Gujarat to honour 93 farmers with Best ATMA Farmer Awards on 3 October
Synopsis
Gujarat is rolling out one of its biggest agricultural recognition events on 3 October — honouring 93 farmers, launching 100 natural farming sales centres and signing a landmark MoU with ISRO to bring satellite technology to the farm. The combination of grassroots recognition and high-tech partnership signals a deliberate push to modernise agriculture while keeping the farmer at the centre.
Key Takeaways
93 farmers will receive the Best ATMA Farmer Awards at a ceremony in Gandhinagar on 3 October 2026 .
Awards span 4 categories : natural farming ( 15 ), horticulture ( 45 ), animal husbandry ( 15 ), and value-added products ( 8 ); 10 at state level and 83 at district level.
Around 100 natural farming sales centres will be inaugurated — 24 at municipal headquarters, 18 at district level and 58 at taluka level.
An MoU between the Directorate of Agriculture and ISRO's SAC will be signed to deploy satellite and geospatial tools for farming advisories and crop damage assessment.
14 newly appointed Assistant Directors of Agriculture (Class-II) will receive their appointment letters at the event.
District-level programmes are planned at 34 locations across Gujarat, with thousands of farmers joining digitally.
Gujarat will recognise 93 progressive farmers with state and district-level Best ATMA Farmer Awards at a ceremony in Gandhinagar on 3 October 2026, acknowledging outstanding contributions across natural farming, horticulture, animal husbandry and value-added agricultural products. The event marks one of the state's most expansive annual agricultural felicitation drives.
Award Breakdown and Categories
Of the 93 awards to be conferred, 10 will be presented at the state level and 83 at the district level. The distribution spans 15 awards for natural farming, 45 awards for fruit, flower and vegetable cultivation, 15 awards for animal husbandry, and 8 awards for excellence in value-added products, packaging and allied areas.
Senior Leadership to Preside
The ceremony will be held under the chairmanship of Governor Acharya Devvrat, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani and Minister of State for Agriculture Ramesh Katara also in attendance. Beyond the main event in Gandhinagar, district-level programmes have been planned across 34 locations in Gujarat, with ministers in charge, Members of Parliament and MLAs presiding at each venue. Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary will attend the programme at Vav-Tharad, while Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Assembly Deputy Speaker Purnesh Modi will be present in Surat. Thousands of farmers from across the state are expected to join digitally through live platforms.
100 Natural Farming Sales Centres to Launch
As part of the programme, around 100 sales centres for natural farming produce will be inaugurated across Gujarat. These include 24 centres at municipal corporation and municipality headquarters, 18 at district headquarters and 58 at taluka headquarters. According to the agriculture department, the initiative is aimed at strengthening the link between 'farmer to market and market to consumer', providing natural farming producers a direct sales platform while improving consumer access to chemical-free produce.
ISRO Partnership and New Agriculture Officers
The event will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Directorate of Agriculture and the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to promote satellite and geospatial technology in farming. The technology is expected to deliver timely advisories to farmers across stages from sowing to harvesting, along with crop-wise area estimation, production estimates and crop damage assessments. Additionally, appointment letters will be handed over to 14 newly appointed Assistant Directors of Agriculture (Class-II), a move aimed at strengthening agricultural extension services across the state.
The scale of Friday's event — combining awards, new market infrastructure, a space-tech partnership and fresh officer appointments — signals Gujarat's intent to position its farming sector at the intersection of tradition and technology.
Point of View
However, lies in whether these sales centres achieve sustained footfall and whether the ISRO advisory system reaches small and marginal farmers who need it most — or remains a headline-friendly pilot. Governor Devvrat's active chairmanship also underscores the Centre's ideological investment in natural farming as a counterweight to chemical-intensive agriculture.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Best ATMA Farmer Awards in Gujarat?
The Best ATMA Farmer Awards are state and district-level honours given by the Gujarat government to recognise progressive farmers for excellence in areas such as natural farming, horticulture, animal husbandry and value-added agricultural products. In 2026, 93 farmers will be recognised — 10 at the state level and 83 at the district level.
When and where is the ATMA Farmer Awards ceremony taking place?
The ceremony is scheduled for 3 October 2026 in Gandhinagar, under the chairmanship of Governor Acharya Devvrat and in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and senior ministers. District-level events are simultaneously planned at 34 locations across Gujarat.
What are the 100 natural farming sales centres being inaugurated?
Around 100 sales centres for natural farming produce will be launched across Gujarat as part of the event — 24 at municipal corporation and municipality headquarters, 18 at district headquarters and 58 at taluka headquarters. The centres are designed to directly connect natural farming producers with consumers, reducing dependence on intermediaries.
What is the Gujarat agriculture-ISRO MoU about?
The Memorandum of Understanding between Gujarat's Directorate of Agriculture and ISRO's Space Applications Centre (SAC) aims to integrate satellite and geospatial technology into farming. It is expected to provide farmers with timely advisories from sowing to harvesting, along with crop area estimation, production forecasts and crop damage assessments.
Who else will be honoured at the Gandhinagar event?
In addition to the 93 farmers receiving ATMA awards, 14 newly appointed Assistant Directors of Agriculture (Class-II) will receive their appointment letters at the ceremony, as part of an effort to strengthen agricultural extension services across the state.
