Dear Editor,
The tiny eastern Indian state of Sikkim has made the whole of South Asia proud for being the 2018 recipient of the globally acclaimed and highly prestigious FAO-Future Policy Gold Award for her monumental contribution in becoming a 100% organic state. My heartiest congratulations to both the State Government of Sikkim and Honourable CM Pavan Chamling for the sincerity, dedication, hard effort, support, encouragement and outstanding leadership in making Sikkim a historic Organic State on the global agricultural map. The resilient people of a small Himalayan state has demonstrated to the entire planet that through consistent effort, honesty and strong political will no big socio-economic or socio-cultural transformation is impossible to achieve; no matter how hard the existing obstacles are. Sikkim has demonstrated that if we are determined we can live our life through environment friendly practices. It is not just the effort of a single individual but the whole community standing and working together in building their lives. Therefore, in short this outstanding of transforming into a complete organic agriculture state; permanently places Sikkim on a global map of inspirational sustainable living. The farmers deserve special mention as they have successfully change their entire attitude and philosophy of agricultural work through this and believe me this has not been an easy task. Within three decades Sikkim achieved something that even highly pro environment western nations with billions of dollars worth of investment has not been able to achieve. Today Sikkim serves as an inspirational model not just for South Asia but the entire planet and particularly for the developing and under developed economies of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Yours,
Saikat Kumar Basu,
Canada