Natural Farming for Doubling
farmers'
Income
Natural Farming for Water
Conservation
Natural Farming for Livestock management Natural Farming for Carbon Sequestration Natural Farming for Agroecology
and
Environment
Natural Farming for Sustainability

SHRI NARENDRA MODI

PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day in 2019 said, “The way we are using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it is damaging the health of its soil. As a farmer, as a child of this soil, I have no right to damage its health. I have no right to make my mother India sad nor do have I right to make her sick. We would soon complete 75 years since our Independence. Revered Bapu showed us the way. Should we not cut down the use of chemical fertilizer in our fields by 10% or 20% or 25% and if possible should we not launch a Muktikar Abhiyan (campaign)? This would be a great service to the nation. This would be a great step in saving our Mother Earth.’’.

SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN

FINANCE MINISTER

The Hon’ble Finance Minister in her 2019–20 Budget speech said, “we shall go back to basics on one count: Zero budget Farming. We need to replicate this innovative model through which in a few States farmers are already being trained in this practice. Steps such as this can help in doubling our farmers’ income in time for our 75th year of Independence.’’

Shri Narendra Singh Tomar

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

Agriculture is at the epicentre of the country’s journey towards Atma Nirbharta with farmers at its core. The efforts of our government have consistently focused upon upliftment, empowerment and stability of farmers in the technical, economic and social realm. It is in this endeavour that we continuously explore various methods to achieve ecologically sustainable and economically viable methods. Natural farming is one such method that holds potential to realise all these goals. It is backed by our rich traditional knowledge, and is a practice of agriculture based on locally available resources, which makes it a sustainable and viable practice.

Natural Farming: Anchoring a Sustainable Way of Farming!

Natural Farming offers a solution to various problems, such as food insecurity, farmers’ distress, and health problems arising due to pesticide and fertilizer residue in food and water, global warming, climate change and natural calamities. It also has the potential to generate employment, thereby stemming the migration of rural youth. Natural Farming, as the name suggests, is the art, practice and, increasingly, the science of working with nature to achieve much more with less.

Improve Yield

Farmers practising Natural Farming reported similar yields to those following conventional farming. In several cases, higher yields per harvest were also reported.

Increased Farmers’ income

Natural Farming aims to make farming viable and aspirational by increasing net incomes of farmers on account of cost reduction, reduced risks, similar yields, incomes from intercropping

Minimized Cost of Production

Natural Farming aims to drastically cut down production costs by encouraging farmers to prepare essential  biological inputs using on-farm, natural and home-grown resources.

Ensures Better Health

As Natural Farming does not use any synthetic chemicals, health risks and hazards are eliminated. The food has higher  nutrition density and therefore offers better health benefits.

Employment Generation

Natural farming generates employment on account of natural farming input enterprises, value addition, marketing in local areas, etc.  The surplus from natural farming is invested in the village itself

Eliminates Application of Synthetic Chemical Inputs

The overuse of synthetic fertilizers, especially urea, pesticides, herbicides, weedicides etc.  alters soil biology and soil structure, with subsequent loss of soil organic carbon and fertility.

Environment Conservation

Natural Farming ensures better soil biology, improved agrobiodiversity and a more judicious usage of water with much smaller carbon and nitrogen footprints.

Reduced Water Consumption

By working with diverse crops that help each other and cover the soil to prevent unnecessary water loss through evaporation, Natural Farming optimizes the amount of ‘crop per drop’.

Rejuvenates Soil Health

The most immediate impact of Natural Farming is on the biology of soil—on microbes and other living organisms such as earthworms. Soil health depends entirely on the living organisms in it

Livestock Sustainability

The integration of livestock in the farming system plays a important role in Natural farming and helps in restoring the ecosystem. Ecofriendly bio-inputs, such as Jivamrit and Beejamrit, are prepared from cow dung and urine, and other natural products.

Natural Farming in Practice

11

States Practicing Natural Farming

6.5

Area covered (lakh ha)

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1705191
*APCNF MIS
**Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department, Govt. of Gujarat
***Dept. of Agriculture, Govt. of Rajasthan
**** Department of Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh

There are several states practicing Natural Farming. Prominent among them are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

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