Meghalaya State Organic and Natural Farming policy 2023
To further support and consolidate these efforts, the Cabinet approved the Meghalaya State Organic and Natural Farming policy on 11th January 2023. The policy outlines key objectives, including promoting organic farming as a sustainable income-generating activity for farmers, facilitating capacity building, investment, and technology development, and increasing farmers' income through training, value addition, and market linkage.
The core objectives of the policy include:
- Promoting organic farming as a viable and sustainable income-generating activity for the farmers of the state.
- Developing a comprehensive support system for capacity building, development, and handholding of farmers in transitioning to organic and natural farming.
- Facilitating investments in sector development, including conversion, institution building, human capital development, technology development, area expansion, and supply chain development.
- Promoting organic farming in the State through the certification of organic produce to meet the growing demand for organic food in national and international markets.
- Increasing farmers' income through training and capacity development for productivity enhancement, value addition, and market linkage.
- Promoting sustainable package of practices, including crop and farm diversification, to protect against adverse weather conditions and climate change impacts.
- Enhancing access to finance for farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.
- Supporting research and development in sustainable, climate-resilient, and affordable organic farming technologies and practices.
The policy has proposed the establishment of a society under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, as outlined in section 5.1.2 of the policy. Therefore, Meghalaya Natural and Organic Farming Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) was established.
