Haryana to boost scientific research on natural farming: Chief Secretary

Chandigarh, November 27

Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal has claimed that the state government is making all-out efforts to promote natural farming. The result is that more and more farmers are now switching over to natural farming from chemical farming, he said.

Addressing officials during a review meeting on natural farming here, the Chief Secretary said not many scientific research papers were available on natural farming so far.

Training centres

The state government also trains farmers in natural farming. At present, training is being imparted at Gurukul (Kurukshetra) and Gharaunda (Karnal) centres. Three more training centres will be set up soon. —Sanjeev Kaushal, Chief Secretary

“Haryana will have to take steps in that direction and promote scientific research on natural farming, in which detailed information about the complete process, time period and results of the methods will be available. This should be implemented soon after taking it up with the Vice-Chancellor and research director of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University,” he said.

Kaushal said natural farming was slowly becoming the need of the hour. With less agricultural inputs and costs, the farmers could increase organic production and their income, he said.

He said the objective of natural farming was to promote chemical-free and climate-friendly farming in accordance with the nature. That would also promote sustainable livelihood by reducing environmental and climate pollution, he added. “The state government also trains farmers for that. Currently, training is being imparted at two centres, namely Gurukul (Kurukshetra) and Gharaunda (Karnal). Three more training centres will be set up soon,” he added.

Kaushal said the basic objective of natural farming was to change food habits. For that purpose, the concept of “food as medicine” would have to be adopted and natural farming was the only way out to achieve that end.

He said natural farming would be done in at least one demonstration field in every block to make farmers aware about it. So far, such demonstration farms had been set up in five districts, he added.

In April this year, the state government launched a portal on which farmers willing to adopt natural farming could register. So far, 2,992 farmers have registered themselves on the portal and 1,201 have given their consent to do natural farming during the rabi season.

In all, 405 assistant technical managers and block technical managers with 119 progressive farmers have been trained in natural farming. They will work as master trainers. Moreover, 151 youths have also been trained in natural farming.