Introduction:
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) represents an innovative agricultural methodology that deviates from traditional practices by eliminating the reliance on external inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pioneered in the mid-1990s by agriculturist Subhash Palekar, ZBNF has emerged as a sustainable and economical alternative to the approaches driven by the Green Revolution.
Body:
- Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): ZBNF provides an alternative to the Green Revolution’s dependence on chemical inputs and intensive irrigation. Agro-ecological Model: Operating on agroecological principles, ZBNF aims to minimize production costs to nearly zero, returning to a pre-Green Revolution style of farming.
- Key Assertions: ZBNF contends that costly inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive irrigation are unnecessary for successful farming.
Four Pillars of ZBNF:
- Jeevamrutha: A blend of fresh cow dung, aged cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, water, and soil applied to farmland.
- Bijamrita: A concoction of neem leaves & pulp, tobacco, and green chilies for insect and pest management, applicable to seeds.
- Acchadana (Mulching): Protects topsoil during cultivation without tilling.
- Whapasa: Establishes a soil condition with both air and water molecules, reducing the need for extensive irrigation.
Zero Budget Natural Farming Different from Organic Farming:
| Aspect | Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) | Organic Farming |
| Cost of Production | Aims for almost zero production cost by eliminating the need for external inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. | Generally involves higher production costs due to the use of organic inputs and certification processes. |
| Economic Sustainability | Focuses on economic sustainability for farmers by minimizing input costs. | Emphasizes sustainable practices but may be economically challenging due to higher input costs. |
| Traditional Practices | Integrates traditional Indian farming practices as fundamental pillars. | May or may not incorporate traditional practices, depending on the approach of the organic farmer. |
| Input Elimination | Seeks to eliminate the need for expensive inputs, relying on self-sustaining agro-ecological processes. | Uses organic inputs like compost, manure, and natural pest control methods. |
| Certification Requirements | Typically does not require certification, as the focus is on cost reduction and agro-ecological principles. | Often involves certification processes to meet organic standards and gain consumer trust. |
| Philosophy | Aims to achieve a harmonious balance between agriculture and nature by minimising external interventions. | Strives for sustainable agriculture by avoiding synthetic chemicals but allows the use of approved organic inputs. |
| Biodiversity and Soil Health | Promotes biodiversity and soil health through practices like Jeevamrutha and Acchadana. | Emphasizes the importance of biodiversity and soil health but may vary in implementation. |
| Water Conservation | Incorporates practices like Whapasa to create favorable soil conditions, reducing irrigation needs. | Emphasises water conservation through efficient irrigation practices but may not have specific methods like Whapasa. |
Ecological and Economic Benefits of ZBNF:
- Cost-Effective Farming: ZBNF, recognized for its cost-effectiveness, not only provides opportunities for increased employment and rural development but also ensures a minimized cost of production.
- Promotion of Better Health: By eliminating synthetic chemicals, ZBNF promotes food with higher nutritional density, reducing health risks and offering superior health benefits.
- Employment Generation: ZBNF contributes to employment generation through natural farming input enterprises, value addition, and local marketing, fostering rural development and mitigating youth migration.
- Environmental Conservation: ZBNF enhances soil biology, agrobiodiversity, and water usage efficiency, resulting in smaller carbon and nitrogen footprints, and contributing significantly to overall environmental conservation.
- Optimized Water Consumption: The cultivation of diverse crops in ZBNF, working synergistically with soil cover, optimizes water usage and prevents unnecessary water loss through evaporation, aiming for more ‘crop per drop.’
- Soil Health Rejuvenation: ZBNF immediately impacts soil biology, nurturing the health of crucial microbes and living organisms, thereby fostering overall soil health.
- Livestock Sustainability: Integrating livestock into the farming system using eco-friendly bio-inputs like Jivamrit and Beejamrit derived from cow dung, urine, and natural products contributes to sustainability.
- Resilience: ZBNF alters soil structure through organic carbon, no/low tillage, and plant diversity, providing crop resilience against extreme weather conditions such as droughts, floods, and cyclones.
Concerns/Issues with Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF):
- Return to Conventional Practices: Despite initial adoption, many farmers have reverted to conventional farming practices due to diminishing returns with ZBNF.
- Unproven Increase in Production and Income: While ZBNF has preserved soil fertility, its effectiveness in increasing production and improving farmer income remains unproven.
- The decline in Indian Breed Cows: Despite ZBNF’s emphasis on Indian breed cows, their population is rapidly decreasing, as indicated by an 8.1 percent decline in indigenous and nondescript cattle according to the Livestock Census.
- Questions about Organic Farming Sustainability: Sikkim, India’s first organic state, has witnessed a decrease in organic yields, raising questions about the sustainability of organic farming practices.
- Underfunding of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana: Despite the introduction of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, only a fraction (Rs 325 crore) has been allocated to the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, specifically designed to promote organic farming and soil health.
Conclusion:
With the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, a 50% surge in agricultural demand from 2013 is anticipated. Addressing this challenge requires a shift towards holistic practices such as agro-ecology, agroforestry, climate-smart agriculture, and conservation agriculture. Immediate attention is needed to strengthen agricultural market infrastructure, expand procurement mechanisms, implement a price deficiency payment system, and legislate the ‘right to sell at MSP.’
In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.
For UPSC Prelims Resources, Click here
For Daily Updates and Study Material:
Join our Telegram Channel – Edukemy for IAS
- 1. Learn through Videos – here
- 2. Be Exam Ready by Practicing Daily MCQs – here
- 3. Daily Newsletter – Get all your Current Affairs Covered – here
- 4. Mains Answer Writing Practice – here
