Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced on Sunday that the Haryana government will formulate a policy next year to promote natural and organic farming on panchayat-owned lands, as part of its efforts to encourage sustainable agriculture.
Key Announcements at Agriculture Workshop
Addressing an agriculture workshop organized under the Natural Farming Promotion and Cluster Formation Programme of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Saini said around 800 acres owned by the Agriculture Department would be leased exclusively to farmers willing to undertake natural and organic farming for at least the next 10 years. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and state Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana were also present at the event held at Kurukshetra University.
Financial Assistance and Certification
The Chief Minister stated that farmers certified by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for natural and organic farming would receive financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per acre annually for five years. He added that the Haryana State Seed Certification Agency would be designated as the certification body for organic farming. To strengthen market access for farmers, the state will establish testing laboratories and APEDA-recognized certification centres for natural and organic produce.
Smart Agriculture Initiative
Saini further announced that, in collaboration with Haryana Agricultural University, a 2,000-acre natural farming cluster would be developed in Kurukshetra under the 'Smart Agriculture' initiative. He assured farmers that the government would fully compensate them for any losses incurred under the programme. The Chief Minister also said Morni Block would be developed as a dedicated Natural and Organic Farming Block.
Government's Commitment
Urging farmers to participate in the initiative, Saini said the government was committed to supporting them from 'seed to market'. He added that it was the 'collective and moral responsibility' of society to pass on fertile land, clean water and a healthy environment to future generations, which could be achieved through the adoption of natural farming practices.
Progress So Far
Highlighting the progress made so far, Saini said the state launched the Natural Farming Scheme in 2022 and nearly two lakh farmers had registered close to three lakh acres on the portal. Of these, 23,930 farmers covering 44,077 acres had been verified for adopting natural farming. During 2025-26, natural farming was undertaken on 20,727 acres across Haryana. He said 12,188 participants had been trained at natural farming training centres, while 6,234 sarpanches had received one-day online training.
Gujarat Governor's Remarks
Speaking on the occasion, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat stressed the need for dedicated efforts to advance the Natural Farming Mission. He cautioned that agricultural land could eventually become barren if adequate attention was not paid to soil health and sustainable farming practices. Expressing concern over the excessive use of urea, DAP and pesticides, Devvrat said merely increasing chemical fertiliser consumption would not ensure sustainable growth in agricultural production. 'Improving soil fertility through natural farming is essential,' he said.
