What is Zero Budget Natural Farming? List out its advantages. Also highlight how India is gearing up to embrace the Zero Budget Natural Farming.
Zero Budget Natural Farming:
- It is a natural farming technique in which farming is done without use of chemicals and without using any credits or spending any money on purchased inputs.
- ZBNF reduces the cost of production down to zero due to utilisation of all the natural resources available in and around the crops.
- Farmers use earthworms, cow dung, urine, plants, human excreta and other biological fertilizers for crop protection.
- It has been developed by Subhash Palekar.
- States such as Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka and Kerala are promoting natural farming.
- Andhra Pradesh is the frontrunner among all states in implementing natural farming programmes at a mass scale. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has launched a scale-out plan to transition 6 million farms/farmers to 100% chemical-free agriculture by 2024.
- Karnataka recently initiated implementation of zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) on a pilot basis in 2,000 hectares in each of the 10 agro-climatic zones of the state.
- NITI Aayog has been suggesting states to adopt natural farming since 2018.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) proposed ‘Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ (BPKP) as a new submission under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY).
- Inter-cropping for greater yield. (ex: Groundwater and millet)
- Use of Biofertilizers and Biopesticides and elimination of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
- Soil moisture protection through mulching and other relevant techniques.
- Replenishing local species of earthworms on the farm to increase the organic matter in the soil.
- Creating contours and bunds to preserve rain water
- Replenishing water bodies such as farm ponds to ensure water availability during dry spells.