Over 60 scientists, researchers, policy makers across 8 countries visiting AP

Vijayawada: A team of over 60 scientists, researchers, policy makers and partners from eight countries that are part of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are visiting Andhra Pradesh on November 27 and 28.

They would study the community-managed natural farming in the state. Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) officials said the scientists are from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Laos, Peru, Senegal, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. The team includes representatives from entities like CIMMYT, CIRAD, INERA, ISRA, IWMI, Alliance Bioversity, OEP and World Fish.

The Rythu Sadhikara Samstha has been implementing the APCNF programme since 2016. Today, 850,000 families across 3730 Gram Panchayats in AP are practising natural farming, making it the largest such programme in the world.

Around 14 per cent of the farmer families in the state are on a “natural farming” journey as against the global 0.5 per cent.

CGIAR team would visit APCNF, one of the largest agroecology programmes, to understand the approach and modalities of natural farming. The team would meet natural farming practitioners, visit their farms and the model farms in Anantapur, Satyasai, Chittoor and Annamayya districts in Rayalaseema dry zone.

The Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) officials said the universal principles of natural farming avoid synthetic chemicals, ensure round-the-year green cover for soil, multi-layered 20+ crops, organic residues on soil, indigenous seeds, bio-stimulants/inoculants (jeevamruthams, bijamrutham), minimal disturbance to soil, plant-pest management without chemicals, and farm integration with animals.

CGIAR is the world's largest global agricultural innovation network comprising 9000 scientists operating through 15 international agricultural research centres. CGIAR’s focus is to provide evidence to policymakers, innovation to partners, and new tools towards creating sustainable and resilient food, land, and water systems, managing natural resources in a  sustainable manner, reducing rural poverty, increasing food security, improving human health and nutrition, and meeting UN’s social development goals.