NE has the potential to emerge as a model for sustainable, natural farming: Assam Governor

GUWAHATI: Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Wednesday called for sustained, coordinated and collective efforts by farmers, scientists, agricultural institutions, entrepreneurs, policymakers and governments to make Natural Farming economically viable and transform it into a broad-based people's movement.

Inaugurating the three-day National Conference on 'Natural Farming: Pathways to Self-Reliant Farming and Rural Prosperity (NCNF 2026)' at the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Umiam, Meghalaya, the Governor said that Natural Farming must evolve beyond an agricultural practice into a sustainable and economically viable model of agriculture capable of strengthening rural livelihoods and fostering self-reliance.

Acharya observed that Natural Farming is deeply rooted in India's civilisational and agricultural traditions and has assumed renewed significance in the context of sustainable development. He underscored the need to promote farming practices that conserve soil health, water resources and biodiversity, while ensuring long-term productivity and resilience. He stressed that traditional agricultural wisdom must be strengthened and enriched through modern science, research and innovation.

Highlighting the immense agricultural potential of the Northeast, the Governor said that the region, with its rich biodiversity, abundant natural resources and diverse agro-climatic conditions, is uniquely placed to emerge as a model for sustainable and natural farming. He pointed to the growing national and international recognition of the region's distinctive agricultural products through Geographical Indication (GI) tags, including Assam's Joha Rice, Boka Rice, Kaji Nemu and Karbi Anglong Ginger, as well as several other unique products from across the Northeastern States.

Calling for the region's traditional and natural products to be taken "from Local to Global", Acharya reiterated on the need to develop a robust and integrated value chain encompassing production, processing, value addition, packaging, certification, branding and access to national and international markets. Such an ecosystem, he said, would enable farmers to secure better returns, generate rural employment and strengthen the economic self-reliance of farming communities.

Underlining the importance of engaging the younger generation in agriculture, Acharya called for greater adoption of agri-tech, digital agriculture, drones, smart irrigation, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and agro-based enterprises, stated a press release.

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