Bhubaneswar: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday called for giving top priority to natural farming in view of the volatile global situation.Addressing the eastern zonal agriculture conference here, Chouhan urged farmers to bring at least 20% of their land under natural farming. He said this would gradually reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and help maintain soil fertility.The Union minister warned of strict action against those involved in the trade of spurious fertilisers and pesticides. He also indicated that a new pesticide law would be introduced soon to strengthen farmer protection. The Centre has already drafted the Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, and invited public feedback earlier this year.Emphasising sustainable practices, Chouhan stressed the need for balanced fertiliser use based on soil testing, cautioning that indiscriminate application raises input costs and damages soil health. He reiterated that natural farming remains a key focus area of the Prime Minister.The conference brought together representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal to deliberate on strategies for agricultural transformation in eastern India.Highlighting the predominance of small landholdings in the region, Chouhan said integrated farming must move beyond rhetoric and be implemented at the field level. He said combining crops with horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, beekeeping and agro-forestry can significantly boost farmers’ incomes. He urged ICAR and state authorities to demonstrate practical models to farmers.He also spoke about ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan,’ unveiled on Monday and planned from June 1, and said the same would focus on balanced fertiliser use, soil health, adoption of modern technology, awareness of govt schemes and farmer education. He stressed preventing diversion of subsidised fertilisers and ensuring their proper use.Calling fake fertilisers, substandard seeds and counterfeit pesticides “serious crimes against farmers”, Chouhan said a nationwide crackdown would be launched and urged states to enforce stricter laws to ensure quality inputs at reasonable costs.Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the conference provides an opportunity for eastern states to prepare a shared roadmap for the future of agriculture.Majhi said Odisha, being an agrarian state, is committed to making agriculture more inclusive, climate-resilient and farmer-centric through various initiatives. He said the state is focusing on pulses production, edible oil self-reliance, crop diversification and expansion of cultivation.He added that rising paddy output and procurement have created challenges in storage, evacuation and marketing, underscoring the need to strengthen value addition and market systems.Majhi said Odisha’s priorities include strengthening FPOs, expanding cold storage infrastructure, promoting agri-entrepreneurship and coffee cultivation, and improving marketing of local produce. He added that exchange of best practices among eastern states would help drive agricultural self-reliance and farmer prosperity.
