The plant structure becomes weak and succulent, thus inviting insects and pests.

Nowadays, it all starts with weedicides. First, the farmer applies weedicide and since the crop has already been given the full dose of boosters during sowing, the weedicide hurts the roots of the targeted crop and the negative cycle begins.

The farmer then gives the second dose of boosters, which make the plants even more succulent and weak, having already suffered root damage from weedicide application before. The plant is unable to process proper food and in order to survive, pumps the chemical laden unprocessed food.

The immune system of the plant becomes weak and the balance of nature gives rise to unwanted weeds, pests, insects and fungi. And of course, these chemical-laden plants then land up on our plates and in our bloodstreams.

Hence, the urgent need to eat only organic foods.

To my surprise, I learned recently that the Seed Industry is facing losses despite selling seeds at Rs 1-5 lac/kg. My research says almost 40% of crop diseases come from seeds.

In order to save themselves from losses, the Seed Industry mixes rejected seeds with good seeds. Therefore, if we need to save farming and the nation, we have to make organic seeds mandatory in farming across the country. At least, this way, we would be able to save our crops and curb usage of chemicals in farming.

ORGANIC INDUSTRY NOT GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION FROM GOVT

The state of organic food, organic farming and organic business is in the doldrums. Despite Prime Minister Modi’s wish to promote and propagate organic farming, nothing concrete has been done to realise this aspiration. No independent research on organic food and farming has been undertaken. No funds have been allocated to organic farming.

Further, there is a complete vacuum for producing organic seeds. No encouragement, no propagation, no research, no funds are available for the purpose. In fact, the organic concept has been initiated by farmers only and whatever little research is available has been done by farmers.

The very institutions of farming, which we had previously considered sacred, have turned into dens of corruption, and are feeding wrong information to farmers (that they need to use more and more chemical fertilisers). Many deliberate malpractices are encouraged. Many agricultural institutions are only nurseries for the agro chemical industry. No real agriculture is taught there.

The very institutions of farming, which we considered sacred, have turned into dens of corruption, and are feeding wrong information to farmers (that they need to use more and more fertilisers). Many deliberate malpractices are encouraged by these institutions and certain individuals. Many agricultural institutions are only nurseries for the agro chemical industry. No real agriculture is taught there.

The net sufferers are the farmers and also consumers.

FACTORY-MADE ORGANIC VS FARM ORGANIC

With the encouragement of government bodies involved in encouraging organic exports, organic business has shifted from farm organic to factory-made organic. Organic has been reduced to merely TCs and laboratory tests.

In my opinion, produce which is dependant on lab tests and TCs can only be termed as chemical-compliant or at the most, chemical free, but not organic. Ethically produced organic produce is always non allergen, which lab tested produce cannot claim.

I have been doing organic farming since 1992 and am one of the first organic farmers from North India. This is my experience of almost 27 years: that organic food is non allergen. Our Indian vedic farming practices are the real soul of organic.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL HEALTH & FARMERS’ WELFARE

1] Any recommendation on farm inputs by agricultural institutes should comply with the present food laws.

2] Soil fertility should be declared as national property or national heritage. It should be the responsibility of the agriculture departments to maintain it at all costs. All over the world, the fertility of soil has gone down despite chemical industries’ claim of increased production.

Chemical-based farming should not be referred to as ‘agriculture’, rather it should be termed as ‘chemiculture’.

3] The word ‘irrigation’ should be changed to ‘moisturisation’ in order to save the soil, the crops, the nutritive value of crops, as well as, to conserve energy and water.

4] The term ‘yield’ needs to be defined. Is it only the gross weight? Or should it be related to its food value, along with its compliance to food laws and food quality?

5] The term ‘fertiliser’ needs to be clearly defined. The difference between boosters and authentic fertilisers needs to be clearly stated.

6] We need to start teaching Vedic Agriculture, encompassing all the ancient disciplines such as Vrikshayurveda, Agnihotra, Panchang, Prakash Nighantu, etc.

7] Stop giving subsidies—you are taking away the pride of the farmer and converting him into a beggar. Restore the respect for the farming business. Instead of handing out subsidies, let farmers have fair prices, ie, cost price plus profit. Stop exploiting the farmer.

Let us return to our culture and propagate it around the world. With the current system, we can never reach sustainability.  

Our entire socio economic structure needs to change into vedic ways in order to attain sustainability.

Especially in farming.

                     ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author has been an organic farmer since 1992 and was one of the first few farmers from North India to convert to organic farming. He is the proprietor of

Heavenly Farms in Sirsa, Haryana, which grows and sells organic rice.