Solan: A 10-day course cum training on ‘Recent Development in Organic Production Systems and natural farming concluded at the Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.
The course was funded by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research.
Seventeen scientists from different universities of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal took part in the training. The trainees were selected from among the several who had applied for the training.
Participants were apprised about the aspects of natural farming from basic principles, food production, plant protection and post-harvest and the overall economics of natural farming.
Topics like Novel Microbes and their Potential Use in Organic and Natural Farming Systems, Multilayer Farming, Soil Nutrient Dynamics and Analysis, Effective use of Biocontrol Agents and New Insights in Diseases Management were some of the topics covered.
Participants also visited university farms in Mashobra and Nauni and hands-on training on the field.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, while addressing the trainees, said that the country has taken a challenge at the right time to ensure the conservation of soil and water and provide healthy food to society.
Prof. Chandel added that natural farming was a farmer-centric approach where the scientific community is learning along with the farmers. He urged the trainees to develop their own package of practices on natural farming for their areas using the natural items available in that region.
