22 states give natural farming a mega push for next phase of agricultural growth: Centre
New Delhi, May 30
The Centre on Saturday said that Agriculture Ministers from 22 states have not only supported natural farming at the policy level but also adopted and experimented with it on their own farms to inspire greater confidence among farmers.
Agriculture Ministers came together on a single platform during the two-day National Kharif Conference held at the PUSA campus here to improve the lives of farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector through coordinated action and effective implementation.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasised that protecting farms is not only about safeguarding agricultural land but also about preserving the environment, the nation, and the future of coming generations.
During the conference, he strongly urged state governments to simplify administrative procedures and remove unnecessary complexities so that farmers can benefit more effectively from government initiatives.
In this context, special emphasis was placed on the balanced use of fertilisers. The Union Minister clarified that the objective is not to completely prohibit chemical fertilisers, but to promote their scientific, balanced, and judicious use. He called for a nationwide awareness movement and an institutional campaign.
Chouhan also emphasised the need to establish coordinated implementation mechanisms, monitoring systems, and dedicated control rooms to ensure that the campaign evolves beyond an appeal and delivers measurable outcomes on the ground.
The conference emerged as a national platform for commitment, coordination, and ground-level execution. Together, the minister charted a common roadmap on critical issues, including Kharif preparedness, self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds, balanced fertiliser use, natural farming, and the proposed 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' campaign.
The National Kharif Conference once again demonstrated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government views agriculture not merely as a question of production, but as a broader national responsibility encompassing soil health, environmental sustainability, nutrition security, farmer prosperity, and the well-being of future generations.
The conference further underscored that Kharif planning will no longer be confined to seasonal preparedness alone. Instead, it will be linked to a broader agenda encompassing self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds, soil health, prudent management of input costs, and sustained enhancement of agricultural productivity.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I have my doubts. My uncle tried natural farming in UP and the yields dropped by 40% in the first two years. The government needs to provide proper compensation during the transition period, otherwise small farmers won't risk it. Common sense hai!
Interesting to see India taking organic farming seriously. In Canada, it's mostly niche but growing. If India can scale this with 22 states onboard, it could become a global model. The mention of pulses self-reliance is particularly smart - reduces import dependence. 🌾
I appreciate the balanced approach - not banning chemical fertilizers completely but promoting scientific use. In Andhra Pradesh, the Zero Budget Natural Farming model has shown promising results. But we need more MSP support for organic produce otherwise farmers will go back to conventional methods. Simple economics bhai!
Great to see state-level ownership on this. As someone working in agri-tech in US, I can tell you that India's move toward natural farming with a balanced fertilizer strategy is actually ahead of the curve. The 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' name is catchy too - hope it gets proper funding.
One suggestion - they should involve women self-help groups in this campaign. In my village in Maharashtra, women are already doing natural farming on small plots. Give them training and market linkages, and you'll see real results. Government schemes often ignore ground-level implementation. Let's hope this time is different. 🤞
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