The Kochi Declaration of Annam demands to give due compensation and insurance coverage during transformation period when farmers quit their chemical farm inputs and accept organic ways of farming. The declaration welcomes government decision to make Kerala a completely organic State by 2016. For the fruition of this, involvement of voluntary organizations ought to be ensured. Research institutes and medical colleges must undertake comprehensive research and investigation on the bad effects of chemical farming and health benefits of organic farming so as to provide convincing evidences for the society. Kochi Declaration also demands inclusion of organic farming in the educational syllabi.
Kochi Declaration
1. Organic and unpolluted food is a basic right. Appropriate execution of laws and administrative steps must be there to ensure this. Western kind of laws, mindsets and concepts that hinder this very idea must be corrected.
2. Farmers who had been practicing chemical inputs for their farming and now transforming to organic farming should be given due compensation and insurance coverage during the transformation period.
3. This summit invites the government declaration to make Kerala a complete Organic State by 2016. Government organizations and voluntary organizations should get legitimate participation in the coordination of government and non government movements towards this goal.
4. There must be an action plan to launch awareness campaigns and make Kerala the first completely organic State through right coordination of government agencies, farmers groups,
5. Research institutes and Medical Colleges of the State should give due importance to study, research and experiment on the lifestyle diseases caused by changing food habits and food production methods; in order to bring forth and popularize evidences, knowledge and perception that substantiate an ideal food habit.
6. Certification system like Community Certification and Participatory Guarantee Scheme which are becoming popular now, must be used to certify organic products of local small producers.
7. Local food diversity and ago diversity must be perfectly documented and handed over to enlighten upcoming generations.
8. Annam festival understands that an idyllic agriculture and food culture can be evolved only when Gandhiji’s vision of ‘consumers becoming their own producers’ becomes true.
9. All foods, agro products, farming practices and farm inputs that pose danger to health must be completely banned step by step and alternatives shall be introduced through policy decisions and legislations.
10. Government shall encourage the retrieval and dissemination of age old traditional values in agriculture and food so as to empower people to face the challenges in today’s agriculture and food scenarios.
11. In order to encourage the production, consumption and commerce of healthy and naturefriendly food products, it is unavoidable to implement proper orientation, training, financial support and rebates for consumers as practiced in Khadi and Hand weave.
12. Organic farming, production and marketing of organic food must be made integral in the objectives of three-tier system of Panchayats.
13. Learning, awareness and training programmes on right food habits, food culture and organic farming must be provided for teachers and students from primary classes onwards and organic food shall be made available for students.
14. Bio-pharmacies must be established in all Krishi Bhavans of the State and organic farming
