Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said zero budget natural farming should become a mass movement and people should be made aware of its benefits.
Addressing an event marking the 98th anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan at Swarved Mahamandir here, he said as the country completes 75 years of independence, “su raj (good governance)” is as important as “swaraj (self-rule)”.
Stressing on the importance of zero budget natural farming, Modi said it should be made a mass movement.
Zero budget natural farming reduces the cost of agriculture by relying on traditional field-based technologies which lead to improved soil health.
Modi also highlighted the development here in recent years and asserted that cities like Varanasi have preserved the seeds of India’s identity, art and entrepreneurship in the toughest of times.
PM Modi to address farmers on 16 December
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address farmers during the valedictory session of the National Summit on Agro and Food Processing on December 16 in Anand, Gujarat via video-conferencing, the PMO said on Tuesday.
The summit brings in focus on natural farming and farmers will be provided with all requisite information detailing its benefits, it said.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the government has been driven by Modi’s vision for farmers’ welfare.
“It has been committed towards ensuring an increase in productivity so that farmers are able to maximise their agri-potential. The government has initiated several measures to transform agriculture and increase farmers’ income,” it said.
Efforts are underway to promote and support initiatives leading to sustainability of the system, cost reduction, market access and better value realization to farmers.
The PMO said “zero budget natural farming” is a promising tool to minimise the dependence of farmers on purchased inputs and reduces the cost of agriculture by relying on traditional field-based technologies which lead to improved soil health.
Desi cow, its dung and urine play an important role from which various inputs are made on the farm and provide necessary nutrients to soil.
Other traditional practices such as mulching the soil with biomass or keeping the soil covered with green cover round the year, even in the very low water availability situations, ensure sustained productivity even from the first year of adoption, it said.
To emphasise on such strategies and to deliver the message to farmers across the country, the Gujarat government is organising the National Summit on Agro and Food Processing, with focus on natural farming. The three-day summit is being organised from December 14 to 16.
It is being attended by over 5,000 farmers who will be present in the summit, in addition to the farmers connecting live through central institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Vigyan Kendras and ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) network in states.
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