Tirupati: Joint Collector Shubham Bansal directed the officials to raise awareness about public participation in AP Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme from village and mandal levels to district level. He chaired a coordination meeting of concerned departments at the Collectorate on Friday. The Joint Collector underlined the importance of educating small and marginal farmers about their role in natural farming methods.

He instructed officials to explain the process of cultivating crops through organic methods like Kashayam. He highlighted that growing vegetables and leafy greens through natural farming methods reduces investment costs and yields better produce, which ultimately benefits small farmers.

The farmer empowerment organisation Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) is spearheading the organic programme with the aim of promoting natural farming across villages and farmers. The initiative seeks to make agriculture profitable, sustainable, and climate-friendly. Bansal stressed that natural farming not only provides safe food but also improves soil health and helps conserve water resources for future generations.

Saraswati, a woman farmer from Chinna Gottigallu mandal, shared her experiences about the benefits of natural farming. Farmer Satyanarayana also shared his farming practices and the outcomes of natural farming. Agriculture Officer Prasad Rao, DPM Shanmugam, DWMA PD Srinivas Prasad, and other officials attended the programme.