MOFF: Maharashtra Organic Farming Federation (MOFF) was formally launched on October 2nd, 2004 by starting 22 organic schools

in remote villages of Maharashtra. Today, they are about 250 in number. But before the formal launch, a lot of thought and efforts have gone into it, including a large number of deliberations, farm-visits, farmers' meetings and thousands of kilometers of traveling, criss-crossing the state of Maharashtra, village after village, since 1999.It was a sheer hard work, but whatever we saw was simply mind bugling. MOFF has been created to give a potent common platform to a number of small NGOs, thinkers and the farming community in distress. Something that they could jointly own by mid-nineties it was clear that something was going drastically wrong with Agriculture in India, especially in the state of Maharashtra and some other states and the farmers suicides had become the order of the day. The think-tank of MOFF is a strong group of about 145 NGOs and other apex council members who range between the age of 20 years to 79 years, each of them, an institution in themselves. Any decision is the outcome of the combined thought-process of all of us and therefore today. MOFF has become a vibrant peoples movement. It is also a strong pressure/ advocacy group of the farmers, by the farmers and for the farmers. MOFF treats 2nd Oct, the birth anniversary of the late Mahatma Gandhi as its founding day. Every year a new programme is initiated on that day. First year, it was the Organic Schools and last year it was the Vidarbha Farmers Suicide Prevention Mission which is a grand success wherever the MOFF team could reach, there were no suicides. This year on the agenda are two very ambitious projects. They are as follows:(I) International Institute Of Sustainable Agriculture (IISA):- A world class Institution which will impart training in the following aspects :(a) Capacity building (b) Training of farmers (c) Product on farm inputs (d) Nutrition management (e) Paste management (f) Seed production (g) Implements/Tools (h) Animal husbandry (i) Number of income generating activities for small /marginal and resource poor farmers. To facilitate these activities and training in low cost agriculture IISA shall create awareness at the State level, the National level and the International level. IISA shall also conduct research on the farmers fields to be jointly monitored by the farmers and the Scientific Community so as to facilitate the low cost and sustainable farming. IISA proposes to get participatory R & D work, in a state-of-theart laboratory, the designing of which has already begun. (II) Gramdoot Scheme (Village Ambassador):-MOFF propose to appoint, after taking a regular examination (with 65% as bottom line passing standard) about 600 gramdoot in the state. Each of them would be converting about 1500 farmers in the 1st year and hike up the space in the subsequent 5 years. Gramdoot would be paid regularly on a monthly basis. They will also eligible to get bonus depending on their performance. Their would be a tight chain of command at all levels. The selection process has already begun. Completing the target of 1750 organic schools in state is our top most priority. These schools need to

be equipped with Training facility, Residential accommodation, Internet connectivity with latest information in the organic world, seed banks and adequate literature in local language, the processing units, relavent to that agro climatic zones. MOFF endeavors to make each of these schools as Virtual Universities. A minimum of 9 lakh farmers in one year and many folds of that in the next five years are expected to benefit as the scheme has the strength to multiply in geometric proportions due to its highly accurate design.

Pilot project for Sustainable Agriculture An ambitious pilot project has been initialed for the promoting of Sustainable Agriculture At. Ovale, Post Adhale, Tal.- Maval, Dist- Pune, Maharashtra, India. The project site is fully equipped with the facilities required for undertaking the training, demonstration and other activities. There is a dairy farm of 150 Indigenous Cows with well constructed cattle shed, Chaffcutter & ped-duck area. Organic milk & ghee production units are unique features of the project. Cow urine extraction plant, an organic farm with different crops folder is also available. Biogas plant, solar system, food processing units & Vermicompost sheds also help during training of the farmers Self-help Groups & interest institutions. There is adequate expert field staff, well equipped library, residential facility for the visitors & trainees.

MOFF (Maharashatra Organic Farming Federation) 1038 / 11, Balaji Niwas , Flat No 5, Cosmos Bank Lane, Deep Bunglow Chowk, Model Colony, Pune 411 016 Tel No. +91 20 - 25659090 / 32907302 Tele Fax. +91 20 - 25659090

Email

:- moffpune@gmail.com

Website :-www.moffindia.org, www.moffindia.com

Organic Farming: Organic farming can be good source of income for farmers who are interested to follow different path. We shall identify the product specific region (like Punjab for wheat, Guntur for Chili) and develop the users in that area. Below consultant can be contacted for consultancy.
Mr. Harish WWOOF India National Coordinator website: www.wwoofindia.org email: sewak1@rediffmail.com mobile : 9406567597 Khandige Organic Health Products Pvt Ltd. # 68/1, Jaraganahalli, Near Sarakki Gate, Kanakapura Main Road Bangalore - 560 078, (India) Tel : +(91)-(80)-26714599 Fax : +(91)-(80)-26714599 Email : info@khandigeorganic.com Mr. Sudhakar Karanth International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) 951-C, 15th Cross, 8th Main, Ideal Home Township, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore, 560098 Karnataka, India, Ph. +91-80-28601183, Fax +91-80-28600935 Website: www.iccoa.org, www.indiaorganictradefairs.com

Organic certification and accreditation in India:

