Narendra Singh Mehra, a farmer who inspires with his unique innovation in organic farming

Innovation in organic farming : Narendra Singh Mehra, who hails from Malla Devla village in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, is a progressive farmer who has not only made his mark in organic farming, but has also shown the society the path of a healthy lifestyle through this pure and natural farming. While inspiring other farmers towards organic farming, he is also doing awareness work at the community level. His dedication and innovation towards organic farming make him different from other farmers.

Innovation and use of natural resources in organic farming 

The most special aspect of Narendra Singh Mehra’s organic farming is that he does not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides at all. He prepares fertilizers and pesticides only using natural resources like cow dung. For this, he makes a special type of solution using cow dung, neem, camphor and asafoetida, which makes his crops naturally healthy. According to him, this solution not only provides protection from pests but also maintains the fertility of the soil.

Need for poison-free farming 

The main reason behind adopting organic farming cited by Narendra Singh Narendra is that chemical farming is having serious effects on health, such as cancer and other diseases, and the soil is also becoming poisonous and barren. After reflecting on this problem, he resolved to adopt organic farming.

Preservation and propagation of indigenous seeds

Narendra  believes that the selection of seeds is also an important factor in organic farming. He uses only indigenous seeds, which are traditional and natural. He propagated the importance of indigenous seeds among the farmers in his area and ensured that only these seeds are used in organic farming. For this, he also used social media and virtual medium, due to which thousands of farmers joined his campaign.

Contribution in organic farming and public awareness campaign 

For the last 8-10 years, Narendra has been doing organic farming and is working to spread awareness about it in the state and the country. He celebrated 2021 as “Organic Farming Resolution Year” and prepared the hilly district of Pithoragarh for organic sugarcane cultivation.

Community training and help to farmers 

Narendra  has not only experimented with organic farming in his field but he is also training other farmers. Thousands of farmers are benefiting from the webinars and virtual training sessions organized by him. Through these sessions, he teaches farmers how to make organic fertilizer, prepare pesticides, and avoid conventional chemicals. Apart from this, he has formed many farmer groups in his area, through which farmers get help with technical assistance and basic resources.

Honours and Awards: 

• “Kisan Shri Samman 2016” at block level

“Krishi Karman Award 2021” at district level

“Farmers Leadership Award 2018” at state level (by Indian Agricultural Food Council)

“Uttarakhand Pride Award 2019” at international level (by Ray Foundation, Malaysia)

“Uttarakhand Icon 2021” by UK World Record

“Innovative Farmer Award 2019” at national level (by Indian Agricultural Research Institute)

Mahindra Tractor Millennium Farmer of India Award 2023 (by Krishi Jagran at New Delhi)

“Agriculture Today Award 2023” for contribution to agricultural journalism (at New Delhi)

Jagran Agri Panchayat Award 2024 (by Dainik Jagran Group, from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan)

Benefits of government schemes and self-reliance 

Narendra Singh Mehra has demanded minimum government assistance By using this, they have taken a step towards self-reliance. They have constructed a mini tractor and polyhouse under the scheme of the Horticulture Department, which they use for vegetable production and plant nursery.

The Horticulture Department gave a mini tractor and polyhouse at an 80% subsidy. Farmers now use them for vegetable production and running a plant nursery.

They also built a water storage tank under the Prime Minister Irrigation Scheme. It supports both irrigation and fish farming.

Every year, farmers receive crop insurance benefits through the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme.

In this way, they get high profits while keeping their crop production cost under control.

Economic condition and contribution to society 

According to Narendra Singh, organic farming has a higher cost in the beginning, but it has long-term benefits. He believes that the products obtained from organic farming are not only beneficial for health but also do not harm the environment. The crops produced by them are sold in the local market, which are in high demand. His efforts have increased awareness towards healthy lifestyle and pure food in the society, which is an important objective of organic farming. 

Narendra Singh Mehra’s contribution to organic farming is not only limited to his personal advancement but is also a source of inspiration for his community. His innovation, use of natural resources, and efforts to inspire farmers have made him an icon in organic farming. Singh efforts are a true example that farming is not just a business but a service that nourishes society and protects the environment. His journey has proved that organic farming not only has economic benefits but is also a powerful means of health, environment and community advancement.