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Mahesh

28/07/24 11:33 AM IST

Natural farming in India

In News
  • In her Budget proposals for 2024-25, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that in the next two years, one crore farmers across the country will be initiated into natural farming supported by certification and branding. 
National Mission on Natural Farming
  • As part of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), the government intends to motivate farmers to adopt chemical-free farming and draw them towards adopting natural farming willingly on the system’s merit.
  • The government believes that the success of the NMNF will require a behavioural change in farmers to shift from chemical-based inputs to cow-based, locally-produced inputs.
  • The natural farming scheme under the ‘Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ has a total outlay of ₹4,645.69 crore for six years (2019-20 to 2024-25). 
Natural Farming
  • In natural farming, no chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used. It promotes traditional indigenous practices which are largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with a stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm cow dung-urine formulation; managing pests through diversity, on-farm botanical concoctions and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs directly or indirectly.
  • The emphasis is on improving natural nutrient cycling and increasing organic matter in the soil.
  • Grounded in agro-ecology, it is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity.
  • Those advocating natural farming believe that it holds the potential to enhance farmers’ income while delivering many other benefits, such as restoration of soil fertility and environmental health, and mitigating and/or reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 
Challenges & Concerns
  • Agriculture and food experts have their reservations surrounding a large-scale transition from chemical farming to natural farming in a country like India, which has a huge population.
  • Catering to its food-growing needs isn’t an easy task, they point out.
  • Recently, an academic paper titled, ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Implications for Sustainability, Profitability, and Food Security’, published by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, pointed out the “sheer disparity” in the outcomes of the two different experiments surrounding ZBNF (now renamed as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati), one conducted by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) and Institute for Development Studies Andhra Pradesh, and the other by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR).
  • While Andhra Pradesh emerges as a forerunner in adopting ZBNF with encouraging results, the IIFSR study raises concerns about the sustainability and yield (productivity) potential of this farming method. 
Lessons from Sri Lanka
  • It’s vital that before launching a large-scale transition from chemical to natural cultivation, extensive studies and assessments are conducted.
  • A couple of years ago, neighbouring Sri Lanka went through economic and political turmoil after it decided to turn completely organic, and banned the import of chemical fertilizers.
  • The government’s policy shift had severe consequences with farmers struggling to get natural fertilizers; they faced a reduction in yields of key crops including rice, the staple, putting the country’s food security at risk.
  • A sharp price escalation was witnessed in the country, resulting in huge protests and unrest. 
Way forward
  • Natural farming could be beneficial at a localised level, but in a populous country like India, adopting natural farming at a large scale may not be a successful model.
  • Food security is a major concern.
  • If we adopt natural farming for cereals, which are mostly staples, we shall be able to feed only around one-third of our population.
  • Wheat and rice are our staple foods, growing these crops through natural farming could result in lower yields, and hence it’s not advisable unless scientific studies are conducted on yields”.
  • Supplementary foodstuffs may be grown through natural farming.
  • Rigorous scientific tests of natural farming, especially surrounding the crop yields should be held before its nationwide implementation to fend off the fear of potential risk to national food security.
Source- The Hindu

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