Food and nutrition specialist Khadar Vali on Tuesday said farmers — not doctors — hold the key to establishing a disease-free society and called for a shift away from corporate-driven agriculture and towards organic and traditional farming systems.

Speaking at the ‘Environment and Health Chintan Manthan’ programme organised as part of World Environment Day celebrations by the Federation of Farmers’ Organisations and the State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, Mr. Khadar said the rise in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension is closely linked to changes in food production and dietary habits. “Farmers are the real doctors. India can become disease-free not through hospitals and medicines, but through healthy food grown by farmers,” he said.

Mr. Khadar, a millet advocate, stressed that organic cultivation of millets, vegetables, and leafy greens could significantly improve public health. He urged people to adopt millet-based diets and avoid rice, sugar, and wheat for at least three months to experience the health benefits. Millets should be soaked for several hours before cooking to maximise their nutritional value, he added.

Observing that diseases once considered rare have become commonplace, he said poor food choices and chemical-intensive farming practices have contributed to the growing health burden. He urged farmers to earmark at least 10% of their land for cultivating organic vegetables, greens, and tubers for their own consumption.

Warning against agriculture driven solely by commercial interests, Mr. Khadar said farmers should not become dependent on corporate companies and instead focus on producing healthy food. He claimed that widespread adoption of sustainable and organic farming practices could substantially reduce disease prevalence in the country within five years.

He also said thousands of farmers have already been trained and provided seeds for millet cultivation and stressed the need for direct marketing systems that connect farmers with consumers.

Speaking on the occasion, Federation of Farmers’ Organisations State president Kurubur Shanthakumar underscored the importance of environmental conservation, particularly the restoration of lakes and water bodies. He noted that Karnataka has more than 41,000 lakes, including nearly 3,000 in Mysuru district, and said their revival is essential for ecological balance and water security.

Desilting lakes and using the nutrient-rich soil in agricultural fields can improve soil fertility, reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and enhance groundwater recharge, he said, adding that environmental degradation has led to severe air quality concerns in major cities such as Delhi.