From 'gaushalas' to green manure, Padma awardee farmers outline measures to restore soil health

In a pioneering initiative to strengthen soil health and promote balanced fertiliser use, the Department of Fertilisers, under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, convened a high-level brainstorming session with eight Padma awardee progressive farmers at Shastri Bhawan. The program is part of the nationwide push under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Save Mother Earth' campaign and guided by the leadership of Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.

The meeting, chaired by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Secretary of the Department of Fertilisers, brought together Padma award-winning progressive farmers and agricultural experts from across India.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Aparna S Sharma, Joint Secretaries Krishna Kant Pathak and Anurag Rohatagi, Deputy Secretary Amar Kushwaha, Deputy Director Gori Shankar, and other officials from the Department of Fertilisers.

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Welcoming the participants, Mishra emphasised the importance of providing farmers with timely and accurate information to protect soil health. He highlighted the critical role of expert recommendations in piloting projects that encourage balanced and responsible fertiliser use. The Secretary also noted the ongoing deterioration of soil health due to overuse and misuse of chemical fertilisers.

Key recommendations from Padma awardee farmers

Several Padma awardee farmers shared innovative suggestions to promote sustainable agriculture and soil conservation:

1) Padma awardee Umashankar Pandey expressed his willingness to work with the Department in different states. He proposed that the Department create a "Poison-Free Farming School" which would teach farmers sustainable farming methods.

2) Padma awardee Ram Sharan Verma highlighted the importance of crop rotation and crop diversification and stressed balanced fertiliser use for maintaining soil health. He recommended that farmers should use green manure, and that fertiliser bag sizes should be standardised. He also stressed changing the mindset that “more fertiliser means more profit”.

3) Padma awardee Bharat Bhushan Tyagi emphasised the importance of crop diversity and crop density. He stressed proper scientific crop management practices and advocated that villages should have access to composting facilities. He said that the message "crop residue is the foundation of prosperity" must reach every farmer.

4) Padma awardee Seth Pal Singh pointed out that pressure for excessive fertiliser sales is also a contributing factor that needs attention. The system should determine the precise fertiliser needs for agricultural fields, and farmers need to be systematically oriented on its balanced use.

5) Padma awardee Kanwal Singh proposed developing gaushalas as organic manure production facilities through the establishment of organic farming clusters. He emphasised creating a structured chain which will deliver health-focused agricultural solutions while educating farmers about natural farming methods.

6) Padma awardee Chandrashekhar Singh called for strict quality checks of organic products and transparent consumer information. He proposed that FPOs should lead awareness campaigns at the village level, which would operate as a movement based on pledge agreements from progressive awardee farmers.

7) Padma awardee Nek Ram Sharma emphasised identifying model farmers to lead by example, linking forest conservation with agriculture, and encouraging traditional Navgrah rituals to promote crop diversification.

8) Padma awardee Shyam Sundar Paliwal recommended reviving soil vitality through natural farming and establishing local natural fertiliser plants at the Gram Panchayat level.

Participants also underscored the need for local availability of fertilisers and organic manure to encourage balanced usage among farmers.

The session concluded on an agreement that organic and natural farming methods, together with balanced fertiliser application and ongoing farmer education programs, are vital to protect soil health and Mother Earth.

The Department assured that the recommendations from the session would be positively considered and implemented.