Training cum Exhibition on Natural Farming

Chandel, 21/03/2023:

Training cum Exhibition on Natural farming was organized today at Modi village, Chandel. The programme was conducted under the project out scaling of natural farming through KVKs and sponsored by Ministry of Agricultural and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. The programme was attended by Dr. A. Ameeta Devi, Head i/c cum SMS (Animal Science), ICAR – KVK Chandel and Kl. John, Chief of Modi village as presidium members.

In the keynote addressed by Dr. Kl. Levish Chongloi, SMS (Agronomy) she informed the farmers that Natural Farming is a chemical-free traditional farming method and it is agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity. She highlighted the benefits of adopting natural farming such as increasing in production, sustainability, saving of water use, improvement in soil health and farmland ecosystem.  Dr. A. Ameeta Devi in her speech emphasized and encouraged rearing of local cow depending on their farm size for natural farming. She explained to the farmers that in organic farming, bio-fertlisers and bio-pesticides are used, but zero budget natural farming is purely dependent on cow.  She also informed that there is need to eliminate chemicals in agriculture gradually and to conserve natural resources and revive already depleted natural resources by propagating natural farming to save the soil, water, environment, animal and human health and ultimately overall agro Eco systems. Kl. John, Chief of Modi village in his speech shared his happiness in organising training and the exhibition. He said that farmers in modi village had still adopted natural ways of farming through generation and held organic or natural farming mela every year in the village to promote chemical free crops. Later on training on Natural farming was conducted by experts from ICAR – KVK Chandel. The resource persons were Ps. Lavid Anal, SMS (Horticulture), Ts. Leenda Monsang, SMS (Plant Breeding), Dr. K. Sonamani Singh, SMS (Agril. Engg.). In the exhibition, natural farming products and millets varieties were showcase. 68 farmers and staff of ICAR – KVK Chandel have attended the programme.