Rapid Expansion of Organic/Natural Farming Certification

The Government of India has issued a circular directing Regional Councils (RCs) to mandatorily register 5,000–10,000 non-scheme farmers under organic or natural farming within six months, aiming to rapidly expand chemical-free agriculture.

Key Points

• Regional Councils (RCs) are government-authorised certification bodies under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)–India.
• RCs mobilise farmers, verify natural farming practices, and grant certification through peer review, online documentation, and season-wise field inspections by local farmer groups.
• The directive focuses on non-scheme farmers, i.e., those not covered under existing government programmes.

Certification Framework in India

• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) (launched in 2015 under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture) addressed the credibility gap in organic farming by institutionalising certification.
• PKVY operates through two systems:
  • PGS–India (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare): For domestic markets using participatory, community-based certification.
  • National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) (Ministry of Commerce & Industry): Launched in 2001 for export certification, implemented by APEDA; mandates third-party certification for exports.
• Large Area Certification (LAC) (2020–21): Fast-tracks certification in regions with no history of chemical farming (tribal belts, islands, eco-preserved zones), reducing conversion from 2–3 years to a few months.

Natural Farming Push

• The National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), approved in November 2024, has an outlay of ₹2,481 crore.
• Targets include bringing 0.75 million hectares under natural farming and benefiting 10 million farmers, promoting ecological balance, lower input costs, and sustainable livelihoods.