Shri Narayana Reddy is a legendary organic farmer and is one of the most sought after resource persons on ecological agriculture and an icon who inspired and educated many in the essence of organic farming. He was known as a fearless man who wanted farmers to be self-reliant in terms of everything.
He bought a piece of land in his native village Sorahunase and practised conventional farming using chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Narayana Reddy's tryst with organic farming was sealed in 1976 when he met a NASA scientist at an ashram, who gave him a copy of Japanese organic farming pioneer Masanobu Fukuoka's 'One Straw Revolution'. He adopted various techniques after reading the book many times over entirely transformed his perception of farming, and by 1979 went back to the land growing crops without using chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Happiest moment in Narayana Reddy's life when his teacher Masanobu Fukuoka visited his farm in Varthur in 1988 on an invitation from a local NGO. Following this, in 1992, a group of representatives from The members of European Commission(EC) flew down to his farm to witness his organic farming techniques. Later, the EC invited him to an agricultural seminar in Brussels, Belgium.
Narayana Reddy used to conduct classes at his farm in Marenahalli, Doddaballapura taluk in Bengaluru Rural with a motive to spread organic farming. He addressed a host of seminars and public meetings on the value and techniques of organic farming across the globe.
Until his passing, Narayana Reddy would teach organic farming to those interested at his other farm. He also wrote a regular column in the Kannada daily Prajavani on its benefits, in addition to responding to queries by readers.
Narayana Reddy was also honoured with the Nadoja award by the Kannada University in Hampi for his contribution in the field of agriculture.
