NITI Aayog Advances Natural Farming Agenda with National Workshop and Launch of Bilingual Training Manuals

Discussions focused on certification systems, export potential, financial support mechanisms, market linkages, and institutional convergence required to mainstream natural farming.

In a significant push toward sustainable and farmer-centric agricultural transformation, NITI Aayog organized a two-day national workshop on Natural Farming under its State Support Mission (SSM), bringing together farmers, policymakers, scientists, agri-startups, and civil society representatives from across the country.

The workshop served as a national platform to consolidate learnings, address implementation challenges, and strengthen institutional convergence to accelerate the transition toward natural farming practices.

Launch of Bilingual Training Manuals

A key highlight of the event was the launch of comprehensive Training Manuals on Natural Farming, developed in both Hindi and English. The manuals are designed to empower farmers, extension officers, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and field-level functionaries with practical, region-specific knowledge on natural farming practices.

The manuals aim to:

• Provide standardized guidance on natural farming techniques

• Strengthen field-level capacity building

• Offer best practices and implementation frameworks

• Enable better understanding of bio-input preparation and crop management

• Support state-level scaling efforts

By making the toolkit accessible in multiple languages, NITI Aayog has sought to ensure wider outreach and inclusivity.

Emphasis on Sustainable, Farmer-Centric Agriculture

The workshop featured a virtual address by Shri Acharya Devvrat Ji, Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra, who underscored the importance of sustainable agricultural systems rooted in farmer welfare.

He highlighted that natural farming can:

• Improve soil health

• Reduce dependence on costly external inputs

• Lower cultivation expenses

• Enhance farmers’ incomes

• Strengthen ecological balance

His remarks reinforced the broader policy objective of aligning agricultural growth with environmental sustainability and farmer resilience.

Broad Institutional Participation

The event witnessed participation from leading academic and research institutions, including:

• Junagadh Agricultural University

• Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry

• Gujarat Natural Farming Science University

Their involvement reflected the growing scientific engagement in validating and refining natural farming methodologies.

Farmers, agricultural officers, and KVK scientists from Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Odisha attended the workshop, demonstrating pan-India interest in transitioning toward chemical-free agriculture.

Convergence Across Ministries and Agencies

Officials from key central ministries and institutions also contributed to the discussions, including:

• APEDA

• NABARD

• Ministry of Cooperation

• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD)

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

• Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs)

Discussions focused on certification systems, export potential, financial support mechanisms, market linkages, and institutional convergence required to mainstream natural farming.

The presence of agri-startups, civil society organizations, champion farmers, and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) further highlighted the emergence of a supportive ecosystem around natural farming.

Strong Participation and Open Dialogue

A total of 770 participants attended the first day of the workshop. An open house discussion provided farmers and practitioners with a platform to candidly raise concerns and share field-level challenges.

Key issues discussed included:

• Adoption barriers

• Certification complexities

• Market access constraints

• Institutional support gaps

• Need for evidence-based validation

The deliberations concluded with a consensus on the importance of:

• Stronger field demonstrations

• Farmer-led model farms

• Scientific validation of outcomes

• Structured institutional backing

Field Visits and Live Demonstrations

The second day of the workshop focused on experiential learning through field visits and live demonstrations.

Participants observed:

• Natural Farming (NF) package of practices for various exotic crops

• On-farm preparation of bio-inputs

• Automated setups for bio-input production

• Practical demonstrations of soil and crop management techniques

These field engagements allowed direct interaction with practitioners and provided hands-on exposure to real-world implementation.

Scaling Natural Farming Nationwide

Through this workshop, NITI Aayog reaffirmed its commitment to supporting states in designing, implementing, and scaling natural farming initiatives under the State Support Mission.

The initiative aligns with broader national priorities of:

• Promoting sustainable agriculture

• Reducing chemical dependency

• Enhancing soil regeneration

• Improving farmer incomes

• Building climate-resilient farming systems

By combining policy coordination, scientific engagement, field demonstrations, and capacity building, the workshop marked another step toward institutionalizing natural farming as a viable and scalable agricultural model.

Access the Training Manuals

Empowering Farmers: Natural Farming Training Toolkit & Best Practices Guide (English)https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-03/Training-Manual-English.pdf

किसान सशक्तिकरण: प्राकृतिक खेती प्रशिक्षण एवं सर्वोत्तम अभ्यास मार्गदर्शिका (Hindi)https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-03/Training-manual-Hindi.pdf