Time to act now before farming issues become severe: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked farmers to turn to organic or natural farming and said this is the right time to take big steps before the issues related to farming become severe.

Addressing the national conclave on natural farming at Anand via video link, Modi said cows can play an important role in organic farming as their dung and urine can be used as fertilizer and pesticide.

He also said that natural farming must be turned into a ‘jan andolan‘ (people’s movement) and urged the farmers and the state governments to join the revolution.

“It is a fact that chemicals and fertilizers have played a crucial role in the green revolution. But it is also imperative to work on their alternatives. It is the right time to take big steps before the issues related to farming become severe. In Gujarati, it is said that prevention is always better than cure,” he said.

“Natural farming will maximize the benefits to 80 per cent of small farmers in India who have less than two hectares of land. The situation of these farmers can greatly improve if they turn to natural farming and reduce spending money on chemical fertilizers,” he said.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said, “We should remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi Ji who mentioned, ‘jahan shoshan hoga, wahan poshan nahi hoga’. Therefore, we are here to reduce the decades-long burden on our ‘annadatas’.”

“We must re-learn the basics of farming and adapt to it with our new technological innovations,” he said.

He further urged the farmers not to burn stubble.

“We have to also get rid of mistakes in farming techniques. Experts say that burning the farm causes loss of land fertility. But it has become a tradition to burn crop stubble,” he added.

The three-day summit on natural and zero-budget farming commenced on December 14 and is scheduled to conclude on December 16.

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