UPSC Articles
Lakshadweep Declared an Organic Union Territory
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations
In news
- Entire Lakshadweep group of islands has been declared as an organic agricultural area under the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) of India.
- Lakshadweep is the first Union Territory to become 100% organic as all farming is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.
Important value addition
Lakshadweep
- It is India’s smallest Union Territory.
- It is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands.
- There are three main group of islands: (1) Amindivi Islands; (2) Laccadive Islands; (3) Minicoy Island.
- All are tiny islands of coral origin (Atoll) and are surrounded by fringing reefs.
Participatory Guarantee System
- PGS is a process of certifying organic products, which ensures that their production takes place in accordance with laid-down quality standards.
- The certification is in the form of a documented logo or a statement.
- Implemented by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
- It is only for farmers or communities that can organise and perform as a group within a village or a cluster of contiguous villages.
- It is applicable only to farm activities such as crop production, processing, and livestock rearing, and off-farm processing by PGS farmers of their direct products.
Do you know?
- Organic farming is a system of farm design and management to create an ecosystem of agriculture production without the use of synthetic external inputs such as chemical fertilisers, pesticides, etc.
