During one of my past vacations, I came across a nice experience to know about a chemical free village in India. Enabavi, a small village in Warangal district, Andhra Pradesh is an inspirational story for many other villages and farmers this small village is guided by CROPS (Centre for Rural Operations Programmes Society) supported by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA). Today there are many visitors to this village to learn about sustainable agriculture.

During the seventies, the farmers relied heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides and they used to spend about Rs.3500 on chemicals per acre. By 1995 problems arose and despite heavy spending, the crop yields failed due to pests. Then came an initiative towards non pesticidal management which is now widely practiced in Andhra Pradesh and other states. The farmers do not spend anything now on chemicals. This village shifted to chemical free farming about 10 years ago.

The farmers here grow cotton, paddy, pulses, chilli, tobacco etc.  During 2006, the entire 282 acres in the village were converted to organic farming. The close knit village has social control to ensure the farmers do not err in deviating from their ban on chemicals. The elders in the village teach their children the knowledge and skills of non-chemical farming. The farmers sell their crops directly to consumers and also through a marketing channel called Sahaja Aharam in Hyderabad.

Farmers here use methods like using tank silt, poultry manure, vermi-compost and farm yard manure. They also started to develop their own seeds for many crops. They have set up many self-help groups towards sustainable models of production.

At a time when farmers in other villages are struggling hard to manage their farm income, farmers in Enabavi command good price for their produce. The farmers once in a week transport their vegetables to nearby market where the crops command more price than others since they grow their crops through organic methods. The village has got world-wide attention. International agricultural companies started visiting the village and studying their methods.

The organic farming also resulted in growth of cattle in the village. At present, every family in the village has at least two cows and two buffaloes. They use backyard manure, neem seed, dung, jaggery, surf, lime, tank silt, poultry manure, vermi-compost to prepare fertilizer and pesticides. They set up their own compost manufacturing units in their farms.