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A delegation led by German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, visited Pedaballi village in Puttaparthi mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district on Wednesday for a study tour on natural farming practices being implemented under the Andhra Pradesh Natural Farming Programme.
Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) B. Rajashekhar, District Collector A. Shyam Prasad, and senior officials of the Agriculture and allied departments accompanied the delegation and explained various field-level innovations.
Demonstrations on Beejamrutham, Ghana Jeevamrutham, Drava Jeevamrutham, and seed ball preparation were conducted at the farm of Anjaneyulu Naik, a farmer. The team also visited PMDS model plots, including groundnut and paddy fields maintained by local farmers, and interacted with them to understand the results of the eco-friendly farming methods.
The delegation later visited the BRC Centre managed by Hanumanth Naik and held discussions with women’s self-help groups and village organisation members involved in sustainable agriculture.
Interacting with the farmers, Mr. Ackermann said: “The natural farming practices adopted here are impressive and offer valuable insights into sustainable agriculture that benefits both farmers and the environment.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Philipp Ackermann visited the Indo-German Global Academy for Agro-Ecology Research and Learning (IGGAARL) at Pulivendula in YSR Kadapa district, in the evening. Consul General of Germany in Bengaluru, Amit Desai, and Natural Resource Management Specialist from KfW Bank, Sangeeta Agarwal, accompanied him.
The delegation reviewed ongoing natural farming experiments and interacted with farmer-scientists, mentors, and research fellows engaged in sustainable agriculture studies. They also visited stalls displaying natural farm products and millet-based foods prepared by farmer-producer organisations. Ackermann appreciated the academy’s efforts to promote eco-friendly and nutrition-rich farming practices.
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