NEW DELHI 6 April 2022: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the online training program for master trainers on natural farming, organized by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad.

Speaking on the occasion, Tomar said that MANAGE has been entrusted with the task of organizing 750 awareness programs for 30 thousand village heads in the country from April to August as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. He also said that the natural farming method is very beneficial for farmers.

The Union Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the initiative to promote traditional natural farming in the country.

Keeping in mind the importance of natural farming, a national conference on natural farming was organized in Gujarat on 16th December 2021 under the leadership of the Prime Minister, in which lakhs of farmers participated.

Natural farming is a promising means of reducing the dependence of farmers on external inputs, reducing the cost of cultivation and increasing the income of the farmers. The Government is promoting the Indian Natural Farming System (BPKP) as a sub-scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) to promote traditional indigenous practices.

In the coming days, trained master trainers will organize 750 awareness programs for 30,000 village heads across the country and help in taking forward the initiative of natural farming in their respective states. 4.09 lakh hectare area is covered under natural farming.

An announcement has also been made in the budget for the year 2022-23 to promote natural farming. A committee has been formed to include courses on natural farming in universities in the states.

Tomar said that earlier there was a period in the country when there was a shortage of food grains, then research and chemicals were used to increase production, but it was needed then, today India is in a very good position in terms of agricultural production and export.

The central government is making a lot of efforts and helping the farmers to move forward through various schemes. "The government wants that we should not depend on imports, but our expertise in exports should continue to grow. With the increase in the natural farming method, the use of animals including cow will increase, which will benefit the farmers." Tomar added.

The Minister further stated that the government has taken an initiative to integrate agriculture with modern technologies, in which cooperation of the states is needed. New Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) are being formed in each block by spending INR 6865 Cr. A total of Ten thousand FPOs will be formed. Through these, the knowledge of farmers will increase, they will be able to use new technologies, they will be attracted to expensive crops and the quality of the produce will increase, which will increase their income. He requested all the master trainers to dedicate their lives to taking forward the important initiative of the government on natural farming in various ways.

Online training will be given by MANAGE to two hundred fifteen master trainers on the subject of introduction-principle and practice of natural farming, which will be completed before 15 August.