New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated for group farming, suggesting that small and marginal farmers pool their land parcels to grow high-value crops and enhance their income.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister interacted with the farmers in a programme held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in the national capital.

The interaction with farmers took place before he launched two major schemes in the agriculture sector with an outlay of Rs 35,440 crore. He launched the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana with an outlay of Rs 24,000 crore and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with an outlay of Rs 11,440 crore.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister asked farmers to adopt natural farming gradually and pragmatically.

"He suggested a phased approach: testing natural farming on a part of the land while continuing traditional methods on the rest, thus building confidence over time," according to an official statement.

Many farmers, hailing from different states, shared their experience with the Prime Minister.

A young entrepreneur from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, displayed his aeroponic-based potato seed farming, where potatoes are grown in vertical structures without soil.

The PM humorously termed it "Jain Potato” as such produce might align with religious dietary restrictions of Jains who avoid root vegetables, the statement said.

One of the farmers from Haryana's Hisar district mentioned that he started growing Kabuli chana four years ago and has achieved a yield of about 10 quintals per acre.

Modi enquired about inter-cropping practices, particularly whether leguminous crops are integrated into the farming system to enhance soil fertility and generate additional income.

In response, the farmer said that incorporating such crops has proven beneficial. He explained that growing pulses like chana not only provides a reliable harvest but also enriches the soil with nitrogen.

Modi emphasized that cultivation of pulses not only boosts farmer income but also contributes to the nutritional security of the country.

As per the statement, the Prime Minister "encouraged the idea of group farming, where small and marginal farmers can come together, pool their land, and focus on selecting high-value crops to enhance production, reduce cost, and gain better access to markets".

A farmer shared a successful example of this model, stating that around 1,200 acres are now under residue-free Kabuli chana farming, leading to better market access and improved incomes for the entire group.

Modi also discussed the government’s promotion of millets (Shree Anna) such as bajra (pearl millet) and jowar (sorghum), especially in regions with water scarcity.

"Where water is scarce, millets are a lifeline. The global market for millets is growing rapidly,” Modi said.

One woman farmer from a self-help group shared her experience of joining in 2023 and starting moong (green gram) cultivation on her five bigha land. She credited the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme as a major support, allowing her to manage seed purchase and land preparation.

A farmer shared his remarkable journey from working as a room boy in a hotel in 2010 to becoming the owner of a gaushala (cow shelter) with over 250 Gir cows. He said the Ministry of Animal Husbandry provided him a 50 per cent subsidy.

The Prime Minister praised the initiative and recounted a similar experiment from Varanasi, where families are given Gir cows with the condition to return the first calf, which is then passed on to other families creating a sustainable community chain.

Multiple participants highlighted the positive impact of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

The Prime Minister emphasised the huge potential in aquaculture and exhorted more youth to venture into this area.

A representative from Sakhi Organization shared how the movement started with just 20 women and has now grown to 90,000 women engaged in the dairy sector.

"Through collective efforts over 14,000 women have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, the representative said.

Applauding the initiative, Modi remarked that "this is a real miracle”.

One entrepreneur from Jharkhand’s Saraikela district adopted 125 underprivileged tribal families and initiated integrated organic farming in the region.

One farmer shared his journey of leaving a lucrative career in the United States in 2014 to return to India and empower rural communities. He started with just 10 acres of land, and now manages over 300 acres of farming, hatcheries, and produces seed for over 10,000 acres.

With support from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), he was able to secure financing at just 7 per cent interest, allowing him to grow his operations to employ over 200 people.

Many representatives from Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs) also interacted with the prime minister.

A representative of an FPO from Dhari, Amreli District, Gujarat, highlighted that the organisation was giving 20 per cent annual dividends for the past four years.

An apple cultivator from Kashmir shared that rail connectivity has helped in transporting fruit to other states. PTI MJH MJH MR