- Natural Farming is a traditional, sustainable farming technique that prioritizes chemical-free practices and minimal reliance on manufactured inputs and equipment.
- Masanobu Fukuoka introduced this ecological farming approach in his 1975 book ‘The One-Straw Revolution’, commonly known as the Fukuoka Method or do-nothing farming.
BENEFITS OF NATURAL FARMING
- Cost-effective Production: Natural farming minimizes the need for expensive equipment and eliminates the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, reducing production costs.
- Healthier Food: The food produced through natural farming is richer in nutrients and free from harmful chemicals, promoting better health and well-being.
- Environmental Conservation: Natural farming reduces chemical residues and carbon emissions, contributing to environmental preservation. By integrating crops, trees, and livestock with functional biodiversity, it fosters a sustainable agroecology-based farming system.
- Efficient Water Use: Unlike modern commercial farming, which often leads to over-extraction of groundwater, natural farming optimizes soil moisture utilization, promoting efficient water use.
- Soil Health Promotion: Conventional chemical-based farming depletes soil nutrients and disrupts microbial balance. In contrast, natural farming fosters the growth of beneficial organisms like earthworms, enhances soil enzymes, and boosts microbial biomass, leading to soil restoration and improved health.
CHALLENGES OF NATURAL FARMING
- Yield Decline: Some regions, such as Sikkim, the first organic state in India, have experienced a decline in yields after transitioning to organic farming. This has led to farmers reverting to conventional methods.
- Shortage of Natural Inputs: The lack of readily available natural inputs poses a barrier to transitioning to chemical-free agriculture, causing delays and hindering profitable farming practices.
- Resistance from Chemical Industry: The chemical inputs industry, being capital-intensive and well-established, tends to resist efforts towards promoting natural farming, impeding its widespread adoption.
ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING
- India introduced Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in its Budget 2019-20, a concept initially advocated by Subhash Palekar, who was honored with the Padma Shri award in 2016.
- Emerging as a movement for farmers burdened by debt from the Green Revolution, ZBNF diverges from both chemical-loaded and purely organic farming approaches.
- Instead, it aims to eliminate input costs entirely by eschewing chemical and manufactured inputs, encouraging farmers to rely solely on locally available natural products.
- ZBNF, aptly named ‘zero budget,’ entails minimal expenditure on inputs, with the costs of cultivating the main crop offset by income generated from intercrops.
Its key components include:
- Soil Aeration
- Minimal Watering to save electricity
- Intercropping
- Construction of bunds and topsoil mulching
Furthermore, ZBNF discourages practices such as intensive irrigation and deep ploughing while opposing the use of vermicompost. Instead, it advocates for the revival of local deep soil earthworms through increased organic matter.
In ZBNF, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are replaced by locally available resources like cow dung, cow urine, and jaggery. Seeds are treated with natural ingredients prepared on the farm by the farmer.
ZBNF promotes the application of:
- Jivamrita/Jeevamrutha: A fermented microbial culture that enriches the soil with nutrients, enhances microbial activity, and prevents fungal and bacterial diseases in plants.
- Bijamrita: A protective solution that shields young roots from fungal and soil-borne diseases, prepared from a blend of desi cow dung, urine, and jaggery.
- Acchadana/Mulching: The application of a protective layer of biomass on the soil surface.
- Whapasa/Moisture: Maintaining the ideal balance of air and water molecules in the soil to promote optimal plant growth. This involves reducing irrigation and watering only at noon, in alternate furrows.
BHARTIYA PRAKRITIK KRISHI PADHHATI YOJANA
- The Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) Scheme for Natural Farming was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in the fiscal year 2020-21.
- It operates as a sub-scheme of the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and aims to promote traditional indigenous farming practices.
Key highlights of the BPKP Scheme include:
- Elimination of synthetic chemical inputs.
- On-farm biomass recycling with a strong emphasis on biomass mulching.
- Utilization of cow dung-urine formulations.
- Adoption of plant-based preparations.
- Regular soil working for aeration purposes.
Under the BPKP Scheme, financial assistance amounting to Rs 12,200 per hectare is provided for a duration of three years. This assistance covers activities such as cluster formation, capacity building, continuous guidance by trained personnel, certification, and residue analysis.
PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA
The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY), under which the BPKP Scheme operates, is a sub-component of the Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme initiated in 2015. The primary objectives of the PKVY are:
- Promotion of commercial organic production through certified organic farming.
- Production of pesticide residue-free crops to enhance consumer health.
- Enhancement of farmers’ income and the creation of potential markets for traders.
- Assurance of long-term soil fertility, conservation of resources, and adaptation and mitigation of climate change effects.
Under the PKVY, clusters comprising 50 or more farmers each with 50 acres of land undertake organic farming practices. Each farmer receives financial support of Rs. 20,000 per acre over a span of three years, covering expenses from seed procurement to crop harvesting and transportation of produce to the market.
FAQs about Natural Farming, Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), and Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Yojana (BPKP)
Q1: What is Natural Farming?
A: Natural Farming is a sustainable agricultural technique that emphasizes chemical-free practices and minimal reliance on manufactured inputs and equipment. It prioritizes ecological balance and health of the soil and crops.
Q2: Who introduced the concept of Natural Farming?
A: Masanobu Fukuoka introduced Natural Farming in his book ‘The One-Straw Revolution’ in 1975. It is also known as the Fukuoka Method or do-nothing farming.
Q3: What are the benefits of Natural Farming?
A: Natural Farming offers numerous benefits including cost-effective production, healthier food, environmental conservation, efficient water use, and promotion of soil health.
Q4: What are the challenges of adopting Natural Farming?
A: Challenges include potential yield declines in some regions, shortage of natural inputs, and resistance from the chemical inputs industry.
Q5: What is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)?
A: ZBNF is a farming approach introduced in India that eliminates input costs by avoiding chemical and manufactured inputs. It relies on locally available natural products and intercropping to offset production expenses.
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