Himachal Pradesh’s natural farming initiative under the Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana is steadily emerging as a strong pillar of the rural economy, benefiting thousands of farming and horticulture families across the state.
Amid rising input costs, climate change challenges, declining soil fertility, and crop damage from wild animals, natural farming is being seen as a sustainable and profitable alternative. A key milestone has been the state’s decision to offer Minimum Support Price (MSP) for naturally grown produce, making Himachal Pradesh the first state in the country to do so. This has boosted farmer confidence and encouraged wider adoption of natural farming.
The Agriculture Department has targeted linking one lakh new farmers under the Him Parivar Register this year, of which over 70,000 have already been registered. Currently, more than 2.23 lakh families are engaged in natural farming across 99.3 percent of gram panchayats. Under the 2026–27 Budget, MSP rates have been increased, with wheat at ₹80/kg, maize at ₹50/kg, turmeric at ₹150/kg, barley at ₹80/kg, and ginger at ₹30/kg.
So far, 11,329 quintals of produce have been procured from 7,382 farmers, with ₹6.40 crore directly transferred to their accounts. The government aims to procure produce from around 63,000 farmers this year. Wheat procurement has nearly doubled, rising from 838 farmers last year to about 2,022 farmers this year, reflecting growing trust in the MSP-backed system. The government is also promoting value addition and processing of natural produce, helping improve market access and ensure better returns for farmers, further strengthening the rural economy.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
