Green revolution ensured food security but it also led to degradation of soil health due to excessive use of chemical inputs. Apart from environmental concerns, rising input costs have also hit small farmers economically.
In this context, there are growing calls for adoption of natural farming.
“Natural Farming (NF) is a chemical-free traditional farming method, considered as an agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees, and livestock with functional biodiversity”.
As it gives more emphasis to nature with less human interaction, also known as “do nothing farming”. However, unlike organic farming, which allows external organic inputs, only on-farm inputs are used in natural farming.
Since 2019, the government has been promoting NF through Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhti (BPKP) under the umbrella scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY). At present, more than 28 lakh farmers practice natural farming covering 9.4 lakh hectares of area.
However, for the first time, to promote natural farming, a standalone scheme on National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) has been formulated with an outlay of ₹2,481crore.
The NMNF aims to enhance soil health, improve farmer incomes, and ensure food security while minimizing environmental impacts through the adoption of natural farming techniques like mulching, crop diversity, and bio-inputs. The mission targets to cover 1 crore farmers and 7.5 lakh hectares area in two years. To achieve this, 10,000 bio-resource centres will be established and 30,000 krishi sakhis will be deployed to provide farmer-extension service at the grassroots level. Additionally, 2,000 natural farming demonstration farms will be developed across farmers’ fields, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and Agricultural Universities.
Challenges, concerns
Despite natural farming’s promise, the ambiguity in crop yields remains the biggest concern. Case studies from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra have revealed lower yield initially, especially in paddy, cotton, and sugarcane, but improved farmers’ income due to reduction in cost of cultivation.
In contrast, Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) revealed strong evidence of similar or even higher crop yields under natural farming along with greater crop diversity and higher incomes.
A case study from Himachal Pradesh also indicated higher crop yields and farm income under natural farming systems. These regional variabilities in outcomes add to the uncertainty, making widespread adoption difficult without robust research and evidence. The success of NF depends on the availability of the markets to ensure economic viability for small farmers. Certification of naturally grown products is another challenge due to lack of international standards for their marketing.
More evidence
However, before proceeding to scale up National Mission on Natural Farming, conclusive evidence and a clear understanding of the effect of NF on crop yields are crucial.
To address this, a comprehensive scientific assessment of natural farming needs to be conducted, and the better performing agroecological regions and cropping systems need to be identified. Further, to assess the economic feasibility for farmers, data on crop yields, cost, and returns from NF systems will have to be gathered.
Evidence on environmental benefits need to be gathered.
For the easy certification of NF products, a self-certification framework of Himachal Pradesh, called the certified evaluation tool of agriculture resources analysis of natural farming (CETARA-NF), may be adopted. A gradual, region-specific approach to developing natural farming systems will ensure that the mission progresses without significant disruptions to crop productivity.
The writer is Scientist (Senior Scale), ICAR-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi. Views expressed are personal
