Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma attended a natural farming workshop in Jaipur on Friday, June 12, 2026, engaging in dialogue with progressive farmers from across the state. The Chief Minister underscored the central role of farmers in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

Context

Posting on X, CM Sharma wrote: 'Aaj Jaipur mein aayojit prakritik kheti karyashala mein upasthit hokar pradesh ke pragatisheel kisanon ke saath samvad kiya' — 'Today I participated in the natural farming workshop organised in Jaipur and interacted with the progressive farmers of the state.' He added that farmers are the most important contributors to fulfilling PM Modi's dream of a self-reliant India.

The workshop brought together farmers engaged in or transitioning to chemical-free cultivation methods. Such state-level gatherings have become a regular feature of Rajasthan's agricultural outreach since CM Sharma assumed office in December 2023.

Policy Backdrop

Natural farming advocacy in India has strong roots in central policy. The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2015, established organic and natural farming clusters across states with financial and technical support. PM Modi reinforced this push at the National Conference on Natural Farming in 2022, calling on states to scale up chemical-free cultivation to improve soil health and raise farmer incomes.

The Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, launched in May 2020, identifies agriculture as a key pillar for reducing import dependence and strengthening domestic food systems. Natural farming aligns with this goal by lowering input costs and improving the export competitiveness of Indian produce through eco-friendly methods.

Stakeholders and Impact

Progressive farmers in Rajasthan stand to benefit directly from such workshops, which typically offer training in low-cost, chemical-free techniques such as cow-dung-based formulations and intercropping. The Rajasthan agriculture department has been expanding this outreach since the change of government in late 2023, aiming to reduce farmers' dependence on expensive chemical inputs.

Broader stakeholders include rural communities dependent on soil-intensive agriculture, consumers who gain access to residue-free produce, and the state's export ecosystem, which can leverage chemical-free certification for premium markets. BJP-governed states have increasingly used such events to demonstrate alignment with the Centre's sustainable agriculture agenda.

What's Next

The Rajasthan government is expected to follow up with district-level natural farming training programmes to extend the reach of workshops beyond Jaipur. Observers will watch for any dedicated budget allocations for chemical-free farming clusters in the 2026-27 state budget, which would signal a move from awareness events to institutionalised policy support.

If Rajasthan scales its natural farming clusters in line with central guidelines, it could position the state as a significant contributor to India's broader goal of reducing agricultural chemical dependence — a metric increasingly tied to both soil health outcomes and international trade opportunities.