Indian Tribal News Service
Cuttack/New Delhi
Starting next fiscal, the Odisha Government will roll out a mega project of natural farming in tribal areas of as many as five districts with an aim usher in a “transformational change” towards sustainability.
And it will have an Andhra Pradesh connection. The project will be executed in collaboration with the Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS), set up by the Andhra Pradesh government to implement natural farming.
“Natural farming will get popular acceptance among the people, more particularly in tribal-dominated districts of Odisha, as the method is quite compatible with the traditional patterns,” Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said
He said the process would reduce the cost of production, and lead to creation of safe and nutritious food items.
The Andhra Pradesh Government established the Rythu Sadhikara Samstha as a not-for-profit company to create integrated institutional mechanism for all programmes, schemes and activities intended for farmer’s empowerment, encompassing welfare, development, capacity enhancement, credit flow, financial support and allied empowerment activities.
Andhra Pradesh plans to transition 6 million farms/farmers to 100% chemical-free agriculture by 2024.
Natural farming is a diversified farming method without the use of synthetic chemicals like pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. It integrates crops, trees and livestock in the system.
The project, covering 3.15 lakh hectares of farmland, will be rolled out from the 2022-23 fiscal with an investment of around Rs 312 crore over five years. A cluster approach will be adopted for the scheme, to be undertaken through women self-help groups (WSHGs) in Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada and Koraput districts
The WSHGs will be trained for crop diversification, initial preparation of bio-inputs and pre-monsoon sowing. They will be assisted in the establishment of common facility centres for cleaning, grading, segregation and storage.
State Development Commissioner Pradeep Jena said natural farming would result in a “transformational change” towards sustainability. “As the popularity of non-toxic food items is in high demand, natural
farming will fetch more income for WSHGs,” Jena said.
