Global Delegation Visits AP’s Natural Farming Fields
The aim of the global delegation is to understand the APCNF’s initiatives and their impact on sustainable agriculture, livelihoods and rural ecosystems.
Vijayawada: A delegation of the Global Initiative for Sustainability (GIST) visited the Andhra Pradesh Community-managed Natural Farming (APCNF) fields at Chevuturu village in G. Konduru mandal of NTR district on Friday. The visiting team included GIST chairperson André Hoffmann, CEO Pavan Sukhdev, member Rosalie Hoffmann, and Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet secretary-general Satya S. Tripathi.
The aim of the global delegation is to understand the APCNF’s initiatives and their impact on sustainable agriculture, livelihoods and rural ecosystems. APCNF’s Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) executive vice chairman T. Vijay Kumar presented to visitors the Nine Core Principles of Natural Farming through a wheel demonstration. He explained how APCNF practices like continuous green cover and use of bio-inputs restores soil health and ecological balance.
The global team then visited the Bio Resource Centre (BRC) managed by Ch. Sudheer and learnt about the supply chain of bio-stimulants supporting natural farming. Later, district project manager Sankar Naik and his team demonstrated methods and techniques of seed treatment, bio-stimulant preparation and Pre-Monsoon Dry Sowing (PMDS).
Farmers shared their experience of how natural farming has improved the soil biome and crop resilience. Farmer Venkataramanamma explained to the global team how a model kitchen garden can promote homestead nutrition security. The visitors observed a cotton seed-to-seed demonstration led by RySS thematic lead Sudhakar, who presented data comparing natural and chemical farming, showing how BRIX values and yields under natural farming are better.
The team appreciated farmer Madhusudhan Reddy’s rice mill initiative for processing and branding naturally grown rice. Finally, the global delegation visited women of self-help group Chevuturu Village Organisation, which drives kitchen garden and natural farming initiatives, reflecting how a women-led foundation too is leading sustainable farming in Andhra Pradesh.