Shillong: The Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, will organise the National Conference on “Natural Farming: Pathways to Self-reliant Farming and Rural Prosperity (NCNF 2026)” from September 9 to 11, 2026, at the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences (CPGSAS), Umiam, Meghalaya. A press conference was held today at Shillong Press Club to brief the media on the objectives, themes and expected outcomes of the three-day national conference.
The conference will bring together more than 400 participants from 21 States and 51 agricultural institutions, including 95 natural farming practitioners, who will share their experiences and farming practices. The participation reflects a broad national engagement on natural farming and its potential to strengthen farm resilience, farmer incomes and rural prosperity.
Addressing the media, Prof. Dwipendra Thakuria, Dean, CPGSAS, Umiam and Organiser of NCNF 2026, said the conference aims to explore pathways for revitalising farming systems and strengthening rural prosperity, with particular focus on the challenges and opportunities of the Northeastern region. He emphasised the need to mainstream natural farming in a systematic and economically viable manner through scientific validation, appropriate certification, education and capacity building of farmers.
Prof. Thakuria highlighted six critical concerns underpinning the conference—climate change, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, farm income, food and nutrition, and the environment. He noted that erratic climatic events, soil degradation resulting from excessive dependence on synthetic inputs and continuing biodiversity loss pose major challenges to sustainable agriculture.
NCNF 2026 will deliberate on six major themes: Revitalising Farms; Eco-friendly Plant Protection; Genetic Resources and Seeds; Symbiotic Farming; Nutrition and Environment; and Governance and Production. The discussions will cover restoration of soil and farm fertility, sustainable plant protection, farmer independence in seeds and genetic resources, integrated farming involving crops, livestock, horticulture, agroforestry and fisheries, nutritional security, environmental sustainability and policy pathways for natural farming, particularly in the Northeast.
The three-day programme will feature 26 technical and knowledge-sharing sessions, presentations on evidence-based farming practices and videos showcasing farmers’ experiences. A field visit to a practising natural farmer is also planned. The deliberations and field experiences will contribute to the compilation of recommendations and conference outcomes.
The inaugural session will be graced by Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Governor of Assam, as Chief Guest, while Narayan Singh Kushwah, Minister of Social Justice and Horticulture Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, will attend as Guest of Honour. Timothy D. Shira, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, will also grace the inaugural session.
The inaugural session will also be attended by Vice Chancellors of agricultural universities, representatives of farmers’ organisations and senior public representatives. The event will be held under the presidency of Dr. Anupam Mishra, Vice Chancellor, Central Agricultural University, Imphal.
NCNF 2026 is being organised in collaboration with ICAR, New Delhi; DST–North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), Shillong; Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi; Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa; and Gujarat Natural Farming Science University, Gujarat.
The conference is guided by the motto “One Farm, One Ecosystem, One Health”, reflecting an integrated approach to sustainable farming in which crops, livestock, fisheries, horticulture and other farm components function as part of a unified ecosystem, promoting the health of soil, plants, animals and people.
