Himachal women showing exemplary enthusiasm towards natural farming: Guv

Women in Himachal Pradesh are showing exemplary enthusiasm towards natural farming which is inspiring for other parts of the country, the states Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said on Thursday. Of them, 55 per cent are women and 25,000 acres of land have been brought under natural farming in Himachal Pradesh, he added.

Women in Himachal Pradesh are showing exemplary enthusiasm towards natural farming which is inspiring for other parts of the country, the state's Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said on Thursday. Addressing a workshop on natural farming for women farmers at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in Solan district, Arlekar said, ''Himachal remains a leading state in natural farming in the country due to the contribution of women farmers towards it.'' The workshop was organised under Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana in which more than 800 women farmers participated. The governor said Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave the credit for natural farming to the farmers of the hill state. Arlekar said he assured the Prime Minister that soon the number of farmers adopting natural farming would be doubled here and greater cooperation of women farmers would be required for achieving that. The governor also expressed satisfaction that 1.68 lakh farmers were associated with natural farming in the hill state. Of them, 55 per cent are women and 25,000 acres of land have been brought under natural farming in Himachal Pradesh, he added. The university's Vice Chancellor Parvinder Kaushal highlighted the work being done by the varsity in the interest of farmers and orchardists. Agriculture Secretary Rakesh Kanwar said that central government has made a provision of Rs 1,500 crore for the expansion of natural farming. It has been reported that the income of farmers has increased by 27 per cent, he added. Prakritik Kheti Khushal Yojana Executive Director Rajeshwar Chandel spoke about the three-day workshop. On the occasion, women farmers also shared their experience.