Gujarat has allocated ₹392 crore for the 2026-27 period to promote natural farming as it tackles groundwater depletion and land degradation. While the state reports 1.51 lakh farmers enrolled in the initiative, challenges regarding the actual adoption of natural methods and structural policy gaps remain for the sector.
The Gujarat government has intensified its efforts to shift toward natural farming, allocating a budget of ₹392 crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year. This initiative is designed to address mounting environmental pressures in the state's agricultural sector, where irrigation demand currently exceeds planned limits by 21 per cent and significant regions face severe groundwater depletion. While Gujarat continues to see strong agricultural performance, with a 9 per cent annual growth rate that consistently leads the national average, policymakers are now prioritizing sustainability to combat land degradation and desertification.
The current strategy centers on scaling natural farming practices across 1,376 clusters, with official data recording 1.51 lakh farmers enrolled. However, the transition from conventional to natural farming faces operational hurdles. Independent monitoring suggests that focusing solely on enrollment figures may hide the reality of on-ground practices. Data indicates that a notable portion of enrolled farmers continue to rely on bio-fertilizers or synthetic chemical pesticides, rather than strictly following natural farming techniques. This gap between registration and practice remains a key monitorable for observers assessing the success of the state’s 2015 Organic Farming Policy.
Structural limitations also pose risks to the initiative's scalability. Schemes such as the Desi Gau Sahay Yojana are currently linked to land ownership and livestock assets, which effectively excludes tenant farmers and landless laborers who manage a significant share of the state’s cultivated area. Experts suggest that unless these policies are made more inclusive, natural farming risks becoming a niche segment rather than a widespread agricultural standard. Community-led models, such as those pioneered by the Dang Adiwasi Khedut Producer Company, have shown potential for bottom-up integration but remain isolated examples rather than the standard.
Moving forward, the effectiveness of this transition will likely depend on the government’s ability to shift from one-off training programs to a more institutionalized framework. Integrating natural farming produce into public distribution systems, such as mid-day meal programs, is seen as a way to create demand. Additionally, with Gujarat being home to GIFT City, there is potential for the state to attract green capital to support regenerative infrastructure and soil health. For investors, the long-term trend in state agricultural policy suggests a gradual shift in support from conventional input-heavy farming toward sustainable models, which may eventually alter demand patterns for traditional agro-chemicals and fertilizers in the region.