Agartala: Mar 10. A Regional Conference on Natural Farming was held at the Conference Hall of the State Agricultural Research Station (SARS) at A.D. Nagar in Agartala with the aim of promoting natural farming practices and strengthening farmers’ capacities across the state.
The conference was jointly organised by the Regional Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (RCoNF), Imphal, under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the Tripura State Institute of Natural Farming at A.D. Nagar and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The event was attended by Agriculture Department Secretary Apurba Roy, Director of Agriculture Phani Bhusan Jamatia, Junior Scientific Officer from RCoNF Imphal Pravin Bhutla, district and sub-divisional agriculture officers from across the state, experts on natural farming from the institute at Arundhatinagar, Krishi Sakhis and several natural farming practitioners.
During the conference, participants discussed various aspects of natural farming, including its role in improving soil health, reducing dependence on chemical inputs, increasing farmers’ income and strengthening the certification process for natural farming systems. The discussions also focused on expanding market opportunities for natural farming produce and improving mandi facilities to support farmers.
As part of the programme, selected Krishi Sakhis from eight districts were felicitated for their contributions in promoting natural farming at the grassroots level. Additionally, sixteen natural farming practitioners two from each district were honoured for their successful adoption of natural farming methods.
The conference included presentations on the progress of natural farming programmes, implementation of the annual action plan and field-level experiences from different districts. Officials stressed the need to strengthen training programmes, enhance awareness, provide technical support and ensuring the registration of all farmers associated with natural farming across the state.
The conference served as an important platform for exchanging experiences, strengthening collaboration among stakeholders, and accelerating the expansion of natural farming in Tripura.
