Himachal Governor Acharya Devvrat on Sunday urged the farmers to adopt zero budget natural farming so that Himachal Pradesh emerged as organic state in near future like Sikkim state which was declared organic state of the country.
The Governor while speaking in a seminar on organic farming organised in Mandi district said that it is the need of the hour to promote and adopt organic farming and said that it is possible only when every farmer rear domestic cow.
He said that one cow could be helpful in farming 30 acres of land and added that it would improve the fertility of the soil, producing maximum yield by using minimum water and getting remunerative price of their product. The Governor said that domestic cow is useful in every respect and with the help of traditional farming, revolution in agro sector could be generated. He also expressed concern that chemical fertilizers and pesticides had been introduced in the name of green revolution and in some extend it increased the production level but degrading the fertility of the soil and products so produced were harmful to the body.
He added that some big companies are involved in exploiting the farmers.
The Governor said that number of diseases had increased due to excessive use of chemical farming.
The best part of adopting natural system of farming is that it has no financial implication and the farmers would not have to outsource from the market as it was prepared naturally by the farmer himself, he said.
Devvrat said that in natural farming, the farmers should be encouraged to rear domestic cow instead of hybrid one imported from abroad.
The cows found in hilly areas are significant in many ways, he added.
He also appealed the farmers to adopt cashless economy.
The Governor also inaugurated exhibition put up by Agriculture University, Palampur and progressive farmers of the state on organic farming.