Varanasi: The International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi, in collaboration with the department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh, organised a farmers training programme on natural farming at Kot Panchayat, Mandi on Thursday. The programme focused on promoting sustainable and low-cost farming practices to address rising input costs and climate challenges.Around 60 farmers participated in the training, which was led by experts from ISARC including Ajay Kumar Mishra, Sreenivasa Reddy, and Gayatri Hetta, along with field technicians Jaya Sharma and Vipasha Thakur. Officials from the department of agriculture, including block technology manager Lekh Raj and agricultural technology manager Savita Chauhan, also contributed and shared field-level insights.During the programme, experts emphasized that natural farming could reduce dependency on chemical inputs while improving soil health and long-term farm sustainability. They highlighted its relevance for regions like Himachal Pradesh, where resource-efficient practices are critical.The training included interactive sessions and hands-on demonstrations on the preparation and application of natural inputs. Farmers gained practical exposure and showed strong interest in adopting these techniques, recognizing benefits such as reduced input costs, improved soil health, and better yield stability.
