Indian Industry Plus A Pratisrutiplus Suppliment
NITI Aayog organized a two-day national workshop on Natural Farming under its State Support Mission (SSM), bringing together farmers, policymakers, scientists, start-ups and civil society organizations from across the country.
A key highlight of the workshop was the launch of Training Manuals on Natural Farming, developed in Hindi and English, aimed at empowering farmers, extension officers, and field-level functionaries with region-relevant and practical knowledge on natural farming practices.
The workshop was graced by a virtual address from Shri Acharya Devvrat Ji, Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra, who emphasized the importance of sustainable, farmer-centric agricultural systems and the role of natural farming in improving soil health, reducing input costs and enhancing farmers’ incomes.
The event witnessed the active participation of leading academic and research institutions, including Junagadh Agricultural University, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, and Gujarat Natural Farming Science University.
Farmers, agricultural officers and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) scientists from Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha participated in the deliberations, reflecting the pan-India interest in natural farming transitions.
Officials from key central institutions and ministries, including APEDA, NABARD, Ministry of Cooperation, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and ATARIs, also attended the workshop and shared insights on convergence, certification, market linkages, and institutional support.
The workshop also saw participation from agri-startups, civil society organizations, champion farmers, and farmer producer groups, highlighting the growing ecosystem supporting natural farming in India.
A total of 770 participants attended the workshop on Day 1. An open house discussion was conducted, providing farmers and practitioners a platform to openly discuss their concerns, field-level challenges, and doubts related to adoption, certification, markets and institutional support for natural farming. The first day concluded with consensus on the need for stronger field demonstrations, evidence-based validation, and farmer-led models.
The second day of the workshop focused on field visits and live demonstrations, enabling participants to observe natural farming practices on the ground and engage directly with practitioners. The field visit included demonstrations on NF package of practices for various exotic crops as well as preparations on bio inputs on the farm and through an automation setup.
