Northeast Can Emerge as Model for Natural Farming: Assam Governor Acharya
By Dalim Phukan
Guwahati, Sep 9: Assam Governor Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Wednesday called for sustained and coordinated efforts by farmers, scientists, agricultural institutions, entrepreneurs, policymakers and governments to make natural farming economically viable and turn it into a broad-based people’s movement.
The Governor was inaugurating the three-day National Conference on “Natural Farming: Pathways to Self-Reliant Farming and Rural Prosperity (NCNF 2026)” at the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Umiam, Meghalaya.
Addressing the conference, Acharya said natural farming should move beyond being merely an agricultural practice and develop into a sustainable and economically viable model capable of strengthening rural livelihoods and promoting self-reliance.
He said natural farming is deeply rooted in India’s civilisational and agricultural traditions and has gained renewed importance in the context of sustainable development. He stressed the need to conserve soil health, water resources and biodiversity while maintaining long-term productivity and resilience. Traditional agricultural knowledge, he added, should be strengthened through modern science, research and innovation.
Highlighting the agricultural potential of the Northeast, the Governor said the region’s rich biodiversity, abundant natural resources and diverse agro-climatic conditions make it uniquely positioned to emerge as a model for sustainable and natural farming.
He referred to the growing national and international recognition of Northeastern agricultural products through Geographical Indication (GI) tags, including Assam’s Joha Rice, Boka Rice, Kaji Nemu and Karbi Anglong Ginger.
Calling for the region’s traditional and natural products to be taken “from Local to Global”, Acharya stressed the need for an integrated value chain covering production, processing, value addition, packaging, certification, branding and access to national and international markets. Such an ecosystem, he said, would help farmers secure better returns, create rural employment and strengthen the economic self-reliance of farming communities.
The Governor also emphasised the need to bridge the gap between “Lab and Land”. Scientific research and technological innovations, he said, must reach farmers in a practical and accessible manner, while farmers’ field-level knowledge and innovations should also contribute to agricultural research.
He called for closer cooperation among agricultural universities, research institutions, extension agencies and farming communities so that scientific advancements could translate into tangible benefits for farmers.
Stressing the need to attract the younger generation towards agriculture, Acharya advocated greater adoption of agri-tech, digital agriculture, drones, smart irrigation, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and agro-based enterprises. The integration of technology, entrepreneurship and agriculture, he said, could create new employment and business opportunities for rural youth and make farming more productive and future-oriented.
Referring to the vision of Viksit Bharat, the Governor said empowered farmers, prosperous rural communities and protected natural resources are essential foundations of a developed and self-reliant India.
He expressed confidence that the deliberations and exchange of knowledge at the conference would help strengthen natural farming practices and develop practical pathways towards self-reliant agriculture, rural prosperity and sustainable development, particularly in the Northeastern region.
The conference was organised by Central Agricultural University, Imphal. NITI Aayog Member Dr. Joram Aniya, Central Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Anupam Mishra, Assam Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Dipjyoti Rajkhowa, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh All India Executive Member Bhagia Wadla, Rani Lakshmibai Central Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Dr. A.K. Singh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh All India Organising Secretary Dinesh Kulkarni, Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Vice-Chancellor Dr. P.S. Pandey, Gujarat Natural Farming Science University Vice-Chancellor Prof. C.K. Timbadia, senior ICAR scientists, agricultural experts and other distinguished guests attended the conference.
