Nek Ram Sharma, a farmer in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, has received the prestigious Padma Shri award for his outstanding contributions to agriculture, particularly organic farming. Sharma, the sole recipient of a Padma from Himachal Pradesh, has thanked the administration for this honor.
"Through organic farming, I have been raising nine different grains. I now feel even more responsible for my work as a result of this award. I used to work up to 14 hours per week on organic farming as a hobby, but now I'll have to put in 18 hours," Sharma said.
According to Nek Ram, there is a pressing need to avoid using fertilizers in agriculture. He said, "Organic farming should be further promoted and children should be educated at this level from schools," suggesting the government find ways to incorporate it.
The resolution at the UNGA designating 2023 as the "International Year of Millets" was spearheaded by the Indian government, and it received support from 72 other nations.
“My farm produces pomegranates. Pests shouldn't be killed because they are never harmful in the wild. Actually, they are advantageous. We needed to devise a strategy to ensure it didn't interfere with farming. Therefore, we created a unique mixture for pest control. Because of the new approach, I adopted, my pomegranate farm is currently pest-free," he said.
Sharma praised the "International Year of Millets 2023," Following the declaration of the International Year of Millets, people have become more aware. In the past, when people obtained their food directly from the jungles, there were fewer diseases. Nowadays, people engage in unethical behavior to make money, leading to many diseases in farm products."
In March 2021, the UN General Assembly declared 2023 to be the International Year of Millets. The states of Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Rajasthan have designated January 2023 as their focus month for organizing events and activities related to the millets year.
