At this challenging time, when dependency on chemical and pesticide has increased in India, resulting in decline in groundwater levels, and increase in health concerns, one Panchayat situated in a remote area of Rajasthan has turned into a ray of hope. This Panchayat named Bamanwas Kankar, Kotputli–Behror district of Rajasthan has taken a bold step, this New Year the complete Panchayat comprising 1500 hectares of land and more than 6000 cattle have got organic certified. On January 2, the farmers, mostly women, took oath to ensure that they never use pesticide and chemicals in their fields. With this oath and certification Bamanwas Kankar has become the first ever panchayat in North West India to get organic certification for both land and livestock.

First Organic Panchayat in India

The scale of transformation and commitment of farmers sets apart this panchayat Bamanwas Kankar. Starting this year, farming activities won’t have chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, rather ecological and health standards would be kept in mind while doing animal husbandry and agriculture.  One important thing that makes this initiative different from others is the integration of agriculture, livestock management, and environmental protection.

The imitative has been self-driven, wasn’t imposed from anyone outside, looking after the health issue due to chemical-input agriculture, village residents decided to go organic. Farmers had long been noticing a decline in soil fertility, and health issues, so the complete village decided to shift from short-term yield focus to long-term sustainability.

They got support from an organisation working in this area named COFED (Cofarmin Federation of Organic Societies and Producer Companies), they had been long working on natural resource conservation, sustainable agriculture, and women’s empowerment. While the villagers were self-motivated, they needed technical support, so COFED gave them an understanding of organic practices and access to the market, which they required the most.

How is this initiative beyond environmental benefits?

Jeetendra Sevawat, Founder of COFED, described the achievement as a community-driven movement. Sevawat has been working in this farming model since the year 2014. He has even authored a research report titled “Addressing the Challenges of the Agriculture Sector through Low-Cost Organic Agriculture Practices in Namibia.” Sevawat said, “This is not just an administrative achievement but a people’s movement. When an entire panchayat commits to organic farming and livestock management, it sets an example for the rest of the country,” Sevawat said. Sharing his future plans with the CSR Journal, Sevawat said, “In Rajasthan, by 2026, we aim to convert 300 panchayats across the districts of Bikaner, Alwar, Kotputli–Behror, and Bhilwara into fully organic panchayats.” Talking about the initiative and how this will be useful, he said that beyond environmental benefits, this initiative would improve soil health, conserve groundwater from chemical contamination and increase earning for farmers.

One of the villagers, Mahaveer shared, that this more than a practice change, this is a legacy that they will pass on to their next generation, “We want them to inherit healthy land and clean water, not poisoned soil.”

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