Centre launches scheme to promote natural farming

The NMNF will be a standalone centrally-sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and it will have a total outlay of ₹2,481 crore

To promote its pet project of natural farming, the Centre on Monday (November 25, 2024) launched the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). The Union Cabinet, which approved the decision here, said in a release that the NMNF will be a standalone centrally-sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and it will have a total outlay of ₹2,481 crore.

Also Read: Should India focus on natural farming?

Of this, ₹1,584 crore will be the Centre’s share and the States will contribute ₹897 crore till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26). The Centre said NMNF will promote natural farming in mission mode across the country.

“Rooted in the traditional knowledge inherited from their forefathers, farmers will practise Natural Farming (NF) as a chemical free farming which involves local livestock integrated natural farming methods, diversified crop systems, etc. NF follows local agro-ecological principles rooted in local knowledge, location specific technologies and is evolved as per the local agro-ecology,” the government release added.

Also Read: Centre to aid farmers in setting up 10,000 Bio-Resource Centres to promote natural farming: ICAR

The NMNF will also promote natural farming practices for providing safe and nutritious food for all. “The Mission is designed to support farmers to reduce input cost of cultivation and dependency to externally purchased inputs. Natural farming will build and maintain healthy soil ecosystems, promote biodiversity and encourage diverse cropping systems to enhance resilience as suitable to the local agroecology are the benefits of natural farming,” the release added.

In the next two years, NMNF will be implemented in 15,000 clusters in Gram Panchayats. The Centre’s aim is to reach one crore farmers and initiate natural farming in an area of 7.5 lakh hectares. “The willing farmers will be trained in Model Demonstration Farms on the natural farming package of practices, preparation of natural farming inputs, etc. near their villages in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agriculture Universities and practising natual farming farmers’ fields,” the release added.

Around 18.75 lakh trained and willing farmers will prepare inputs like Jeevamrit, Beejamrit, etc. by using their livestock or procure from bio-input resource centres

Published - November 26, 2024 05:20 am IST