In FY24, Approx 1.5 Lakh Farmers In Himachal Practicing Natural Farming Will Get PK3Y Certification

The PK3Y will focus on consolidating the efforts of these farmers who have already adopted natural farming techniques, to further promote and support this sustainable agricultural practice.

Agriculture Secretary Rakesh Kanwar has announced that in the fiscal year 2023-24, around 1.5 lakh farmers who practice natural farming in Himachal Pradesh will receive certification under the 'Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana' (PK3Y).

It has been found that 28% of farmers have already adopted natural farming techniques through peer-to-peer learning without any formal training. Therefore, the PK3Y will focus on consolidating the efforts of these farmers who have already adopted natural farming techniques, to further promote and support this sustainable agricultural practice.

During a meeting with agriculture department officials to discuss the implementation of a cluster-based agriculture development program in the state, the speaker stated that there will be efforts to certify approximately 150,000 farmers who practice natural farming in the upcoming year of 2023-24. This announcement was made in a statement released on Friday.

According to his statement, the priority should lie in consolidating the existing farmers and expanding their land under natural farming. He also emphasized conducting refresher workshops, providing training for building their capacity, and organizing exposure visits to enhance their skills and knowledge.

According to Kanwar, the positive response and successful outcomes of natural farming techniques have convinced everyone that it is beneficial, and now we need to expand its practice to derive overall benefits in agriculture. In this regard, he instructed the department officers to identify clusters, prioritize the issues, and develop a specific budget based on the needs of each cluster.

According to Naresh Thakur, the State Project Director of PK3Y, the earmarked targets for 2022-23 have been successfully achieved. He proudly stated that more than 51,000 farmers have received certification under PK3Y for producing natural goods. Moreover, he expressed his plans to further strengthen the natural farming model villages in the state.

-PTI

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