Budget 2022: Focus on organic and natural farming; 2023 as the year of millets, increase oilseeds production

In the Union Budget 2022-23, some key announcements have been made for the agriculture sector and the farmers. “The year 2023 has been announced as the year of millets,” announced Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2022-23.

To reduce dependence on import of oil seeds, government will implement a rationalised and comprehensive scheme to increase domestic production of oil seeds, she said.

Finance minister went on to inform that chemical-free natural farming will be promoted throughout the country, with focus on farmers’ lands in 5-km-wide corridors along the river Ganga in the first stage.

Organic farming is an agricultural process that uses pest control derived from organic manure and animal or plant waste. Synthetic chemical and pesticides are not used on organic and natural farming. Apart from enhancing soil quality and fertility, the natural farming practices are also beneficial for the rural economy as cattle are an important part of such farming practices.

Experts point out that organic farming is still at a nascent stage in India. About 2.78 million hectare of farmland was under organic cultivation as of March 2020, according to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. This is two per cent of the 140.1 million ha net sown area in the country.

Sikkim is the only Indian state to have become fully organic so far. The top three states — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra — account for about half the area under organic cultivation.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has announced to make the tribal district of Dang a 100% natural farming district. Over the next five years, around 53,000 hectares of Dang district will be converted to natural farming.