Indian states essentially depend on the Union government’s schemes to promote organic and natural farming. Some states also utilise funds from other schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture to do the job.

A few states, on the other hand, walked the extra mile and started initiatives of their own. 

Chhattisgarh, for example, recently took initiatives to promote rural livelihoods along with organic farming. The new Godhan Nyay scheme was launched by Chhattisgarh government in July 2020. The scheme aims to increase income of farmers and cattle ranchers, promote organic compost, reduce chemical fertiliser usage and improve soil health.

It also proposes to purchase cattle dung at Rs 2 per kilogram, convert it to vermin compost and make it available to farmers at Rs 8 per kg.

Then there is Odisha: It introduced an organic farming policy in 2018 and is now planning to launch an organic mission. The central government allotted Sri Sri University in the state to promote organic farming in five districts and make 30 model organic clusters.  

The state recently decided to promote organic farming in seven districts through integrated nutrient management — that encompasses promotion of organic clusters initiative under Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient — according to Debraj Mohanty, a state bio-chemist of Odisha. 

It also started a special programme to promote millets in tribal areas in 2017, which has so far covered about 23,000 hectares. “Under this, farmers are encouraged to adopt organic farming practices to produce millets,” said Dinesh Balam, who is associated with the programme.

Millets are procured by the state government and linked with the Public Distribution System (PDS), which aims to link it with state nutrition programmes such as Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), mid-day meal, and Integrated Tribal Development Agency welfare hostels.

From September 1, 2020, ragi laddus have been upscaled under ICDS to all 13 blocks of Keonjhar district of Odisha. Malkangiri became the first district to form a ‘committee on agro-ecology and agro-biodiversity’ in May 2020.

Uttarkhand is another example of an Indian state taking maters in its own hands. It was the first state to have an organic farming policy in 2000. A dedicated organic commodity board, a nodal state agency to promote organic farming, was established in 2003.

The board identifies commodity-specific clusters, areas and provides them technical know-how on organic agriculture. The state had 128,000 ha under organic cultivation as on November, 2019, which is around 18 per cent of its net sown area. The plan is to make it a 100 per cent organic state.