Shimla: Himachal Pradesh is set to embrace natural farming on a large scale, with all Agriculture Department farms transitioning to this eco-friendly practice by next year. The initiative aims to integrate one lakh farmer families into natural farming within a year and establish the state as a leader in sustainable agriculture.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a review meeting of the Agriculture Department, outlined the government’s vision to promote natural farming. He directed officials to focus department farms solely on producing seeds for natural farming and to map farmers cultivating wheat and maize through these methods across the state.
The Chief Minister also emphasized the need for high-tech storage facilities for natural farming produce and proposed setting up a solar power plant in Tal, Hamirpur. Stressing the importance of natural disease management methods, he instructed the department to develop a certification process for seeds and establish a high-end laboratory for soil and seed testing.
To strengthen the rural economy, Sukhu announced plans to open processing plants for turmeric and ginger. Additionally, the government is exploring the introduction of dairy-based degree courses at Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Agricultural University, Palampur, to encourage youth participation in agriculture.
During the 2024-25 Kharif season, the Agriculture Department purchased 3,989 quintals of maize grown naturally, and the target for the upcoming Rabi season has been set at 8,050 quintals. Data collection on natural farming practitioners will be conducted at the block level and integrated with the Him Parivar database to streamline efforts.
