ICAR directs Universities to start Graduation courses in Natural Farming
Babushahi Network
Chandigarh, December 12, 2025: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had directed its affiliate universities/institutes to start graduation courses in Natural Farming and also plan for post-graduation. This will surely turn out to be the much needed turnaround that agricultural research needs. The ICAR has already drawn the curriculum schedule for the B.Sc (Ag) programme. This will spearhead a shift to sustainable practices, and prepare the country to combat climate change and also save environment from further deterioration. Already more than enough damage has been done to soil fertility and water depletion by intensive cultivation.
Meanwhile Agricultural Researcher and Food Analyst Devinder Sharma has welcomed this decision and has given two suggestions in this regard which are as under:
(1) In Agriculture Universities, plant breeding is based on fertiliser response, pesticides application and water usage. I find most farmer-led organic farming practices are drawn on existing high-yielding varieties which were originally bred on fertiliser response. This must change. Natural Farming should have crop varieties that are evolved by plant response to organic farming systems. The varities developed through organic breeding should be water resposive, require no chemical pesticides and will lead to sustainanle farming systems. It will in any case evoke tremendous response from the people given it's health advantages.
(2) Drawing from the experience of Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming programme, it should be made mandatory for graduate students to demonstrate through field experiments the profitability of the farming system that he/she advocates. This should be the criteria for a successful completion of the degree. I believe if the Agriculture Universities already had such a research objective linked as an essential requirement for students, probably India wouldn't have been faced with such a grave agrarian distress. Research in chemical-based Intensive farming systems has failed to bring prosperity to the farm. Agricultural economics too should shift the focus to ensuring profitability rather than continue with the outdated agenda of raising crop productivity. Such an approach has only ensured profits for the chemical companies as well as the mechanised manufacturers. Agriculture research focus now must gear towards bringing dignity to the farmers and this can happen only when farm incomes go up.