The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is taking a significant step to promote natural farming across the country. For the first time, the ICAR has officially asked all agricultural colleges and state government institutions to start offering courses on natural farming. This move aims to align India’s agriculture sector with national goals for sustainability and farmer well-being.
While natural farming was already available as an optional subject in some places, and a few universities had full courses, this is a nationwide push from the ICAR. Dr. M.L. Jat, Director General of ICAR, has sent a letter to the heads of all State and Central agriculture universities. He has urged them to create both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, along with research opportunities, focused on natural farming.
Dr. Jat explained that natural farming is now seen as a very important subject for India. It fits perfectly with the country’s plans for sustainable farming, protecting the environment, and improving the lives of farmers. He also mentioned that a new B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture programme in Natural Farming has already been created. This programme follows the latest recommendations and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It has been approved and sent to all agriculture universities.
Some universities have already started this B.Sc. programme from the academic year 2023-24. Dr. Jat expressed hope that other universities will begin offering it by the next academic year. He called this a “transformative milestone” for agricultural education in India.
Looking ahead, Dr. Jat highlighted the need to improve postgraduate education and research in natural farming. He pointed out that there is a growing demand across the country for food produced without chemicals. People want healthier food, farming systems that can handle climate changes better, and ways to restore soil health. He also mentioned the importance of farming that produces fewer greenhouse gases.
Because of this growing demand, Dr. Jat stressed that all State, Deemed, and Central Agricultural Universities must develop strong postgraduate programmes, including M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees, in natural farming and related fields. The ICAR has promised to provide full academic and technical help. This includes support with creating course materials and guidelines.
Dr. Jat believes that by working together, Indian agricultural universities can train a new generation of scientists, agricultural experts, and business owners. These professionals will be key to helping India shift towards farming methods that are good for the environment and also profitable for farmers. This initiative by ICAR is expected to greatly boost the study and practice of natural farming in India.