The three-day National Conference on “Natural Farming: Pathways to Self-reliant Farming and Rural Prosperity (NCNF 2026)” commenced today at the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences (CPGSAS), Umiam. The conference is being organised by the Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal.
The inaugural session was attended by Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Governor of Assam, as the Chief Guest, while Dr. Joram Aniya, Member, NITI Aayog, New Delhi, attended as the Guest of Honour. Several eminent agricultural scientists, Vice-Chancellors of leading agricultural universities and representatives of farmers’ organisations were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor emphasised the importance of integrating India’s traditional agricultural knowledge with scientific innovation to promote sustainable and self-reliant agriculture. Highlighting the rich biodiversity and agro-diversity of the North-Eastern Region, he said the region has immense potential to emerge as a hub of natural farming. He also stressed the need for strong value chains and improved market access to enhance farmers’ incomes.
The Governor highlighted that natural farming should contribute to improving farmers’ incomes through strong value chains encompassing production, processing, packaging, branding and market access. He also called for the promotion of GI-tagged and other indigenous products under the vision of “Local to Global”. Emphasising the importance of sustainable agricultural practices suited to local soil, climate and resources, he urged scientists, farmers and policymakers to combine indigenous knowledge with modern scientific research to promote natural farming as a people’s movement.
During the inaugural session, the Governor formally released publications on natural farming, including the Abstract Compendium, Poster Book and Media Chronicle.
Dr. Joram Aniya highlighted the close relationship between soil health, food quality and human well-being and stressed the need to reduce excessive dependence on chemical inputs. She said sustainable agriculture would play a crucial role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Dr. Anupam Mishra, Vice-Chancellor, CAU, Imphal, highlighted the importance of bringing together farmers, researchers, policymakers, educational institutions and other stakeholders to deliberate on pathways towards sustainable and self-reliant agriculture.
The three-day conference, being organised in collaboration with ICAR, New Delhi; DST–NECTAR, Shillong; Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi; Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa; and Gujarat Natural Farming Science University, has brought together around 500 participants, including farmers, natural farming practitioners, policymakers, researchers, students, industry representatives and extension professionals.
