Manipur’s Senapati DC calls for wider adoption of natural farming

Senapati Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar S on Wednesday, September 2, called upon farmers in the district to adopt and promote natural farming practices, highlighting their potential to improve soil health, reduce dependence on external inputs and make agriculture more sustainable and cost-effective.

He was speaking at the District Kisan Mela/Agriculture Fair 2026-27 on Natural Farming, organised by the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) in collaboration with the District Administration at the DRDA Hall in Senapati.

The fair brought together farmers, government officials, subject experts and representatives from the Agriculture and Forest departments to create awareness about natural farming, government schemes, subsidies and support mechanisms available to farmers.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Kumar urged farmers to use the Kisan Mela as a platform to learn about government schemes and interact with agriculture officials and experts.

He said natural farming has considerable potential in Senapati and noted that several villages he had visited had demonstrated the ability to successfully cultivate two to three types of vegetables and crops.

The DC also stressed the need to strengthen awareness, production and marketing of local agricultural produce so that farmers can derive better returns from their activities.

He encouraged farmers to share their suggestions with the District Agriculture Office on measures that could strengthen agricultural activities at the grassroots level.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Adahrii Maheo, who attended the event as the guest of honour, highlighted the importance of agriculture and allied activities to Senapati’s socio-economic development.

He said around 50 to 60 per cent or more of the district’s population is engaged in farming and allied activities, making agricultural development crucial to the overall progress of the district.

Maheo also highlighted the challenges faced by farmers in the hilly district, including unpredictable weather, difficult terrain, transportation bottlenecks and limited access to markets.

Despite these challenges, he said Senapati has rich biodiversity, traditional knowledge and significant agricultural potential that can be harnessed through sustainable farming practices suited to the local terrain.

District Agricultural Officer L S Lavei James, in his keynote address, described the fair as an opportunity to showcase the enthusiasm and commitment of farmers towards natural farming and encouraged participants to visit the stalls.

A total of 14 stalls were set up by farmers from different subdivisions of the district, showcasing agricultural produce and farming practices. Prizes and certificates were also distributed to outstanding farmers in recognition of their contributions to agriculture.

Village Extension Worker David Longpani Tao briefed the gathering on various agricultural activities being implemented under government schemes and projects in the district.

Later, the DC, accompanied by the ADC, District Agriculture Officer and other officials, inspected the stalls and interacted with participating farmers.

The programme was attended by Divisional Forest Officer Shanngam S, Sub-Divisional Officers of Paomata, Purul, Tadubi and Willong, district-level officers, Agriculture Department officials and farmers from across Senapati.