Over 20,000 farmers reap healthy, profitable harvests

A green revolution is quietly transforming agriculture in Himachal Pradesh, as over 20,000 farmers in the district have embraced natural farming, providing healthy, organic produce to consumers. Dr Nitin Sharma, project director of the ATMA initiative, shared that farmers had grown and sold 96 quintals of wheat, 53 quintals of maize and nine quintals of turmeric through natural methods. A portion of this produce was also retained by the farmers for personal consumption, as it is more nutritious and chemical-free.

To encourage this sustainable shift, the government has extended substantial support under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Farmers receive a subsidy of Rs 25,000 for purchasing indigenous cows, Rs 5,000 for transportation and up to Rs 2,000 for market fee. Additionally, Rs 8,000 is offered for building cow shed floors and setting up systems to collect cow urine, an essential input in natural farming.

Dr Sharma emphasised that this initiative was ushering in a new era of healthy, eco-friendly farming across the state. “Farmers are not only saving on input costs but also earning better prices for their organic produce,” he said. The government’s combined support in the form of subsidies and assured procurement is giving farmers dual benefits.

Farmers like Shakuntala Devi and Sushma Devi from Amlahad gram panchayat and Sunil Dutt from Dhaneta, all part of the ATMA project, say the transition has changed their lives. “It has reduced our farming costs and increased our profits,” shared Sushma. Sunil Dutt added: “Money matters, but health matters more. Natural farming has given us poison-free food and peace of mind.”

This shift marks a promising step toward sustainable agriculture and rural empowerment, with natural farming lighting a new path for Himachal’s farming community.