I have spent the past few days visiting the regional cultivation and collection farms and centres in Gujarat in western India for our organic Ayurvedic herbs.

New organic farm projects are being developed some 20 miles from the capital, Ahmedabad.

For centuries, Gujarat enjoyed a tradition of small-scale rural farmers growing wheat, corn, sesame seed and cotton using natural fertilizers made from cow and goat dung, dry hay and urinary waste from farm animals such as cows, buffalo, goats and horses.

These natural wastes are rich in urea and hormones which help produce robust crops full of healthy nutrients. They also rejuvenate the soil and prevent the destruction of helpful bacterial flora which produces nitrogen.

Natural pesticides are made from plant extracts such as neem seed and bark, garlic and chrysanthemums.

Organic farming has many advantages. Firstly, it helps restore the natural ecology and produces higher yields of crops rich in nutrients. Healthy farm ecology is made up of life both within the soil and on its surface and affects the quality and composition of trees and other vegetation as well as crops. It is less expensive and more productive for small-scale farmers in the long run to adopt organic farming.

Recent research has shown that harmful levels of pesticides and chemical fertilizers are found in many foods, including herbs and herbal products, massage oils, wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits and various drinks. With fears that the presence of traces of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have the potential to cause such illnesses as ME, heart disease, blood disorders and cancer, farmers and consumers in many countries have reverted to organic produce wherever they can.

But while Cuba and Indonesia have banned 57 types of pesticides, in Britain we are still using masses of chemicals, including pesticides, for our farms and household plants.

It is worrying to consider how much of the spray gets into the atmosphere and the air we breathe.

While research in India is well advanced and natural fertilizers and pesticides have been in use for centuries, economic and pharmaceutical pressures, particularly in underdeveloped countries, have seen increased use of chemicals in the past few decades in order to produce larger quantities of produce but with compromised quality.

We in Britain need to increase our efforts in identifying natural plant extracts which may be used as natural pesticides. For our own health, we can start by using more organic vegetables and grain. We could also grow our own organic vegetables and herbs in our gardens or allotments. This can be doubly beneficial, as a good way of managing stress and a connecting with nature.

Dr Milind Jani works as a conventional and holistic GP and Dr Asmita Jani as Ayurvedic Consultant from 3 Eaton Gardens, Hove.

Call them on: 01273 777448 or email: milind.jani@ntlworld.com