INDOCERT: Thottumugham P.O Alwaye-5,Ernakulam Dt. Kerala ,683105 0484-2630908 0484-2620943 http://www.indocert.org IMO Control Private Limited Address: No. 1314, Double Road, Indiranagar 2nd Stage Bangalore-560 038 Karnataka, India Contact Person: Mr. Umesh Chandrasekhar Phone: 91 80 25285883, 2520 1546 Fax: 91 80 25272185 Email: imoind@vsnl.com Website: http://www.imo.ch/index.php?seite=imo_index_en Ecocert SA Address: Sector-3, S-6/3 & 4, Gut No. 102 Hindustan Awas Ltd. Walmi-Waluj Road Nakshatrawadi, Aurangabad 431 002 Maharashtra, India Contact Person: Dr. Alexander Daniel Phone: 91 240 2377120, 2376949 Fax: 91 240 2376866 Email: ecocert@sancharnet.in Website: www.ecocert.in Natural Organic Certification Association Row House Banglow No-2, E-10 Bldg. Sun Empire, Survey No. 7, 9 (Part), VadgaonBudruk, Sinhgad Road, Pune-411051, Phone: 91 20 65218063 Fax: 91 20 24105179 Email: info@nocaindia.com Mobile: 91-9822006586 Contact Person: Mr. Sanjay Deshmukh (CEO). Website: www.nocaindia.com Control Union Certifications, Mumbai Address: Summer Ville, 8th Floor 33rd 14th Road Junction Off Linking Road, Khar (West) Mumbai 400052 Maharasthra, India Contact Person: Mr. Dirk Teichert Phone: 91 22 67255396/97/98/99 Fax: 91 22 67255394/95 Email: cuc@controlunion.in , cucindia@controlunion.com , controlunion@vsnl.com Website: www.controlunion.in Skal International (India) A Division of CU Inspections India Pvt. Ltd. Address: No. 191, 1st Main Road Mahalaxmi Layout Bangalore 560 086 Karnataka, India Contact Person: Mr. Narayana Upadhyaya Phone: 91 80 23491928, 56966507 Fax: 91 80 23491935 Email: skalindia@eth.net Website: www.skal.org Indian Organic Certification Agency (INDOCERT)

Bureau Veritas Certification India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai BVQI (India) Pvt. Ltd. Address: Marwah Centre, 6th Floor, Opp. Ansa Industrial Estate, Krishanlal Marwah Marg, Off Saki-Vihar Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai-400 072 Contact: Mr. R. K. Sharma Phone: 91 22 56956300/11 scsinfo@in.bureauveritas.com Web: www.bureauveritas.co.in International Resources for Fairer Trade Address: Sona Udyog (Industrial Estate), Unit No. 7, Parsi Pandhayat Road Andheri (East), Mumbai 400 072 Maharashtra, India Contact: Mr. Arun Raste Phone: 91 22-28352811, 28235246 ext. 22. Fax: 91 22-823-5245 Email: irft@vsnl.com Website: http://www.irft.org/ Aditi Organics Certification Pvt. Ltd.

Vedic Organic Certification Agency Address: Plot No. 54, Ushodaya Enclave, Mythrinagar, Miyanagar, Hyderabad 500 050 Andhra Pradesh, India Contact Person: Dr. M. Usha Mobile: 91 9290450666, Phone: 91 40 65276784, Fax: 91 40 23045338 Email: voca_org@yahoo.com ; info@vediccertification.com Website: http://www.vediccertification.com/ APOF Organic Certification Agency, (AOCA) Address: 126, 1st Floor, Govindappa Road,

Address: #531/A, Priya Chambers, Dr. Rajkumar Road, Rajaji Nagar Bangalore 560 010 Karnataka, India Phone: 91 80 32537879 Fax: 91 80 23373083 Email: aditiorganic@gmail.com , Website: http://aditicert.net Lacon Quality Certification Pvt. Ltd Address: Chenathra, Theepany, Thiruvalla - 689 101 Kerala, India Contact Person: Mr. Bobby Issac, Director Phone: 91 469 2606447 Fax: 91 0469 2631902 Email: info@laconindia.com Website: www.laconindia.com SGS India Pvt. Ltd. 250, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurgaon 122 015, Haryana, India Contact: Mr. Sudarshan Sharma Phone: 91 124 2399990 to 98 Email: sudarshan_sharma@sgs.com Website: www.sgs.com

Off D.V.G. Road, Gandhi Bazar, Bangalore-560 004 Karnataka, India Contact Person: Mr. K. Dorairaj Phone: 91 80 26677275, 91 80 41203848 Mobile: 09342349255 / 09886019021 Email: aocabangalore@yahoo.co.in Website: www.aoca.in Rajasthan Organic Certification Agency (ROCA) Address: 3rd Floor, Pant Krishi Bhawan, Janpath, Jaipur 302 005 Rajasthan, India Contact Person: Mr. Yashpal Mahawat Phone: 91 141 2227104, Fax: 91 141 2227456 Email: rocajpr.cb@gmail.com Website: http://www.rajasthankrishi.gov.in/ Uttaranchal State Organic Certification Agency (USOCA) 12/II Vasant Vihar, Dehradun-248 006 Uttaranchal, India, Contact Person: Dr. S. K. Malik, Phone: 91 135 2760861 Email: uss_opca@rediffmail.com , info@usoca.org Website: http://www.usoca.org

Address: Thottumugham P.O. Aluva-683 105, Ernakulam, Kerala, India Contact Person: Mr. Mathew Sebastian Phone: 91 484-2630908-09/2620943 Email: Mathew.Sebastian@indocert.org , biocosmetics@indocert.org , info@indocert.org Website: http://www.indocert.org OneCert Asia Agri Certification Private Limited Address: Agrasen Farm, Vatika Road, Off Tonk, Jaipur-303 905, Rajasthan, India Contact Person: Mr. Sandeep Bhargava Phone: 91 0141 2720202 Email: info@onecertasia.in Website: www.onecertasia.in FoodCert India Pvt. Ltd. Address: Plot No.452, Panchavati Colony, Road No.10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034 Phone: 91 40 23313547, 23310013 Fax: 91 40 23313048 Email: foodcert@foodcert.in , srihari@foodcert.in Website: www.foodcert.in