2026

The Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme, implemented by Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, has won the Food Planet Prize 2026, worth $1.5 million, for leading one of the world’s largest transitions to natural farming. The award was presented in Bastad, Sweden, on Tuesday (June 2, 2026). The prize, given by the Curt Bergfors Foundation, recognises initiatives that could contribute to resilient, equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems within the next decade. The other finalists, Conscious Kitchen of the United States, NoPalm Ingredients of the Netherlands and the Savanna Institute of the United States, each received $150,000. How APCNF works Launched in 2016 by the government of Andhra Pradesh, APCNF is one of the world’s largest community-led transitions to agroecology and natural farming. It is being implemented across 8,168 villages, and about 18 lakh farmer families are enrolled through women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and more than 10,000 farmer trainers, according to a press release by Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture, Sericulture, Cooperation and Marketing) Budithi Rajasekhar. The APCNF programme gives close, hands-on support to farmers moving to climate-resilient natural farming. It helps them give up synthetic inputs for natural methods drawn from soil science and traditional knowledge. Year-round cover cropping and pre-monsoon dry sowing are among the techniques used. The foundation said the programme had restored degraded land into healthy ecosystems on a large scale and strengthened rural women farmers’ collectives. Aimed at helping small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and landless farm workers, APCNF does away with chemicals, cuts input costs and raises crop yields, giving farmers food, nutrition and income security. The model is being replicated in 21 States and in countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Zambia.

A kilogram of 100-count shrimp that once fetched Rs 275 now sells for just Rs 225, 50-count price has dropped to Rs 285, and 30-count to Rs 425 — wiping out margins. Lakhs of aqua farmers in Andhra Pradesh — the state long regarded as the cradle of shrimp farming in India — are caught in a deepening crisis. A punishing combination of depressed market prices, triggered by the West Asia conflict, and surging feed costs has pushed many to the brink. Some have already declared “crop holidays”, while others are actively considering converting their shrimp f… The shrimp-farming boom that reshaped coastal Andhra Pradesh in the mid-to-late 1990s transformed the economic lives of farmers across the Godavari, Guntur, Krishna, and Nellore districts, who converted lakhs of acres of paddy land into far more lucr…

Paddy may fall to 1.03 lakh hectares from 1.21 lakh; officials are urging farmers to shift to crops that need less water. The crop area in Vizianagaram district is likely to fall by about 20,000 hectares in the ongoing Kharif season because of El Nino, officials said. The area is normally around 1.43 lakh hectares, but it is expected to be held to 1.23 lakh hectares this year, on the prospect of poor weather and lower rainfall under El Nino. Paddy, grown on 1.21 lakh hectares in 2025, may come down to 1.03 lakh hectares this year. Maize, however, is projected to rise to 10,200 hectares from 9,500. On the directions of Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy, agriculture department officials have been visiting places across the district to make farmers aware of the outlook, and to urge them to shift to crops that need less water than paddy. Speaking to The Hindu, Vizianagaram District Agriculture Officer V.T. Rama Rao said the farmers were being told why crop diversification mattered, given El Nino, a disturbance in normal global weather patterns. “Compared to other districts, the North Andhra Pradesh region always receives more rainfall. We are hopeful of improvement in weather conditions and occurrence of normal rainfall in spite of the impact of El Nino,” Mr. Rama Rao said. He said there would be no shortage of fertilisers, as they would be given to farmers through an online system this year.

Participating in the PM-Kisan-Annadata Sukhibhava programme at Linganguntla in Palnadu district on Saturday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu credited Rs 3,125 crore aid directly into the bank accounts of 46.85 lakh farmers for the 2026 Kharif season. Each farmer got Rs 7,000 as the first installment under Annadata Sukhibhava. Prior to the public meeting, Naidu visited various stalls set up by the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments at the venue. He interacted with farmers and women self-help group representatives, and reviewed initiatives related to agricultural processing units, vermicompost production, and value-addition activities undertaken by rural communities. He joined farmers in watching the PM-Kisan-Annadata Sukhibhava programme addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the Centre’s continued support to the farming community. As part of his visit, aimed at promoting natural farming to protect public health, the Chief Minister visited the fields of Gudipalli Nagabhushanam, a natural farmer of Linganguntla, spent time listening to his farming journey, appreciating his innovative practices. The farmer informed Naidu that natural farming had significantly reduced his cultivation costs while improving soil fertility and crop yields, making agriculture more profitable and sustainable. The State government is promoting natural farming in a big way, creating awareness among farmers about the harmful effects of excessive chemical use in agriculture, Naidu said. Describing Nagabhushanam as a role model, Naidu said farmers like him are setting an example for sustainable and profitable agriculture. In another heartwarming gesture, the Chief Minister visited the farmer’s traditional oil extraction unit (Ganuga), where groundnut, sesame and coconut oils are extracted through natural cold-press methods. Informing that the unit had become an additional source of income, Nagabhushanam said his cold-pressed edible oils are supplied to several consumers, and urged the Chief Minister to try the product. With a smile, Naidu remarked that purchases at home require the approval of his wife Nara Bhuvaneswari, and immediately called her over the phone from the farm itself, and after a brief conversation, purchased a litre of cold-pressed groundnut oil from the farmer, drawing smiles from those present.

The Chief Minister disburses financial assistance of ₹3,125 crore under first instalment of Annadata Sukhibhava-PM Kisan scheme for 2026 kharif season, says the coalition government is committed to fulfilling its election promise to the farmers Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday released the first instalment of financial assistance under the Annadata Sukhibhava – PM-Kisan scheme, crediting ₹3,125 crore directly to the bank accounts of 46.85 lakh farmers across the State for the 2026 kharif season. Under the first phase of the scheme, each eligible farmer received a financial assistance of ₹7,000. Addressing a public meeting at Linganguntla village, near Chilakaluripet, in Palnadu district, Mr. Naidu said the coalition government was fulfilling its election promise of extending ₹20,000 annually to the farmers in three instalments through the combined support of the Central and State governments. he Chief Minister accused the previous YSRCP government of neglecting the agriculture sector and failing to promote sustainable farming practices. Earlier, Mr. Naidu inspected the stalls set up by the Agriculture and Horticulture departments at the venue, where he reviewed the exhibits on Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), women-led processing units, vermicompost production, the National Oilseeds Mission, oil palm cultivation and waste-to-energy initiatives. He also joined the farmers in virtually watching Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in the PM-Kisan programme. The Chief Minister said the government was supporting farmers from seed supply to marketing, and ensuring payments for procured produce in 48 hours. He added that the administration was strengthening e-crop registration and sending advisories to the farmers through mobile-based messaging services.