Govt to promote yogic farming to boost crop yields: Agri Min

Aiming to double farmers' income by 2022, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said the government will promote the idea of 'yogic' farming to increase the country's farm production.
This will be promoted via Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), under which organic farming is also being popularised in a big way , he said.
"Positive thoughts have an impact on nature and even livestock and people around. Some people don't believe in it but there is a scientific truth. ...We are going to support this idea of yogic farming," Singh said addressing an event on traditional organic farming.
Minister of State for Agriculture Sudharshan Bhagat was present at the event organised in association with the socio-spiritual body Brahma Kumaris.

Stating that nature reads our minds and power of thoughts can be effectively used in farm sector, Singh said research work is being done in India and abroad in this regard.
For instance, a scientist in Annamalai University has found that there is impact of music on plant growth and similarly foreign scientists have found power of thoughts on seed germination and water, he said.

"One of our universities is working on use of positive thoughts on agriculture. The UP government has also started an initiative. Definitely, we will support this," Singh said.
He further said: "In good olden days, our elders used to say human beings cannot live without nature. It means, human beings survived on oxygen from nature and nature on carbon dioxide released by human beings. Our ancestors never used the term oxygen and carbon di oxide then and hence our people now cannot believe the ancient knowledge."

The Minister said traditional agri-practices including organic farming are being promoted because excess use of chemicals and fertilisers has deteriorated the quality of soil amid pressure on availability of land and water resources for farming purpose.
On yogic farming, Sunita Pande - a professor from Agronomy Department in Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology - said research work is being carried out on wheat that showed positive results.
"The most important and powerful bio-resources with us are pure, powerful, elevated, clean and positive thought vibration energy, which automatically work as an additive, catalyst in organic farming for seed, water, land and microbes for the betterment of crops and plants," she said.

The Raj Yoga meditation of personal empowerment is India's ancient technique, which can be promoted for better use in agriculture, she added.