DW BUREAU/ Shimla Himachal Pradesh farmers, who have scripted success stories in natural farming over the last three years and are fully adept in this non-chemical, low cost and climate resilient technique, will shortly play the role of 'master trainers' for their counterparts in other states of the country. This was disclosed by Gujarat Governor, Acharya Devvrat at the 'Prakritik Kheti Utkrisht Kisan Sammelan' organized by Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) here on Thursday. Acharya Devvrat said Himachal Pradesh had taken lead in the entire country in natural farming and lauded the Himachal model of natural farming. "The Prime Minister has announced that natural farming technique should be promoted in the entire country. For this, the farmers of Himachal Pradesh would be prepared as resource persons for training farmers in other states," he said. Devvrat asked the PK3Y officials to devise a course for such farmers who will go out of state as 'master trainers' so that they know each and every detail of the technique, the preparation of farm inputs and the related issues and can answer the questions raised by others in the field effectively and convincingly. He appreciated Himachal Chief Minister, Agriculture minister and other officers associated with natural farming in the state and particularly mentioned that State Project Director and Secretary, Agriculture, Rakesh Kanwar and Executive Director of PK3Y, Dr Rajeshwar Chandel, who is now Vice Chancellor of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan have shown exemplary commitment to make natural farming a success in Himachal. "I had started the campaign for natural farming and had motivated farmers when I was Governor here. When I left the state to take over as Governor of Gujarat, 50,000 farmers were in natural farming. After that, more than 1.20 lakh more farmers have taken up this technique in the state, which is a very good progress," he said. Acharya Devvrat said chemical farming is responsible for climate change to the extent of 24 per cent. "If we adopt the chemical free technique of natural farming, it will help preserve the environment and agriculture for future generations. It will also check various diseases, whose incidence if increasing due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides," he said. (editor@dailyworld.in)