The forum has also demanded measures to protect the pokkali fields where organic farming has been undertaken over the years. Francis Kalathungal, general convener of the forum, said that the organic mode of farming that was being practiced was mostly labour-intensive and provided a major source of income for women.
Mr. Kalathungal said certain lobbies responsible for sabotaging the ‘one paddy, one fish’ scheme of the government. Very little was being done to prevent the intrusion of saline water, thereby making paddy and vegetable cultivations daunting tasks. Such areas were being subjected to excessive fish farming for vested interests. Attempts were being made by certain sections to mislead the public by propagating the falsehood that farming was no longer a profitable endeavour. As a result, the pokkali mode of cultivation faced the threat of going extinct and was being practised only in the coastal areas of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur.
The situation had resulted in the loss of a source of livelihood for tens of thousands and agricultural workers and fishermen. Large varieties of vegetables including cow pea, ridge gourd, cucumber, lady’s finger, snake gourd and bitter gourd used to be cultivated organically in large quantities in pokkali fields.
The forum also urged the government to learn from the mistakes caused by the system of mono-crop cultivation, which has resulted in environmental and other impacts that were being seen in Punjab. The caution raised by noted agriculture scientist K.G. Padmakumar in this regard must be considered with great importance, they said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/forum-welcomes-govt-move-to-test-vegetables-for-pesticides/article6616968.ece