The Agricultural Education Division of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) organized a consultation meeting on October 7, 2026, with industry experts and academic stakeholders regarding proposed Postgraduate (PG) and Ph.D. programmes in Natural Farming. The meeting was chaired by Dr. M. L. Jat, who serves as Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR.
The primary purpose of the consultation was to obtain inputs from industry and academia for strengthening and finalizing the proposed curricula, ensuring the programmes address emerging requirements of Natural Farming, farmers, and the wider agricultural sector. Dr. Jat emphasized that the proposed PG and Ph.D. programmes should be future-ready, globally relevant, and closely connected with farmers, industry, and society. He stressed the need to incorporate emerging areas including biological inputs, soil health, certification, value chains, marketing, digital technologies, and entrepreneurship in the curriculum.
Dr. Jat also highlighted the importance of developing conceptual clarity on different streams and approaches to chemical-free farming, enabling students and researchers to comprehensively understand the principles, practices, and emerging dimensions of Natural Farming. Dr. Yashpal Singh Malik, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Education) at ICAR, emphasized the need for multidisciplinary, competency-based, and industry-oriented curricula aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He highlighted emerging opportunities in Natural Farming and the need to prepare students with relevant knowledge and skills to address evolving sector requirements.
Dr. C. K. Timbadia, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Natural Farming Science University (GNFSU) and Chairman of the Syllabus Formulation Committee, along with Dr. A. S. Yadav, Assistant Director General (Education Quality Assurance and Reform) at ICAR, presented the proposed M.Sc. and Ph.D. curricula before the stakeholders. The meeting concluded with valuable inputs from industry experts and academic stakeholders, which will contribute to the timely finalization and implementation of the proposed PG and Ph.D. programmes in Natural Farming.