Andhra Pradesh CNF wins $1.5 million Food Planet 2026 prize in Sweden to promote natural farming

Andhra Pradesh Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Budithi Rajasekhar and APCNF Executive Vice-President Vijay Kumar Thallam holding the Food Planet 2026 award to Andhra Pradesh’s community-driven organic farming in Bastad, Sweden on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

The Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) program, implemented by Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, has won the $1.5 million Food Planet Award 2026 for leading one of the world’s largest transitions to natural farming. The award was presented on Tuesday (June 2, 2026) in Bastad, Sweden.

The award, given by the Curt Bergfors Foundation, recognizes initiatives that could contribute to resilient, equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems in the next decade. The other finalists, Conscious Kitchen of the United States, NoPalm Ingredients of the Netherlands and 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. According to a press release by Special Principal Secretary (Agriculture, Sericulture, Cooperation and Marketing) Budithi Rajasekhar, it is being implemented in 8,168 villages and around 18,000 farmer families are enrolled through women self-help groups (SHGs) and more than 10,000 farmer trainers.

According to a press release by Special Principal Secretary (Agriculture, Sericulture, Cooperation and Marketing) Budithi Rajasekhar, it is being implemented in 8,168 villages and around 18,000 farmer families are enrolled through women self-help groups (SHGs) and more than 10,000 farmer trainers.

The APCNF program provides close and hands-on support to farmers transitioning to climate-resilient natural farming. It helps them abandon synthetic inputs for natural methods drawn from pedology and traditional knowledge. Techniques used include year-round cover crops and pre-monsoon dry sowing. The foundation said the program has largely restored degraded land to healthy ecosystems and strengthened rural farming collectives.

Aimed at helping small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and landless farmers, APCNF eliminates chemicals, reduces input costs and increases crop yields, thereby providing farmers with food, nutrition and income security.

The model is replicated in 21 states and countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Zambia.

Published – 03 Jun 2026 12:59 IST