Gandhinagar, Oct 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Gujarat government on Saturday expanded its network for marketing naturally farmed produce with the inauguration of more than 100 new sales centres, taking the total number of such outlets in the state to 1,200, as 93 progressive farmers were honoured with the Best ATMA Farmers Awards.
Governor Acharya Devvrat, who chaired the award ceremony in Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, called for wider adoption of natural farming and urged every farmer practising the method to bring at least one more farmer into the campaign.
Devvrat said natural farming is necessary to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and protect soil, water and the environment as well as human health and future generations.
Referring to Denmark, he said: "Urea and DAP are not subsidised there, while cow dung and urine are used for producing biogas and organic fertilisers, helping maintain soil organic carbon at two per cent."
Welcoming the inauguration of the new sales centres, the Governor said they should become centres of consumer trust rather than merely places where produce is sold.
He called for maintaining the quality and purity of naturally farmed products, creating awareness about the centres and sharing information about them among citizens.
He also appreciated the state government's efforts to promote natural farming and indigenous cow rearing under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Patel, and congratulated the award-winning farmers.
Patel said the state had undertaken various initiatives centred on good governance, development, technology and public welfare to mark PM Modi's 25 years of public service.
"Development is not just about creating infrastructure but also about improving the quality of life of ordinary citizens," he said.
The Chief Minister said knowledge, science, research and technology would be central to India's development in the 21st century.
Referring to PM Modi's call for "Jai Anusandhan" alongside "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan", he said the approach linked national security, food security, scientific progress and research.
Patel said Gujarat is seeking to empower farmers by integrating natural farming with technology and environmental conservation. "New technology and agricultural research could help increase productivity and farmers' incomes while ensuring efficient use of resources," he said.
Emphasising the link between soil and human health, Patel called for greater awareness about balanced use of chemical inputs, soil health and sustainable farming.
He urged farmers to demonstrate the practical benefits of natural farming on their fields and inspire others to adopt it.
He also stressed water conservation and judicious use of water, calling for greater rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and efficient utilisation of water resources.
"'Seva' is at the heart of programmes marking PM Modi's 25 years of public service, adding that cleanliness, water conservation, saving electricity and fuel and protecting natural resources are also forms of social service," he said.
He urged people to incorporate such measures into their daily lives. Patel asked farmers to bring problems related to natural farming or the marketing of their produce to the government's notice and congratulated the award recipients and Agriculture Department officials.
Vaghani said natural farming had emerged as a major campaign in Gujarat under Modi's vision and the guidance of the Governor and Chief Minister.
"An increasing number of educated young people were also taking up natural farming, and the government is working to provide marketing and certification support," he said.
Describing natural farmers as the government's "Brand Ambassadors", Vaghani urged them to connect five more farmers with natural farming.
He also said Gujarat had become the second state after Uttarakhand to receive the President's assent to its Uniform Civil Code Bill.
He congratulated Patel on behalf of the people of Gujarat. He said the measure would introduce a uniform law across the state while preserving the traditional systems and culture of tribal areas.
During the programme, an MoU was signed between the Directorate of Agriculture and SAC-ISRO to promote the use of satellite and geospatial technology in agriculture.
Appointment letters were handed over to 14 newly appointed Assistant Directors of Agriculture (Class-II) to strengthen agricultural extension services.
The dignitaries also released the Agriculture Department's "Annual Action Plan 2026-27", "Assistance-Oriented Schemes of the Agriculture Department" and "Assistance-Oriented Schemes of the Horticulture Department".
Around 50,000 farmers from across Gujarat, besides ministers, MPs, MLAs and representatives of local self-government bodies, participated virtually in the programme.
Source: IANS
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
This website uses cookies.
