Gandhinagar: Gujarat Governor Mr. Acharya Devvrat has called for a major expansion of natural farming across the state, stressing that it is essential for protecting soil health, water quality, and public health. He emphasized that natural farming is not just an agricultural method but a broader movement to safeguard Mother Earth and future generations.
The Governor made these remarks while addressing district collectors, district development officers, and municipal commissioners through a state-level video conference focused on promoting natural farming and strengthening its marketing system.
New Permanent Natural Farming Sales Centres Announced
Governor Devvrat directed officials to establish dedicated permanent sales centres for natural farming produce within one month across Gujarat. As per the plan:
- 5 sales centres will be set up at Municipal Corporation level
- 3 centres at district level
- 1 centre at taluka level
He stated that these centres will help farmers practicing natural farming access better markets and ensure wider availability of chemical-free agricultural produce.
Warning Over Chemical Farming and Environmental Damage
Highlighting environmental concerns, the Governor warned that excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is making soil, water, and food toxic.
He said this situation is contributing to serious health risks, including rising diseases such as cancer. According to him, natural farming must be adopted widely to “revive Mother Earth” and protect long-term ecological balance.
Call for Responsible Use of Natural Resources
Governor Devvrat also stressed the importance of conserving national resources, including electricity and fuel. He described prudent resource usage as a moral responsibility of both citizens and government systems.
He shared that initiatives at Gujarat Lok Bhavan have already led to electricity savings of over ₹25 crore by adjusting street light timings. He further instructed that street lights should be switched off 35 minutes before sunrise and switched on 35 minutes after sunset to improve efficiency.
Chief Minister Pushes for Mission-Mode Adoption of Natural Farming
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel, who also participated in the video conference, urged district and urban administrative heads to promote natural farming in mission mode. He emphasized the goal of achieving near-universal adoption among farmers through scientific awareness and education.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had long envisioned the importance of natural farming for promoting public health and agricultural sustainability.
He also highlighted that Governor Devvrat has been actively engaging with farmers in villages and fields, helping to transform natural farming into a people’s movement in Gujarat.
Administrative Officials Urged to Lead by Example
The Chief Minister called upon District Collectors, District Development Officers, and Municipal Commissioners to adopt natural farming as a personal mission. He said their leadership and example would play a key role in encouraging widespread adoption among farmers.
He stressed that administrative engagement and ground-level outreach are essential for achieving the state’s natural farming objectives.
Agriculture Minister Calls Natural Farming a “Need of the Hour”
Agriculture Minister Mr. Jitubhai Vaghani thanked the Governor for initiating the interactive session and described natural farming as the urgent need of the present time.
He said that excessive chemical use has damaged soil fertility and human health, and natural farming provides a sustainable solution to these challenges. The Minister also appreciated the state government’s efforts to establish sales centres for natural farming produce and suggested that senior officials should experiment with natural farming practices in the open spaces at their residences.
Senior Officials Participate in High-Level Review
The video conference was also attended by Minister of State for Agriculture Mr. Ramesh Katara, Chief Secretary Mr. M.K. Das, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department Mr. R.C. Meena, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Vikrant Pandey, along with senior officials from the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department and the Directorate of Agriculture.
Gujarat’s Push Towards Sustainable Agriculture
The state government’s initiative aims to promote natural farming as a large-scale agricultural reform, improve farmer incomes through dedicated marketing infrastructure, and reduce dependency on chemical inputs.
