States » NorthPosted at: Oct 8 2026 6:18PM


Haryana sets up war room for organic farming push, CM's OSD demands farmer-first roadmap

Panchkula, Oct 8 (UNI) Haryana has formally kicked off a structured campaign to transform its agricultural landscape, with the first meeting of the Working Group on Promotion of Organic and Natural Farming convening here under the Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran (HKKP), to draft a practical, farmer-centric strategy that prioritises better markets, quality seeds, technical handholding and remunerative prices over ideological slogans.
The meeting, held at Krishi Bhawan here, brought together a cross-section of agricultural expertise, policy leadership and on-ground farming experience. Presiding over the deliberations was Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice Chancellor of Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Gujarat, who also serves as Chairperson of the Working Group.
The session carried additional weight with the presence of Virender Singh Badkhalsa, Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who attended as a Special Speaker and set the political tone by insisting that any roadmap must deliver tangible economic returns to farmers rather than remaining a theoretical exercise.
Dr R S Chauhan, Chief Executive Officer of HKKP, opened the meeting by underlining the urgent need for a workable, farmer-oriented blueprint to strengthen organic and natural farming across the state. His welcome address framed the challenge not merely as a shift in farming technique but as a structural transition that requires institutional backing at every step.
Badkhalsa, speaking as the Chief Minister's representative, laid out a clear set of priorities. He emphasised that farmers must be given proper technical guidance, access to quality inputs, stronger market linkages and, crucially, prices that make the switch from chemical-intensive farming economically rational.
He pushed for optimum use of locally available resources, including cow-based inputs, local microorganisms and plant-based preparations, arguing that self-reliance in inputs is key to reducing dependence on external purchases.
He also called for a continuous two-way channel between farmers and technical experts, and for the experiences of successful natural farming practitioners to be systematically documented and shared with others.
Significantly, he stressed the need to create awareness not just among farmers but among consumers as well, so that demand for organic and natural produce grows in tandem with supply, creating a sustainable market pull.
The Chairperson, Professor Chandel, struck a cautionary yet optimistic note, observing that natural farming represents both a major challenge and a significant opportunity.
He said the natural processes governing soil health and farming systems need to be properly understood, promoted and backed by scientific rigour rather than left to trial and error.
Members agreed that the knowledge-intensive nature of organic and natural farming makes it imperative to strengthen the knowledge and technical support architecture for farmers, without which adoption will remain patchy and short-lived.
The deliberations covered the full spectrum of bottlenecks facing the sector. On the production side, members flagged the difficulty of achieving higher yields, the shortage of quality organic seed, and the absence of a reliable certification framework.
On the economic side, they highlighted the lack of dedicated markets for organic produce, uncertainty in price realisation, and the overarching question of whether natural farming can match the income levels farmers currently expect from conventional agriculture. The consensus was clear: economic viability will be the make-or-break factor for wider adoption.
To address these gaps, the Working Group discussed a series of concrete institutional interventions. A dedicated technical resource centre, modelled on successful initiatives in other states, was proposed to serve as a knowledge hub.
Members also suggested deploying dedicated field-level resource persons who can offer guidance tailored to local agro-climatic conditions rather than dispensing generic advice. On the connectivity front, they recommended building a structured support mechanism including a helpline or post, a call centre, a mobile application and standardised guidance protocols.
A centralised database of experts, successful natural and organic farming models, success stories and farmer experiences was also proposed for wider dissemination.
Seed security emerged as a major priority. The meeting called for facilitating the availability of organic seed, strengthening seed cells, ensuring easy farmer access to certified quality seed, and even exploring the establishment of an organic seed bank to reduce dependence on external, often uncertified, sources.
Members stressed that inputs and recommendations must be location-specific, taking into account area, topography, crop patterns, and local climate rather than applying one-size-fits-all prescriptions.
The group also examined the machinery and infrastructure needed to prepare natural farming inputs at scale, including arrangements for producing Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit. It was suggested that proven models built around successful natural farming initiatives should be replicated and that farmers already practising these methods should be encouraged to become resource persons for their peers.
Market creation received equally serious attention. Members argued that an ecosystem must be developed for organic and natural produce, including identification and promotion of successful farmers as role models through social media and other communication platforms so that their stories inspire wider adoption.
They underlined that consumer awareness is the other half of the equation: unless buyers understand the health, environmental and social benefits of organic produce, demand will remain weak and price premiums elusive.
Livestock integration, particularly the role of cows in farm-based activities, was also discussed as part of a holistic natural farming system. Members noted that local cow-based inputs, local microorganisms and local plant resources can substantially reduce farmers' dependence on purchased external inputs while supporting more sustainable, circular farming systems.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that scaling organic and natural farming in Haryana will require a coordinated strategy involving farmers, agricultural universities, government departments, market agencies and successful practitioners working in unison.
The Working Group's mandate is now clear: build a roadmap that improves soil health, strengthens farmers' knowledge, ensures quality inputs and seed, develops robust markets, and ultimately lifts farmers' incomes and livelihood security.
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Tags: #Haryana sets up war room for organic farming push# CM's OSD demands farmer-first roadmap
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