Asserting that India and its farmers are going to lead the global mission for ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ in the 21st century,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the National Conclave on Natural Farming in December 2021, emphasised taking agriculture out of the lab of chemistry and connecting it to the lab of nature.
This is not the first time that farmers are called out to avail the benefits of Natural Farming but on various occasions, providing various incentives, Natural Farming has been promoted in India. Natural or Organic Farming is gaining traction on the heels of sustainable livelihood.
It is pertinent to highlight that as of March 2021, about 500,000 farmers are practising natural farming in 2,16,000 hectares of land.
Status of Women farmers of HP in Natural Farming
Women in the hill state of India – Himachal Pradesh are emerging as a leader of change in Natural Farming. Empowered with knowledge through training and capacity-building workshops, women in Himachal are scripting success stories of low-cost, non-chemical and climate-resilient natural farming.
Launched in 2018, organic farming is being promoted under state-run Prakriti Krishi Khushhal Kisan Yojana. Reaping the benefits of the initiative, half the total number of farmers in the country – in the state of HP, have adopted the natural farming technique and specifically the women growers have taken up the task to compel their community in adopting this sustainable farming practice.
As per the official data, of the 1.68 lakh farmers practising natural farming in Himachal Pradesh, 90,000 are women – a resounding figure that suggests a wave of change sealed with empowerment – a connection with biodiversity and a move towards food security.
A series of fortunate events
In a compiled document of inspiring stories of Progressive Women Farmers published by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare; the story of a 50-year-old Satya Devi marked on to how she switched from traditional farm operations that used chemicals, sprays, fertilizers, to Zero Budget Natural Farming, as even with the best marketing practices, she wasn’t able to make much money or subsequently save any.
ZBNF (Zero Budget Natural Farming) is a drive launched by the state of Himachal Pradesh with the view to end the use of harmful chemicals in growing cash crops and fruits. With ZBNF in the state, Satya Devi scripted her own success story in pursuing sustainable farming.
Over the years, the Zero Budget farming strategy has gained a lot of traction and now, even farmers from around the world are turning to Himachal Pradesh to get tips from the state’s farmers.
Further into the series of initiatives, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), women became the messengers of natural farming in Himachal Pradesh. Rural women were picked up as ‘Krishi Sakhis’ (community resource persons) for agriculture-related activities. With income, environment, nutrition in focus, the women associated with training in natural farming technique, concept seeding at the village organisation level, training and promotion of ecological practices, promotion of Agri-Nutri garden and running seed banks by the Himachal Pradesh Prakritik Khushhal Kisan (PK3Y) Yojana are changing the mindsets.
Till December 2021, 23 training sessions have been conducted for 502 ‘Krishi Sakhis’ in 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh
In his budget speech of 2022-23, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh – Jai Ram Thakur announced that 50,000 acres would be brought under natural farming. The farmers will be registered and will be certified as natural farmers in this fiscal. According to the Agriculture Department, the total cost for conventional farming is nearly Rs 2.30 lakh per hectare, while natural farming costs around Rs 1 lakh per hectare.
A wider spread out
The above story indicated Himachal Pradesh pioneering in Naural Farming, but, states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka and Kerela are promoting natural farming. Specifically talking about Andhra Pradesh, the frontrunner among all states in implementing the natural farming programmes at a mass scale.
In 2018, Andhra Pradesh launched a scale-out plan to transition 6 million farms/farmers cultivating 8 million hectares of land from traditional Agri practices to Zero-budge Natural Farming by 2024, making Andhra Pradesh India’s first 100% natural farming state.
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