• India launches program to support sustainable agriculture
    India launches program to support sustainable agriculture

India's Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the launch of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) program to promote organic farming across the country, TV BRICS reported Friday.

Natural farming involves minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers. The initiative is expected to reduce farmers' input costs, improve soil ecosystem and increase resilience to climate change.

The program will cover 15,000 clusters in various states and about 10 million farmers, with a special focus on regions that already practice subsistence agriculture. The initiative will also set up 10,000 specialized centers to provide inputs to farmers.

In addition, there will be 2,000 demonstration farms where organic farming techniques can be learnt. Farmers will also be able to undergo a simplified certification procedure and participate in the branding initiative, which will ensure the effective marketing of their products.