Start business for financial stability, farmers told

Progressive natural farming expert from Indonesia Ibu Helianti Hilman, who was in the city on Tuesday, advised farmers to start businesses apart from farming to keep themselves financially more stable.

Hilman, who is also the founder and chief executive officer of Javara Indigenous, a social enterprise, was addressing the gathering at a two-day Natural Farming Summit organised by the Art of Living (AoL) Foundation.

“Natural farming will be successful if one adopts and practises traditional farming methods. Starting a business helps farmers know the state of the market, how to sell the produce among other techniques,” she added.

Delegates from institutes like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural boards, advocacy groups, field experts, bureaucrats, farmers, educators and ministries across the country and also from South Africa, Ukraine and Sri Lanka are part of the two-day natural farming summit.

Ravishankar takes on NGT

Founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who was present at the summit took a dig at the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that had earlier slammed AoL for damaging the Yamuna floodplains and added, “We have given a new life to the country's 27 rivers at a low cost. It’s ridiculous that the Tribunal has accused us of polluting the lake during the world cultural festival organised in New Delhi last year.”