Gandhinagar, June 3 (IANS) Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Wednesday directed the establishment of new permanent natural agriculture sales centres across the state, stating that five centres at the municipal corporation level, three at the district level, and one at the taluka level should be made operational within a month to strengthen the marketing network for natural farming produce.

The direction was issued during a video conference with district collectors, district development officers, and municipal commissioners to review and expand the implementation of natural farming in the state.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, and State Minister Ramesh Katara participated in the conference.

The governor said strengthening the sale and distribution system for naturally grown produce was essential to support farmers adopting chemical-free agriculture.

He said excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides had led to contamination of soil, water, and food.

“We must bring Mother Earth back to life,” he said, adding that natural farming was not merely an agricultural practice but also linked to public health and the prevention of serious diseases.

He added that the judicious use of natural resources was a moral responsibility of both citizens and government systems, and instructed senior officials to promote awareness on energy conservation and fuel efficiency in their respective jurisdictions.

Referring to state-level measures, the Governor said: “Adjustments in the timing of streetlight operations had resulted in electricity savings of more than Rs 25 crore across Gujarat.”

He suggested that street lights should be switched off 35 minutes before sunrise and switched on 35 minutes after sunset as part of energy-saving measures.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel called for the implementation of natural farming in mission mode, urging district and municipal administrative heads to work towards bringing all farmers into the system.

“The transition could be achieved by scientifically explaining the benefits and importance of natural farming to farmers and ensuring coordinated administrative efforts,” Patel said.

He also referred to national-level emphasis on natural farming, stating that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advocated wider adoption of such practices for long-term public health considerations.”

The Chief Minister noted that the Governor had been actively engaging with farmers at the village level and visiting fields to promote natural farming.

“If senior officials personally adopted natural farming practices, it would strengthen public outreach and help expand adoption among farming communities,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Vaghani said natural farming had become a necessity in the current context. “District administrative heads would benefit from the Governor’s guidance through such interactions,” he said.

He acknowledged the state government’s continued support in setting up sales centres for natural agricultural produce. “The adverse impact of excessive fertiliser use on soil and human health could be addressed through natural farming,” he said.

He also urged senior officials to adopt natural farming in available open spaces at their residences as an example for others.

–IANS

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