Union Agriculture Minister chairs steering committee meeting of National Natural Farming Mission

Tags: National National News

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar chaired the first steering committee meeting of National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) on 3 November, 2022 at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. 

Important facts

• In the meeting, Tomar launched the NMNF portal.

• The portal is developed by the agriculture ministry. 

• The portal contains all the information about the mission, implementation outline, resources, implementation progress, farmer registration, blog etc., which will be useful for the farmers.

• This portal will help in promoting natural farming in the country.

• Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi and Union Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja were present in the meeting.

• On this occasion, Tomar said that with the cooperation of all, the mission of natural farming would be carried forward in the country.

• Jal Shakti Minister Shekhawat said that his ministry has signed MoU with Sahakar Bharti and in the first phase 75 Sahakar Ganga villages have been identified and a roadmap has been prepared and farmers have been trained.

About Natural farming

• Natural farming is a traditional indigenous farming method based on livestock.

• It does not use any chemical fertilisers or pesticides or organic manures, vermicompost, biofertilizers, bio-pesticides.

• This farming is done with the aim of reducing the cost of cultivation and thus provides benefits mostly to the small and marginal farmers.

• Natural farming in India is being promoted under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in the form of Indian Natural Farming System Program (BPKP).

• The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana has received 4.2 times (as compared to the previous year) allocation of Rs 10,433 crore in the budget for the year 2022-23, which will earmark funds for on-the-ground implementation of chemical-free farming.

• Sikkim is the first organic state in India.