EEI, Hyderabad organised online panel discussion on “prospects of natural farming” on 27th june 2022
EEI, Hyderabad as a part of its regular activities extended for Client departments of South Indian states and Union territories and also for the benefit of members of Society of Extension Professionals (SEP) organized Online Panel discussion on “Prospects of Natural Farming” on 27th June 2022 from 2.30 pm to 5.30pm. EEI, Hyderabad has live streamed the Panel discussion in youtube for the first time. 136 participants joined through Youtube and 78 viewed from Ciscowebex platform. On the whole a total of 214 audience from Telangana, Andhrapradesh, Tamilnadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala, Newdelhi and Chatisgarh took part in the Panel. Viewers comprised of a galaxy of scientists, students, teachers and state department officials working in Universities, State government departments, KVKs, CRIDA and ICAR. Four panelists representing Government nodal agency, Agricultural University, State Department of Agriculture and a practitioner were chosen to discuss on the various facets of Natural farming.
The Panelists were
- Dr. N. Balasubramani, Director (Climate Change and Adaptation), MANAGE, (National level Nodal organisation and Knowledge repository in Natural farming), Hyderabad, Telangana.
- Dr.E.Somasundaram, Director (Agribusiness Development), TNAU, Coimbatore and Nodal Officer for GoI, MHRD sponsored Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, Regional Coordinating Institute (RCI) Central Zone of Tamil Nadu.
- K. Prakash, ADA, FTC, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
- Mr. Prathik, MBA, MA, Practitioner of Natural farming, Visakhapatnam district, Andhrapradesh , Grower and a Self marketer of 10 types of Vegetables and Paddy.
Dr. M. JaganMohanReddy, Director, EEI speaking on the occasion enlightened the participants on the importance of motivating producers and consumers towards practicing Natural farming and consuming the products respectively.
Dr. V. Sudharani, Director of Extension, PJTSAU, in her introductory remarks informed the house that Natural farming helps to increase production, attains sustainability, saves water, improves soil health and farmland ecosystem. She opined that it is a cost- effective farming practice with scope for raising employment and rural development.
Dr. R. Vasantha, Professor, EEI introduced the panelists to the audience and appraised the august gathering about the arduous efforts made by the panelists in the field of Natural Farming.
Addressing the distinguished gathering, Dr. N. Balasubramani portrayed key role played by MANAGE in promotion of Natural Farming. He felt that as a result of population increase, more and more marginal areas are being used for agriculture which led to rapid natural resources degradation, particularly soil degradation which necessitates need for appropriate interventions to address the prevailing constraints using suitable technologies for improved and sustainable agricultural production.
Dr.E.Somasundaram speaking on the occasion, enlightened the audience about the standard protocols developed by TNAU in the use of Natural farming inputs such as Jeevamrut, Ghanajeevamrut, Beejamrut etc. He also stressed out the importance of multi layer cropping systems in areas where cultivable land is shrinking.
K. Prakash narrated the methodology followed in converting 10000 farmers growing paddy, millets and orchards crops like Cashew, Mango, Oil Palm into Natural farming in 3years and nearly 20000 farmers partially into natural farming. He said that communitisation of Natural farming inputs was made duly involving SHG woman groups and community cadres to make use of Natural farming inputs within the village. He added that for promoting Natural farming, success stories in Natural farming were documented by making short videos and same were disseminated through smart TV's and Pico projectors in the Rythu bharosa kendrams. Started an exclusive Natural farming You tube channel. Sensitized school children by raising the kitchen gardens and nutri gardens by Natural farming methods in the school premises.
Mr. Prathik, farmer focussed on the global organic farming methods which are easily adoptable, Stock management of nutrition, bio pesticides and bio insecticides as prevention in organic methods, System of practices to be followed in organic fields, Jeevamrutam filter unit for drip and compost and gave a detailed description of marketing plan he executed for successful marketing of Natural farming products.
Panelists resolved all the queries raised by audience seeking clarifications on Natural farming practices, scalability of Natural farming, standard
protocols, marketing strategies and challenges and solutions in taking the concept forward.
Webinar was organized under the guidance of Dr. M. Jaganmohanreddy, Director, EEI and moderated by Dr. R. Vasantha, Professor, EEI. The Panel came to an end with the vote of thanks proposed by Dr.K. Madhubabu, Professor. and Head, Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar.Tra
