6.3L farmers involved in natural farming movement: Kakani

Anantapur: Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy has stated that the government is encouraging natural farming practices as it will benefit farmers in a large scale. Participating as the chief guest in the Groundswell International Global Conference organised at the Action Fraterna Ecology Centre premises here on Thursday, Govardhan Reddy said the state government has involved 6.30 lakh farmers in the natural farming movement spearheaded by it. The state government is implementing a 4-pronged strategy in this regard in adopting natural farming.

Stating the government is a pro-farmer and highly sensitive to farmers' requirements, he said Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, RBK and AP Community Managed Natural Farming have been established as a step in that direction. At the village level, RBKs will be functioning as the natural farming promotion centres.

As many as 3,009 RBKs were functioning already as promotors of the concept and by 2023, 10,778 village secretariats will take on the role of natural farming promoting centers. Second strategy is to educate the farmers on natural farming through literature and audio-visual tools in laymen language, the benefits of natural farming. Third strategy is to promote the concept through farmers' organisations and progressive farmers and in the fourth phase the strategy is to involve 1.60 lakh women groups in the state to carry forward the natural farming movement.

The idea is also to groom up atleast one farmer as an agriculture scientist in all the RBKs in the state. Besides, the establishment of Indo-German Global Academy for Agrology Research and Learning is another step in the direction by the state government. The Agriculture minister revealed that 15 countries implementing natural farming concept have sent their representatives to AP state to study its implementation by the government, which the AP government deems it an honor and recognition to its efforts in the direction. The delegates studying the concept in the district and the observations to be made by them on the implementation of concept are invaluable. In future the world will look up to state government for inspiration, Goverdhan Reddy hoped.

He clarified that there will no question of government going back on free power to farmers. He assured payment of crop compensation to all farmers whose crop had been damaged. Rythu Sadikara Samstha executive vice-chairman Vijay Kumar also spoke hailing the several initiatives of the present government. He revealed that Mexico and Nepal governments were also working with the farmers agency on natural farming. District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan and director of Action Fraterna Malla Reddy also spoke. ZP chairman Girija also participated.