Nauni Varsity Bags SKOCH Award Winner for Silver Category in Horticulture
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April 4, 2026
Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has bagged the prestigious SKOCH Award in the Silver Category for Horticulture. The award was conferred recently for the project titled ‘Furthering Entrepreneurship Capacity of Natural Farming based FPCs through Institutional Technological Interventions’ being implemented by the university.
The SKOCH Awards, instituted in 2003, recognize people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation. The award highlights excellence in governance, inclusive growth, technology and social impact, while also creating a valuable knowledge repository of impactful initiatives.
Projects from the Centre and States are evaluated based on citizen impact, outcomes and progress. After initial shortlisting by analysts, they undergo expert evaluation, peer review, and field validation. Stakeholder voting and final expert assessment through live polls determine a comprehensive score, with capped marks at each stage to ensure fairness and define overall rankings. The award was received by Director Extension Dr Inder Dev.
The project builds upon the state’s flagship initiative, Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y), launched in 2018 to promote natural farming. To address the gaps, the Sustainable Food Systems Platform for Natural Farming (SuSPNF) was introduced. This was funded by the State Project Implementation Unit of PK3Y.
The platform integrates production, certification, aggregation and marketing while ensuring fair pricing through True Cost Accounting and enabling end-to-end traceability. Key components include Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), digital tools like the HimShikhar App, certification through CETARA-NF and the integrated Shikhar Stack.
Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals, SuSPNF promotes climate-resilient agriculture, reduces dependency on agrochemicals and enhances economic and nutritional security.
Expressing happiness over the achievement, Vice Chancellor Prof Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said, “This recognition is a testament to our continuous efforts in promoting sustainable and natural farming systems. The award not only acknowledges the innovative work being carried out by our university but also reinforces our commitment to empowering farmers through technology, entrepreneurship, and market linkages. We will continue to strive towards building a resilient and sustainable agricultural ecosystem for the future.”
