The scientists must ensure that the research done in the laboratories must be transferred to the fields to benefit the farmers and horticulturists of the state, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the 12th Biennial National Krishi Vigyan Kendra Conference at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in Solan district today.
As many as 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras from all over the country and more than thousand scientists and farmers from different states are participating in this two-day event on ‘Natural Farming and Other Sustainable Farming’ techniques.
Chief Minister lauded the state’s farmers for their hard work and said they were ahead of other states of the country in adopting new technologies.
Within three months of coming to power, the present BJP government started ‘Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana’ in the state for the long term welfare of the farmers and made a budget provision of Rs 25 crore for promotion of natural farming and today about over 1.71 lakh farmers have adopted natural farming in the State, he added.
“We are working to make Himachal Pradesh chemical free in farming sector in a phased manner and are moving towards making the state a natural farming state in the coming 15 years’’, he added.
He urged the scientists of the University to help the farmers and horticulturists of the State by continuously guiding them regarding improved varieties of seeds and planting material given from time to time by this university.
Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat while delivering his address on Natural Farming said, “organic carbon of soil in India was 2.5 when the first Green Revolution was initiated in India which has now reduced to 0.5 or even less. He said that this was a matter of concern. He said that natural farming was today the need of the hour as this would not only improve the soil health, but also increase farm production, thereby improving the economy of the farmers.
