Natural Farming is a chemical-free farming system with a modern understanding of ecology, recycling, and on-farm resource optimization.

It is a diversified farming system based on agroecology that mixes crops, trees, and animals with functional biodiversity.

It is primarily focused on on-farm biomass recycling, with a focus on biomass mulching, the use of on-farm cow dung-urine formulations, soil aeration, and the avoidance of any synthetic chemical inputs.

It is considered a cost-effective farming practice with scope for increasing employment and rural development

Body

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Importance of Natural Farming

Improves the yield of the farms as compared to conventional farming.

It does not use synthetic chemicals and hence ensures better health. It eliminates health risks and has higher nutrition density.

Ensures better soil, improved agro-biodiversity and use of water with lesser carbon and nitrogen footprints.

Increases the income of farmers and helps in cost reduction.

It leads to employment generation when done on a commercial level

Suggestions to scale up chemical-free farming

The focus should be on promoting natural farming in rainfed areas such as beyond the Gangetic basin, which is home to half of India’s farmers. The rainfed regions use only a third of the fertilisers per hectare compared to the areas where irrigation is prevalent.

Enable automatic enrolment of farmers transitioning to chemical-free farming into the government’s crop insurance scheme like PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Promote microenterprises that produce inputs for chemical-free agriculture.

Evolving the curriculum in agricultural universities and upskilling the agriculture extension workers on sustainable agriculture practices.

The government should facilitate an ecosystem in which farmers learn from and support each other while making the transition.

Support monitoring and impact studies which would ensure an informed approach to scaling up sustainable agriculture.

Conclusion

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In India, Natural farming is promoted as Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme (BPKP) under a centrally sponsored scheme- Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to natural, chemical-free, organic and zero-budget farming. It is the third time in the last four budget speeches that (zero budget) natural farming finds a mention.

NITI Aayog along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had convened several high-level discussions with global experts on Natural farming practices.