Governor Acharya Devvrat has appealed the farming community to adopt zero budget natural farming which was a simple and profitable technique to strengthen their economy. The Governor was speaking as a chief guest at Jaivik Kisan Mandi programme organized by Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies (IIHS) at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, today.He said that the past practices of chemical farming and organic farming were not fit in present context. As far as chemical farming was concerned, the products so produced were harmful and poisonous and also costly. Similarly, cost of production in organic farming was high and it absorbs more essential nutrients from soil, therefore, zero budget natural farming was the best alternative for farming, he said.He said now-a-days almost every individual was suffering from some health related problems but if we adopt and develop our own practice of ancient agriculture we could live a healthy life. The Governor said that the production under organic farming was lesser during the first three years and the loss was not bearable for the poor farmers. These days big factories had been set up in the name of organic products and the farmers were forced to take loan for every crop."We are taking slow poison along with food and by plasticizing chemical farming; we have made water, wind and everything poisonous", said that Governor. As per a report, carbon contents in the soil has reached 0.3 level and if this situation continues, we would be able to give only the barren land to the future generations.
The Governor said that zero budget natural farming was the only solution to the farmers which would also double their income. Under this system, the farmers not have to spend even a single penny, but get more benefits such as rejuvenation of barren land, minimum use of water and safe production for health and environment etc. He urged the farmers to rear Indian breed cow to adopt natural farming and adopting natural farming to strengthen their economy.Later, the Governor inaugurated Jaivik Kisan Mandi in IIHS campus.Prof. Rajinder Singh Chauhan, Vice Chancellor of HP University, said that we have lost near about 20 per cent potable water and 26 per cent flora and fauna due to the wrong practices. He added that we have linked development with westernisation which was the reason of all such problems. He thanked the Governor for initiating mission related to natural farming and water conservation.Prof. Upender Nath Roy, Head of the Department, Rural Development, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh detailed about Jaivik Kisan Mandi and said that efforts were being made to make direct link between farmers and consumers through these Mandis. He suggested modernizing food testing laboratory at Chambaghat so that chemical contents could be checked. He also detailed the initiative of the NITTTR for the welfare of farmers as well as public in large.Prof. Arvind Kumar Bhatt, Director, Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies detailed about the programme. Shri Jagat Singh Jangli a renowned environmentalist from Uttrakhand also spoke on the occasion. Farmers from Punjab, Uttrakhand and Himachal shared their experiences about practisizing natural farming in their fields.