Sikkim Now a Wholly Organic State

Sikkim, the northeastern Indian state located between Bhutan and Nepal, has rid its agricultural land of pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified crops and other artificial inputs on around 75,000 hectares, or about 300 square miles, of agricultural land, making it its country’s first organic state. Instead, farmers use natural alternatives such as green manure and compost.

Twelve years ago, the Pawan Chamling-led government decided to make Sikkim an organic farming state through a declaration in the legislative assembly. After the entry of chemical inputs for farmland was restricted and their sale banned, farmers had no option but to go organic.