CAU, Imphal among 4 varsities for learning Natural Farming
Source: The Sangai Express / Nando Waikhom

Imphal, November 06 2023: With the inclusion of the Central Agricultural University, Imphal among four universities selected for offering courses on Natural Farming in the country, Manipur may see a sea change in terms of developing natural farming system in the near future.

Beginning from last month (October) onwards, the four universities namely; CAU, Imphal, Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa, Bihar; Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University (RLBCAU), Jhansi and Dr Yashwant Singh Parmer University of Horticulture & Forestry, Himachal Pradesh will offer BSc Honours Course in Natural Farming.

Speaking in this regard, Professor Dwipendra Thakuria, Dean of College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya which is under CAU, Imphal, said that the approval to offer the BSc Honours Course in Natural Farming was given to the four agricultural universities very recently.

He went on to inform that the ICAR has constituted a Core Committee and sub-committees after conducting 19 different meetings and conferences in different parts of India wherein the ideas and concepts of scientists, policy makers and farmers who have already adopted Natural Farming were incorporated.

Saying that he was also a member of a sub-committee, the Professor conveyed that the sub-committees have already finalized the syllabus of BSc Honours on Natural Farming and the same has been circulated across the country.

Prof Dwipendra Thakuria further told that BSc Honours Course (Natural Farming) will also have 'multiple exit policy' as per the National Education Policy (NEP) in which students who completed the four year degree course will get distinction in Honours while those students who completed one year and two years will get one-year course certificate and diploma certificate respectively.

Expounding the manners in which students will be enrolled, he maintained that 80 percent of the available seats will be registered through the entrance test conducted by the respective Central Agricultural Universities while the remaining 20 percent seats will be taken through the entrance test conducted by ICAR wherein the respective State Agriculture Directorate/Department would have authority to nominate students.

"The initiative is a scheme/design which gives advantage to the Northeast States where most students belong to the ST communities and live in remote parts of India.

It will definitely create a positive impact 10 to 20 years down the line", he added.

Continuing that the North East region of India has not been exposed much to the 'Green Revolution' movement that began in early 1960s that emphasizes on modern agriculture relying on chemical fertilizers and technologies, Dwipendra Thakuria maintained that the North East region could also have suffered adverse consequences of destroying soil and environment like the States in North India had the region been touched by the agricultural revolution.

"Although the Indo-Gangetic plain made record breaking success story and increased their yield substantially through the Green Revolution movement in the past, the soil quality or the productive power of the soil in the region has declined drastically owing to the excessive usage of phosphatic fertilizers like DAP and MAP.

As a matter of fact, the organic matters content has come down from 1.22 per cent to 0.4 per cent", the Professor added.

Observing that the country, specially the North East States still have enough time to search for alternative food production system that will not cause harm to the living beings and environment, he said that the organic farming and the natural farming suit best in this juncture when the consequences of modern farming must be minimised and the self sufficiency in food production must be made a reality.

He asserted that the Government of India is focusing and promoting Natural Farming as an alternative means in the country in view of its advantages.

The Professor went on to exude confidence that the inclusion of Natural Farming in the curriculum of CAU, Imphal and four other agricultural universities in the country will make the North East region and India prosperous in terms of conserving the environment, soil quality and production of organic food.

Reminding that India is a participatory country in the UN which has 17 'Sustainable Development Goals" out of which five are directly linked to agriculture and soil activities, Professor Dwipendra Thakuria added that India and North East could be the model places for natural farming if the said task is taken up with dedication.

(This article is written under the 3rd Award in the Scientific Journalism Programme of the Public Relations and Media Management Cell, CAU, Imphal.

Dr Indira Thounaojam, Information and Publicity Officer and Head, PRMM Cell, CAU Imphal can be contacted at [email protected] to know more about this article and related information) .

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