CM Yogi attends Natural Farming Workshop in Kanpur
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh announced on Thursday, 18 June 2026 that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the 'Natural Farming Workshop-2026' (Prakritik Kheti Karyashala-2026) held in Kanpur Nagar, where farmers who have excelled in natural farming were felicitated.
Context
At the event, CM Yogi stated that natural farming is 'a powerful means to make agriculture more profitable and environment-friendly.' He added that it 'not only helps reduce the cost burden on farmers, but is also extremely important for soil fertility, human health, and environmental conservation.'
The workshop brought together cultivators from across Kanpur Nagar district, with the state government using the platform to both recognise outstanding practitioners and disseminate chemical-free farming techniques to a wider audience.
Policy Backdrop
The event aligns with the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, a central government scheme launched in 2015 to promote organic and natural farming clusters across states, including Uttar Pradesh. The scheme has provided a policy framework for state-level training and certification initiatives targeting small and marginal cultivators.
Uttar Pradesh has incrementally expanded its own district-level workshop and recognition programmes since 2020, positioning natural farming as a convergence point between farmer welfare, soil health restoration, and India's broader climate commitments.
Stakeholders and Impact
Small and marginal farmers stand to benefit most directly from natural farming adoption, as the model reduces dependence on chemical inputs — a significant share of cultivation costs. Recognition ceremonies of this kind serve a dual purpose: honouring early adopters and creating peer-driven incentives for wider uptake.
Kanpur Nagar, while primarily known as an industrial centre, has an active agricultural belt where the state government has periodically held farmer outreach events. The workshop format allows extension workers to demonstrate techniques alongside policy messaging from senior leadership.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to whether the state translates the workshop's momentum into concrete budget allocations for natural farming inputs and extension services in the upcoming agricultural season. District-level adoption targets, if announced, will be a key indicator of how the government intends to scale the initiative beyond awareness events.
With CM Yogi personally attending and lending political visibility to the cause, the programme is likely to feature in broader farmer-outreach messaging ahead of the next agricultural cycle.