‘Natural farming can fight global warming’

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 4

Natural farming is the only solution to reduce the impact of global warming and combat the problem of food security. This was stated by Padma Shri Subhash Palekar.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Palekar said the use of chemicals to increase the yield had led to health issues and as a result diseases like cancer, heart problems and diabetes had become common.

He said: “The water requirement goes down by 70 per cent in natural farming and one desi cow can cultivate 150 bighas. Productivity of a majority of the farmers, who have adopted natural farming, has increased in one year.”

He said the input cost was low, shelf-life and productivity were more, which could increase the income of farmers. Moreover, the practice reduced the effects of global warming and saved environment.

“Adarsh Gram is a village that is self-sustainable, which implies that all its requirements should be fulfilled by the village itself and this could be done by adopting natural farming,” he said.

Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Onkar Sharma said the target was to rope in 50,000 farmers for adopting natural farming this year.