Several women farmers from across the state shared their experiences about the positive changes the natural farming has brought in their lives and livelihood and how it has helped them increase their participation for social change. Speaking at the workshop on ‘Kheti sey Parivar Samridhi’ organised by Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. The three-day workshop began on 8 March on the occasion of International Women’s Day with the arrival of over 721 women farmers, who are practicing natural farming in different districts of Himachal Pradesh, in Solan. The participants included women farmers from tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti and Bharmour also.
The rural women spoke out their individual experiences as to how natural farming has helped them in producing healthy crops, reduce expenditure on the farm and preserve environment. Many of them said the natural farming has not only added to the family income, but has empowered them with knowledge and has encouraged them to contribute socially. The women farmers said it is a matter of pride for them when they are called for training and capacity building workshops. “I took to natural farming after death of two family members due to cancer. I know the pain of losing your dear ones to a disease which could have been avoided with safe food,” said Disha Gautam, a woman farmer from Bhanotu in Mandi. “Now I am growing healthy produce with natural farming and am creating awareness among others also to adopt the natural farming practice,” she added. Anita Negi from Kullu district said she started natural farming with kitchen garden and then replicated it on 3 bigha. ” The soil fertility has increased. The produce has a better taste,” she said. Negi is doing inter-cropping of apple with beans and mash and results are good.
The women farmer groups, who are doing natural farming collectively, said the PK3Y has connected them socially and their efficiency in agriculture has increased with day to day information and updates. Earlier, Executive Director, Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel gave an overview of the PK3Y and stressed the role of women in promoting food security and safety through natural farming. He said women farmers outnumber men in adopting the natural farming practice in Himachal. Out of 1.68 lakh farmers in the stste, who have adopted natural farming practice, 95,000 are women. Joint Director, Dr Digvijay Sharma and Agriculture Extension Officer, Dr Surender Chandel talked about marketing mechanism being worked out through Farmer Producer Organisations.The workshop will conclude on 10 March with Himachal Pradesh Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar interacting with women farmers on their experiences about natural farming and its impact on their identity and role.
