Why in news
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to initiate one crore farmers into natural farming.
Support provided through certification and branding.
Implementation via scientific institutions and gram panchayats.
Establishment of 10,000 need-based bio-input resource centres.
National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
Aim: Motivate farmers to adopt chemical-free farming.
Encourage farmers to shift to natural farming on its merit.
Focus on behavioral change towards using cow-based, locally-produced inputs.
Scheme under ‘Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ with a total outlay of ₹4,645.69 crore (2019-20 to 2024-25).
Definition of Natural Farming
No use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Promotes traditional practices based on on-farm biomass recycling.
Emphasis on biomass mulching, cow dung-urine formulations, and on-farm botanical concoctions.
Focus on improving natural nutrient cycling and increasing organic matter in the soil.
Integrates crops, trees, and livestock for optimal use of biodiversity.
Potential to enhance farmers’ income, restore soil fertility, improve environmental health, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Challenges and Concerns
Large-scale transition from chemical farming to natural farming is challenging in India due to its large population.
Need for long-term experimentation before widespread adoption.
Academic paper highlights contrasting findings from different studies on Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF).
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a type of chemical-free farming where the total cost of growing and harvesting plants comes out to be zero (taking into consideration the costs incurred by the farmers are recovered through inter-cropping).
Andhra Pradesh shows encouraging results, while ICAR-IIFSR study raises concerns about sustainability and productivity.
ICAR-IIFSR study notes a significant decline in wheat and basmati rice yields compared to integrated crop management.
Lessons from Sri Lanka
Importance of extensive studies before large-scale transition.
Sri Lanka faced economic and political turmoil after banning chemical fertilizers and switching to organic farming.
Resulted in reduced yields of key crops, food security risks, and sharp price escalations.
Way Forward
Natural farming could be beneficial locally but may not be viable on a large scale in India.
Concerns about food security if cereals like wheat and rice are grown using natural farming.
Supplementary foodstuffs may be grown through natural farming.
Rigorous scientific tests on crop yields should be conducted before nationwide implementation to ensure food security.
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