March 5, 2007 Environment services minister, Kete loane, says it's time to revert to biological farming as practiced by Cook Islands Maori'ui-tupuna' He is concerned about the environment being spoiled or damaged by too much use of chemicals or artificial fertilisers.

The minister recently

returned from an environment and soil balances conference in Napier, New Zealand. The two-day forum focused on soil damage around the globe by conventional farming methods which rid the ground of minerals, organic matter and moisture. Another major concern is that farmers' and other people's health sometime suffer the consequences of chemical use in farming.

The minister said that there is no magic product, no real miracle fertiliser, but the secret is in biological farming which is working with nature, feeding soil life, balancing the soil minerals and tilling the soil with a purpose. It has been noted that some insect and weed pests develop a strong resistance to chemical sprays and more and more chemicals are required. That in turn increases the damage and poisoning to beneficial soil make up.

During the forum, the minister was able to talk to soil experts including Phyllis Turchin about the possibility of running a similar conference in the Cook Islands. "Lectures of the kind held in Napier are vital for local stakeholders to start thinking about biological farming techniques" loane said. "The shift will be costly but our nation needs to put health and well being first."

The minister said that New Zealand and Australia are going organic while Europe has gone into biological practices as a result of the deadly mad cow disease. He said the Cook Islands are now faced with chemical run-offs into streams and lagoons.

"It's crucial that for a sustainable lifestyle and to be able to live in harmony with the environment, we need to return to the farming practices of our ui tupuna biological farming practices," he said.

Source: Govmedia, Cook Islands News Online