Guv interacts with young entrepreneurs practicing natural farming in Himachal

Shimla: Dozens of graduate and Post- graduate farmers from Himachal Pradesh' Kangra shared their first hand experiences and the success in natural farming at a workshop,organised by the state government on Sunday at Kachiari in Kangra.

All these farmers have been practicing Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF ) making a major shift from chemical based farming.

The workshop was presided over by Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.

The farmers shared experiences in natural farming, the need based innovations and challenges they have been facing before their shift to the new concepts.

"You have inspired me a lot with your field stories. You are the real 'karamyogis'. I am very happy that the farmers from Himachal Pradesh are leading the country in natural farming," said Governor.

The Governor said the natural farming concept was being adopted in the entire country in the interest of farming, nutrition and health. "We need not to be disappointed by the younger generation as many people generally talk about. I can see a lot of hope here as young and educated entrepreneurs have chosen to do farming and are doing good work in the field," he said.

Arlekar said it was a matter of pride that 1.68 lakh farmers have adopted SPNF technique in Himachal Pradesh and said there is need to expand the number of farmers as well as area under natural farming in the state.

The Governor showed a keen interest in the exhibition of natural produce by the farmers Rishu Kumari (Jamanabad), Suresh Kumar (Dharamshala) and stalls by the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA).

He later visited the fields of farmers Anita Devi and Sulochana Devi near Kangra. He appreciated the efforts by farmers to switch to this low cost non chemical and climate resilient farming and said Himachal is showing the way to the entire country to adopt this environment friendly farming.

Executive Director, PK3Y, Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel gave a presentation on the progress and the model adopted to promote natural farming in the state. He said around 12,000 hectares of land would be brought under natural farming in the State by March this year. He said that a target has been set to bring nearly 20,000 hectares of land under this practice by next year.