Ladakh signs tripartite MoU with SSOCA to become organic by 2025

Leh, July 13: In its first step towards making Ladakh organic, the Union territory administration of Ladakh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) today with Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency (SOCCA).
On behalf of the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh, the MoU was signed by the Executive Councillor, Agriculture, LAHDC, Leh, Stanzin Chosphel; Secretary, Agriculture, Ravinder Kumar; Deputy Commissioner and CEO, LAHDC, Leh, Shrikant Suse with the representatives of SSOCA and Agriculture Department, Leh.
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh/Kargil with Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency (SSOCA) regarding the implementation of Prampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI), in Ladakh region with the aim to convert Ladakh into organic by 2025. The main objective of this MOU is to get the organic certification after a tie-up with the Government of India (GOI).
Secretary Ravinder informed that the aim is to make Ladakh a certified organic UT by 2025 which will be completed in three phases. He informed that for organic certification the department has divided Ladakh into 3 phases. In the first phase, 85 villages have been identified with an aim to convert 5000 hectares of land into organic and in the 2nd phase, 82 villages will be covered with an area of 10000 hectares and under 3rd phase, the department has selected 79 villages which will cover the remaining areas.
The meeting was attended by Vimal Prakash, Senior Technical Consultant (GoS); Vikrant Khokher, Senior Project Manager (GoS); Tashi Tsetan, Chief Agriculture Officer, Leh; Dr Stanzin Thakchos OSD to Secretary and Tashi Dolma, Sub- Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO), Leh