In contemporary times, there is an increasing belief that food grown in a natural way is more nutritious than those using chemicals. Also, presently lack of organic carbon in the soil is considered as a serious concern by the government. In order to meet the challenge and to improve soil health, the government has banked on promoting natural farming which is also very beneficial for the environment as a whole.
The Union Agriculture Minister said that to promote natural farming, the government has re-adopted the Indian Natural Farming System for Agriculture.
At a function organized in the national capital, the minister informed that the last year, an additional area of 4.78 lakh hectares has been brought under natural farming in seventeen States. To promote natural farming, the centre has approved the National Mission on Natural Farming as a separate scheme with an expenditure of Rs. 1,584 crores, he said. There are already several schemes under implementation. One of them is the Namami Gange programme while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Central and State Agricultural Universities and Colleges are making all-round efforts to promote natural farming, he said.
The minister said that infrastructure development is being done also by the Centre under the Soil Health Management Scheme, in which there is a provision to set up different types of Soil Testing Laboratories. Hitherto, 499 permanent Soil Testing Laboratories, 113 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories, 8,811 Mini Soil Testing Laboratories and 2,395 Village-level Soil Testing Laboratories have been established across the country. It is imperative in the changing scheme of things, particular due to environmental changes, to keep soil health intact. With chemical farming, the soil’s fertility is being continuously eroded.
Natural farming is a chemical-free farming method and is considered an agroecology-based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity.
There are many methods of natural farming that can be adopted, such as organic farming, diversification and agroecological farming.
To meet the endeavor, there is a need to connect farmers with natural farming including organic one. The officials and agricultural scientists need to consistently disseminate relevant and authentic information to the farmers regarding natural farming so that small and marginal farmers can take advantage of it.
The government must also lend support to the farmers including monetary towards systematic approach for sustainable development.
