Natural Farming: Foot soldiers
Food / 25 Mar 22
NaturalFarming: Foot soldiers of Uttarakhandhimalayas
Block Jaunpur/Tehsil Dhanaulti/District Tehri Garhwal
“DalNaurangi – (A native /heritage variety of Rice Bean) suggests that this crop has nine colours of grains. In Uttarakhand, it is usually cultivated under the multi-crop system in medium to high altitude hilly areas where other pulse crops fail to grow. It is a robust species of pulses which can tolerate drought as well as excessive rain, also resistant to grain pests and has a longer shelf life. “The plant spreads over the ground with high density of leaves and vine. Thus, it contributes to soil conservation as it protects the soil from the direct exposure of sun and rain and retains moisture…...”
As Union budget Feb 21-22’ unfolded intentions of Union govt became clearer with emphasis on Natural Farming receiving the due importance, baby steps being proposed are again are the right way to move
Away from Hustle bustle of National Capital Regions the barren rain shadow hills of Jaunpur block are getting ready for sowing season to be commenced for native varieties of Kidney beans, Dalnaurangi Rice Beans Amaranth, Millets and many more Heritage Varieties. Zero chemical Farming or Naturalfarming is not a choice but it’s a compulsion in this part, input costs can never match outputs considering 90% of landholdings are small or Marginal but this very handicap has turned this sparsely populated, Migration hit and resource less region in focus with veritable treasure trove of Heritage Pulses, Cerealse.g., Dalnaurangi
Government, Farmers, socio commercial organisations have come together to make this area a case study for the Hilly state of Uttarakhandhimalayas, it has shown all Positives associated with NaturalFarming
- Minimizes Cost of Production and Increases Farmers’ Production
- Employment Generation in uttarakhandhimalayas
- Reduces Water Consumption
- Rejuvenates Soil Health
- Promotes Livestock Sustainability
- Promotes women’s participation and community ownership for scaling up of Natural Farming
- Builds resilience of agricultural systems
