HP to launch natural farming maize flour

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh govt is soon going to introduce maize flour produced through natural farming under the brand name, “Himbhog”. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that more than 4,000 quintals of maize were procured from 1,506 farmer families practising natural farming across the state, with the exception of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts. The highest procurement was from Solan district (1,140 quintals), followed by Chamba (810 quintals), and Mandi (650 quintals).Sukhu added that HP was the first state to offer the highest minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and maize. The govt was providing MSP of Rs 40 per kg for wheat and Rs 30 per kg for maize produced through natural farming. The govt was currently promoting natural farming across 35,000 hectares of land, benefiting 1.98 lakh farmers of the state. Free certification was provided to over 1.5 lakh farmers, and an additional 36,000 farmers were being connected with natural farming.

Ban imposed on summer paddy cultivation in parts of Terai to conserve groundwater, promote maize farming

Udham Singh Nagar district administration in Uttarakhand's Terai region has banned summer paddy cultivation to combat groundwater depletion. A 8 crore project promotes maize as a water-efficient alternative, targeting 22,000 hectares. The initiative aims to save 5,000 lakh litres of water, improve crop yields, and boost farmer profitability. Government support includes hybrid seeds, MSP procurement, and linkages with bio-ethanol plants.

Natural farming to double employment by 2050 in State: Study

A study reveals that natural farming in Andhra Pradesh could double agricultural employment by 2050, creating 10 million jobs compared to industrial agriculture's 5 million. This shift promises higher farmer incomes, reducing the income gap by nearly half. Natural farming also boosts food production by 20% and tackles environmental issues like land degradation.

Gujarat aims to triple natural farming area in 7 yrs

Gujarat is aiming to significantly expand natural farming from 3% to 10% of its agricultural land by 2030, and 25% by 2047. The government is promoting this shift through financial incentives, technological advancements like GPS and AI, and by declaring Dang district chemical-free. Over 1.86 lakh farmers have received financial aid, and 82 FPOs are supporting natural farming produce.

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