Farmers Moving Towards Organic Farming: Shri Manbhautin Bai Nishad and Shri Makhan Nishad Reap Substantial Benefits from Natural Farming

Raipur, January 2026 : Farmers in the state are increasingly shifting towards organic and natural farming. Under the National Mission on Natural Farming, farmers are being continuously encouraged to adopt chemical-free cultivation, which is not only reducing farming costs but also significantly increasing farmers’ incomes.

In the current 2025-26 Rabi season, the farmer couple, Shri Manbhautin Bai Nishad and her husband Shri Makhan Nishad, are practicing natural farming for vegetables, as well as crops like lentils (masoor), wheat, and mustard.

Under the National Mission on Natural Farming in 2025, a 150-hectare cluster was created in the Rajnandgaon development block to motivate farmers to adopt natural farming practices.

Farmers of the Pragati Women Self-Help Group from Gram Mokhla were trained in preparing natural products such as Jeevamrit (bio-fertilizer), Beejamrit (seed treatment), Ghanjeevamrit, Dashparni Ark, and their application according to the growth stage of crops.

As part of this training program, 68-year-old Shri Manbhautin Bai Nishad and her 72-year-old husband, Shri Makhan Nishad, residents of the Shivnath riverbank, received hands-on training in natural farming. The couple owns 1.17 acres of their own land and 1.17 acres of leased land, totaling 2.34 acres, previously used for paddy and horticultural crops. Earlier, chemical farming provided them an annual income of around Rs. 50,000–60,000.

Shri Manbhautin Bai Nishad explained that the continued use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in horticultural crops not only increased costs but also led to health issues among consumers. Motivated by these concerns, the couple decided to switch to chemical-free natural farming. Initially, they faced challenges such as lack of information, lower yields, and fear of pests and diseases.

After completing the training, they stopped relying on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. While chemical farming cost Rs. 20,000–22,000 per acre, natural farming requires only household ingredients like gram flour, jaggery, buttermilk, cow dung, cow urine, soil, and various leaves. These are easily available locally, significantly reducing input costs.

Natural farming has also increased beneficial earthworms and microorganisms in the soil, improving fertility. Crop quality has improved, and chemical-free produce is fetching good market prices. Traders are now directly purchasing from the fields, increasing the couple’s income and strengthening their economic position.

Today, Shri Manbhautin Bai Nishad has become a source of inspiration for farmers in the district and has been honored in various district-level programs for her contributions to natural farming.