Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 23: Farmers in South Andaman received hands-on training in natural farming practices integrated with farm-based resource management on September 22, as ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI) conducted a one-day programme under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).
The training, held at the Gharacharma Farm of ICAR-CIARI, focused on enabling farmers to prepare and use natural farming inputs at the farm level, with particular attention to Beejamrutha, Jeevamrutha, Ghanajeevamrutha and Neemastra. The programme addressed preparation techniques, quality requirements, storage and field application of these inputs.
The programme took place under the chairmanship of ICAR-CIARI Director Dr. Jai Sunder. Technical sessions introduced participants to natural farming and examined how integrated farming systems can be adapted to island conditions.
A key component of the programme was the use of farm waste and locally available organic resources for nutrient management. Trainers explained approaches for recycling such resources within farming systems, with the aim of reducing dependence on external agricultural inputs.
The programme included a dedicated practical session during which farmers prepared natural farming inputs themselves. An interactive discussion followed, allowing participants to raise questions and share field-level experiences related to farming practices.
The training also examined the relevance of resource recycling to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where agricultural systems operate within a fragile island agro-ecosystem. The programme focused on approaches that can support resource-efficient farming while linking natural farming practices with integrated farming systems suited to local conditions.
The initiative was coordinated by Dr. Gurunath Raddy, Dr. Chaithrashree J., Dr. Abhilash, Dr. I. Jaisankar, Dr. Arkadeb Mukhyopadhyaya, Dr. Y. Ramakrishna and Dr. P. Prabhu, who served as course coordinators.
The programme sought to strengthen farmers’ capacity to independently prepare and apply natural farming inputs and incorporate natural farming principles into integrated farming systems under island conditions.
