Meghalaya Launches Its Own Organic Certification Agency
Meghalaya has established its own APEDA certified organic certification agency, the Meghalaya State Organic Certification Body, under the Planning Department. This is the second such entity in the North East region, following Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency.
Chief Minister’s Announcement
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced, “Organic certification for local farmers will become more streamlined, eliminating reliance on agencies primarily situated in Western and Southern India.”
Initiatives for Sustainable Agriculture
The state has embarked on various initiatives aimed at transforming agricultural practices and promoting sustainable livelihoods for its farmers. Notable among these initiatives is the Meghalaya Organic Value Chain Development for Northeastern Region (MOVCDNER) scheme and the State Organic Mission, which aims to convert and sustain 1 lakh hectares of land into certified organic.
MEGNOLIA’s Role
To drive the effective implementation of this policy, the Meghalaya Natural and Organic Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) was established on June 1, 2023. Registered under the Societies Registration Act, MEGNOLIA functions as the apex body under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Meghalaya.
Partnership with NCOL
On September 20, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MEGNOLIA and the National Cooperatives of Organic Limited (NCOL) was signed at the World Food India 2024. This partnership seeks to improve the procurement, marketing, and sale of organic products from Meghalaya.
MEGNOLIA will link certified organic farmers with NCOL, help them obtain procurement approvals, and cover the costs of organic certification. In turn, NCOL will purchase organic products from these farmers, manage logistics, and ensure direct compensation to both farmers and service providers.
Current Status and Future Goals
Meghalaya, known for its verdant landscapes and rich biodiversity, is emerging as a key hub for organic farming in India. At present, 24,000 hectares of land have achieved organic certification, while an additional 8,000 hectares are in the conversion phase.
To further support and consolidate these efforts, the State Cabinet approved the Meghalaya State Organic and Natural Farming policy on January 11, 2023. The policy outlines key objectives, including promoting organic farming as a sustainable income-generating activity for farmers, facilitating capacity building, investment, and technology development, and increasing farmers’ income through training, value addition, and market linkage.
MEGNOLIA’s primary goals include managing the implementation of the policy, supporting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to professionalize organic production and marketing, promoting agro-industrial growth rooted in ecological sustainability, facilitating technology transfer, and fostering knowledge sharing among stakeholders.
Doubts Revealed
Meghalaya -: Meghalaya is a state in the northeastern part of India. It is known for its hills, rainforests, and beautiful landscapes.
Organic Certification Agency -: An Organic Certification Agency is a group that checks and confirms if farming practices are organic, meaning they don’t use harmful chemicals.
APEDA -: APEDA stands for Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. It helps in the export of food products from India.
MEGNOLIA -: MEGNOLIA is a new organization in Meghalaya that will look after organic farming policies and help farmers grow and sell organic products.
MOU -: MOU stands for Memorandum of Understanding. It is an agreement between two parties to work together on something.
NCOL -: NCOL stands for National Centre of Organic Farming. It helps in promoting organic farming practices across India.
Hectares -: A hectare is a unit of area measurement. One hectare is about the size of a football field.
Conversion Phase -: The conversion phase is the time when a farm is changing from regular farming to organic farming. It takes a few years to complete this change.
