The Buzzword is Organic

Organically grown food and food products appear to be the latest fad among those used to a fast, consumerist lifestyle. For the middle-class, predominantly, it has come to acquire an ethnic, getaway value, as well as symbolising good health. People don't have a problem buying vegetables and fruits off supermarket shelf, and thereby assume organic produce can contribute to a healthy, productive life. This was evident by the large turnout at the one-day organic food fest, organised by the Friends Organic at the IAT on Queen’s Road recently.

The food festival had a sumptuous spread, all cooked from organically grown fruits and vegetables. The popular south Indian dishes—Dal Tadka, whole green gram dal, palak mixed veg curry, sambar, rasam, raggimudde and soppu saaru, thambula—were all part of the elaborate meal. Just that, they were all organically grown and cooked the organic way. What matters is not just how fresh vegetables are, but also where they come from and what kind of nutrients and pesticides they have absorbed. Consumption of organically grown food is a healthy and an environmentally sustainable option, thinks Divya Raghunandan, campaigner, Greenpeace.

“We are against genetically engineered food where the thrust is on quantity and not the quality of food. The quality of food does not lie in the brand or in its fancy packaging, it is all about how the food is produced and grown,” says Divya, a hardcore organic food lover. Environmentalists like Suresh Heblikar observe that consumption of organically grown food is imperative in fast growing cities like Bangalore. The urbanite has no clue how the food he consumes is grown and sold, says Heblikar. He says he is witness to vegetable vendors washing vegetables in sewage water during wee hours of the morning before packing them off to the market. Hebalikar says, pesticides used in growing vegetables and fruits contaminate soil, cause hormonal imbalances in women and lead to infertility in men.

“We have distanced ourselves from elements of nature and are not aware of our day today consumption. Our children, at school, are fed on well packaged junk food, all of which has heavy doses of pesticide in them,” reasons Heblikar. Advocates of organic farming encourage vegetable growers to maintain a "positive philosophy" and they predict that this new century will be the century of organic farming. What attracts people to organic farming? It is the ecological value, primarily.

“The use of organic manure, plant-based material that revitalises crops, helps improve soil fertility, which in turn nourishes fruits and vegetables grown on it. The fact that fertilizers and pesticides are not used helps the growth of such produce,” explains Isaac, an organic farmer from Hoskote, who came all the way to partake of the food fest. He adds, “Inorganic farming is in the interest of MNCs, especially those from the West. They make a fast buck by dumping banned products on the Third World countries. The farmers here capitalise on it as they get subsidies from the Government. Organic farming products are certainly catching on. Most of our supermarkets now store them.” Stores across the City stock and sell organic food products as part of its effort to get people to consume safe products. You’d find jams, peanut butter, wheat, jaggery, garden fresh vegetables and fibre foods. But they come with an extra cost and hence remain elitist. As they are beyond the reach of common man, the question is whether organic farming can survive the onslaught of commercialised, large-scale agriculture.

NINA C GEORGE