In Narauli village of Mandi district, Asha Ram has emerged as a beacon of hope, adopting Subhash Palekar’s natural farming method.
Cultivating various crops without chemicals on 5.5 bighas, he has earned an annual income of Rs 1.5 lakh.
Farmers’ commitment and the state government’s support have led to the rise of natural farming in Himachal Pradesh. More and more residents are recognising the benefits of this sustainable practice.
Asha Ram made the switch to chemical-free agriculture due to rising health concerns linked to chemical use and declining soil quality.
In 2018, he participated in a month-long seminar on natural farming organised by the Agriculture Department under the ATMA project at the Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan. Post-training, he applied techniques learned from the seminar to his practice.
Today, Asha Ram cultivates wheat, peas, pulses, maize, traditional grains, cauliflower, mustard, barley and pomegranates using natural farming techniques.
The pomegranate varieties he has planted include Mridula, Kandhari, Kandhari Kabuli and Seedless Dolka, all of which show promising results.
He sells his pomegranates at the local Karsog market, generating an income of Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000 annually from this crop alone.
Combined with other crops, his total income has reached approximately Rs 1.5 lakh per year.
Asha Ram said, before adopting natural farming, he incurred expenses of about Rs 22,000-25,000 annually on chemical farming.
Now, these costs had been reduced to just Rs 3,000-4,000. This shift had also improved soil health, and increased the population of beneficial insects in his fields.
According to him, the ATMA project has supported him with grants for constructing a permanent floor for his cow shed and setting up a resource centre.
He is actively working to involve other local farmers in this sustainable approach, aiming to transform the entire village into a model village for natural farming.
ATMA project Block Technology Manager (Karsog subdivision) Mohit commended Asha Ram for his efforts, stating that he had truly sparked a new wave of hope in the community
The department continues to provide ongoing support to enhance his economic stability, and promote sustainable agriculture in the region.
Govt support helped
Asha Ram cultivates wheat, peas, pulses, maize, traditional grains, cauliflower, mustard, barley and pomegranates using natural farming techniques
He sells his pomegranates at the local Karsog market, generating an income of Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000 annually from this crop alone
The govt project supported him with grants for constructing a permanent floor for his cow shed and setting up a resource centre