Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced that the state will constitute ‘Prakriti Shree Anna Prerak Kisan Committees’ in every district to promote natural farming. These panels will be tasked with motivating farmers, visiting villages and acting as a bridge between cultivators and the govt.The announcement came during the ‘Prakritik Kheti Samvad’ organised by the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department in Panchkula, where the CM also directed officials to immediately release pending subsidies to natural farming practitioners who had applied for assistance to purchase indigenous cows.Describing natural farming as “not merely a farming technique but a national mission”, Saini said it was essential to restore the relationship between farmers, nature and society while reducing cultivation costs, conserving water and improving soil health. He urged farmers to become ambassadors of natural farming and spread awareness about its benefits across villages.The CM said the govt would hold similar interactions with farmers every month to accelerate the adoption of natural farming and invited agriculture department officials to ensure wider outreach. He also said Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat would be invited to major seminars to share his experience in natural farming.Highlighting environmental concerns, Saini said excessive dependence on chemical farming had contributed to declining groundwater levels, deteriorating soil fertility and rising production costs. “The question today is not whether fertilisers are available, but what kind of earth and environment we will leave for future generations,” he said.He said the state had already made budgetary provisions to encourage natural farming and assured farmers that marketing would not be a concern. Separate space would be earmarked in agricultural mandis for naturally grown produce, while HAFED would procure such crops. A dedicated shed has already been established at Ganaur mandi for natural farming produce, and four Centres of Excellence are promoting horticulture and sustainable farming practices.Agriculture minister Shyam Singh Rana said natural farming could make farmers self-reliant and debt-free by reducing dependence on chemical inputs. He said Haryana aims to expand sustainable farming in line with the national target of bringing 20% of the country’s cultivated area under natural farming by 2047. MSID:: 132263785 413 |
