Organic food: Back to the basics

Published: March 27, 2011

Organic food is becoming popular in Pakistan. This isnt just a fad, but rather a realisation that getting closer
to nature is in our interest. Increased awareness about impurities in the food we eat on a daily basis means
that people are consciously switching to healthier options or are trying to at least.
Organic food is chemical-free. It isnt grown from genetically-modified seeds (that cannot
reproduce), nor is it drenched in chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Consuming organic food protects
us from the array of diseases and health conditions that are caused by eating contaminated food
and that accounts for much of what we eat.
For Pakistanis, opting for organic food doesnt mean that we are simply being fashionable or
following Western fads; it mean that were going back to the basics. Organic food is not a new
concept for us. Our forefathers were all organic farmers, using natural fertilisers and natural methods
of pest control. In modern times, organic farming entails the use of organically approved pesticides
and fertilizers to maintain soil productivity and to control pests. Organic farmers employ methods
like crop rotation, green manuring, and use compost that is made by the farmers themselves.
But as in so many cases, we have lost touch with our own traditions, while the Western world adopts
them wholeheartedly. Organic food and healthy living are the new buzzwords, with Hollywood stars
Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow leading the charge. Even Prince Charles is a
staunch organic food activist. Shops and restaurants specialising in organic food are all the rage
worldwide.
Luckily, we havent missed the boat on this one! There are people working to bring organic food to
our tables as well, people like Mariam Ibrar of Daali Earth food. Daalis organic products are
available at various departmental stores in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Faislabad. Mariam Ibrar,
the person behind it, took the initiative four years ago when she vowed that she would no longer feed
her children with preservative-ridden cereals and adulterated food.
Following in her green footsteps, two of her friends came up with their own brands to help promote
the idea of adapting to healthier food. Nilofer Saeed set the trend in the restaurant industry by
offering dishes with purely organic ingredients in Necos Caf and also by setting up the Natural
store in Karachi. For those looking for healthy restaurant dining, this caf offers an organic menu
with hormone-free desi eggs, pure wheat and olive oil.
Sungold Organics is another label that ensures the provision of chemical-free and naturally grown
vegetables. They produce their own natural fertilizer and have a long list of vegetables like eggplant
and broccoli that are in any case hard to find at your local sabzi-walla and they even deliver to
your doorstep! Many of us are familiar with Zoya Aliem Khans herbal beauty products, which are
available across Pakistan, but in recent years she has also started stocking healthy food in some larger
stores in Lahore.
Even foreigners are pitching in. Alexander Kuhne came all the way from Germany with a mission to
conserve nature and promote natural living, under the aegis of the Roshni Association. This
organisation, which aims to help special children, also has gardens where organic food is grown for
the staff and residents. The surplus eggs, vegetables and fruits are stocked at the local store Panjeeri
in Lahores mini market.
So organic food is now increasingly available but is it affordable?
This is the main problem, admits Marium Ibrar. We as individuals cannot grow on a large scale.
If we think about it seriously it is possible for a country like Pakistan to emerge as a major grower
and exporter of organic food.
Alexander Kuhne holds out hope for the future, saying: The system will transform gradually.
Growing organic food is knowledge-intensive and it will take farmers a lot of time to adapt to this
type of farming. We also have to take into consideration that we live in a capitalist economy where
profits are always the first priority.
If premium prices are a problem, then growing your own food is a good option. Even if you only
have a small patch of land, this enables you to both have a healthy relationship with nature as well as
produce food. Just ask any good gardeners to examine the suitability of the land and get started.
Compost can also be made at home by utilising garden and kitchen waste material. There are various
other options that you can learn and explore.
Take an interest in the food that you put on your plate because, after all, you are what you eat.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 27
th
, 2011.