India, Jan. 24 -- The Solan district of Himachal Pradesh state lies in two agro-climatic zones: Sub-tropical, sub-mountain, low Hills; and sub-temperate, sub-humid, mid hills.

Known for off-season vegetable production, the district's farmers rely heavily on hybrid seeds, synthetic fertilisers and pesticides to maximise returns per unit area. However, these practices increase production costs, degrade soil health and harm the environment, challenges compounded by climate change-induced weather variability.

A transition to natural farming offers a sustainable solution. This low-input, climate-resilient approach emphasises the use of locally-sourced, cost-effective inputs while eliminating artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Natural far...