Four Centres of Excellence to be set up in Gujarat to promote natural farming
Gandhinagar, August 11
The Gujarat Government has taken the first step towards expanding natural farming by approving Centres of Excellence in four districts. Under the guidance of Governor Acharya Devvratji, these centres will help strengthen the natural farming campaign.
The State Government has allocated Rs 20 crore in 2026-27 to establish the centres in Navsari, Morbi, Bhavnagar and Chhota Udepur, according to the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office.
Modern facilities will be set up at these centres to train 100 farmers at a time. Additionally, farmers already practising natural farming and those who want to adopt it will receive training, guidance and other farming-related facilities.
In the first phase, Centres of Excellence will be established at Nani Bhamti village in Vansda taluka of Navsari district, Halvad in Morbi district, Valavad village in Sihor taluka of Bhavnagar district and Chudel village in Jetpur Pavi taluka of Chhota Udepur district. The responsibility for implementing the scheme has been entrusted to the Gujarat Prakrutik Krishi Vikas Board.
These centres will not remain limited to training alone, but will be developed as model campuses for natural farming. Along with solutions to agriculture-related problems, farmers will be trained in preparing bio-inputs such as Jeevamrut, Ghan Jeevamrut, Beejamrut and Neemastra.
Arrangements will also be made to produce these bio-inputs and make them available to farmers at nominal prices. In addition, various types of mulching materials, crop seeds, horticultural crop saplings, cuttings and grafts, along with other planting material, will be produced and sold at these centres.
At the Centres of Excellence, farmers will receive guidance for soil testing and quality testing of agricultural products. Farmers will also be provided assistance regarding new technology, primary agricultural materials, value addition and post-harvest processing.
Along with various natural farming methods, practical demonstrations of the five-layer natural farming model, mixed cropping and intercropping methods will be conducted. Demonstrations and guidance will also be provided by visiting farmers' fields. Methods of preparing Beejamrut, Jeevamrut and various pesticides, as well as their proper use, will also be taught. Training will be provided on standard natural farming practices for various crops, the CMO said.
With this decision of the Government, farmers adopting natural farming will have access to training, technology, guidance and necessary agricultural materials at a single location. The proper use of bio-inputs and adoption of natural farming methods will help reduce the cost of cultivation.
Additionally, Training in value addition, processing, storage and packaging will help farmers get better returns from their agricultural produce. The four Centres of Excellence will become key centres for natural farming training and experimentation, giving a new direction to its expansion across the state.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great initiative by the Gujarat government. Natural farming is the need of the hour for our soil health and water conservation. The five-layer farming model and mixed cropping demonstrations will definitely motivate farmers. Hope the centres focus on women farmers as well, since many are involved in organic farming practices.
Not to be negative but the allocation of Rs 20 crore for four centres seems a bit low. Building modern facilities, training infrastructure, and bio-input production units costs much more. I hope the government is planning additional funding in the future. But it's still a welcome first step 👍
This is a game-changer for our kisans! Providing everything at one place - training, bio-inputs, mulching material, and even quality testing - will save so much time and effort. And the fact they'll also teach value addition and packaging means farmers can earn better prices. 👏 Well planned, Gujarat!
Impressive to see Gujarat leading the way in sustainable agriculture. The model of establishing centres in diverse districts across Navsari, Morbi, Bhavnagar and Chhota Udepur makes sense since they have different soil types and cropping patterns. This could become a great template for other states to follow.
This is excellent news! But I really hope these centres also focus on promoting indigenous seeds and traditional farming wisdom. Also, the cost of natural farming products should be made truly affordable for small and marginal farmers, otherwise they won't be able to benefit despite the training. Just my thought.
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