The Narendra Modi government 3.0 at the Centre is mulling to provide a direct cash subsidy to encourage farmers to take up natural farming in the country.
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Centre would transfer a sum directly to the bank accounts of farmers to compensate for possible low productivity in the initial 1-2 years of natural farming.
Addressing a regional consultative programme on natural farming in Lucknow yesterday, Chouhan said while productivity could be low in the first 1-2 years of natural farming owing to the past soil quality, the yield improves from the third years, thus making up for any losses incurred by the farmers.
“We will launch an extensive awareness campaign to encourage farmers by apprising them of all relevant facts about natural farming,” he said adding the target was to reach more than 10 million farmers for the outreach.
He said the Centre would try to convince at least 1.8 million farmers to commit to natural farming over their land holdings.
“We will promote natural farming by convincing farmers and through a consultative mechanism,” Chouhan said adding a final shape was already being given to a cabinet note in this regard.
He noted the Centre would cultivate an amenable environment for natural farming to achieve the ultimate goal of chemical free farming in India.
The central government is pitching for natural farming to facilitate the production of healthier farm produce, reduce water use, decrease farm input costs and pare the use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides in agriculture and horticulture.
Chouhan said once the natural farming spiral gains traction, more and more farmers would willingly adopt it across the country.
The central government is nudging the state governments to create a congenial ecosystem for the certification of natural farming products including seeds and natural manures.
Meanwhile, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the state was key to any agri and horticulture related initiative owing to its size and population base.
“We have directed the Mandi Samitis to start the process of natural farming certification in the respective districts,” he said, adding the various agri universities and agri development centres have been activated.
He said 100,000 acres of land in UP was suitable for natural farming especially in the 27 districts flanking the river Ganga and encompassing the seven districts of the Bundelkhand region.