Northeast
International Conference on ‘Natural farming’ underway in Manipur
IMPHAL: Manipur Governor Sushri Anusuiya Uikey on Friday said that the government has set a target of helping one crore farmers to adopt natural farming in the next three years.
Governor Uikey was speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day International Conference on ‘Natural farming for Revitalizing Environment and Resilient Agriculture’ at the Central Agricultural University (CAU) premises in the outskirts of Imphal.
She said, though modern agriculture has increased the rate of food production and made the country self-sufficient, the people are still facing many problems. And that keeping in view of such situations, NITI Aayog has organised a national consultation during which Indian natural farming system was discussed.
Informing that schemes like National Agriculture Development Scheme and Indian Natural farming System were introduced to promote natural farming, she stated that Indian Council of Agricultural Research constituted a committee to develop natural farming courses and materials at Undergraduate and Post-Graduate level where Dr. Anupam Mishra was appointed as Member Secretary.
She also expressed confidence that deliberations at the convention will yield good steps which will help towards developing natural farming not only in India but in other countries too.
Prior to the day’s inaugural function, the Governor also opened an exhibition on natural farming products of innovative farmers from Manipur and other states from Northeast. Three books-Nurturing Bhumi (soil), Entrepreneurship opportunities in agriculture and an abstract book.
In the three-day conference 25 lead papers will be presented by scientists of agriculture and allied discipline out of which eight papers will be presented by scientists of eight foreign countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, Germany, Russia, Singapore and USA.
Besides, 135 research papers in different technical sessions will be presented. Each session will also have a poster presentation on the theme concerned and altogether 198 posters are expected to be displayed.