Natural Farming Practices for Chemical-Free Agriculture: Implications for Crop Yield and Profitability

Abstract

The “Green Revolution” (GR) technology-induced agricultural intensification has transformed India from food scarcity to a food surplus country. However, this has also resulted into several adverse repercussions. Increased application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with stagnating/declining crop productivity has dovetailed with uncertain market conditions and climate change effects which has resulted in un-remunerative agriculture. Consequently, farmers have fallen into the debt trap due to the rising cost of crop production apart from health hazards due to serious exposure to harmful chemical pesticides. Natural Farming (NF), an agro-ecological approach to farming is believed to be an effective way to counter some of these challenges. The present paper presents field-level farmers’ experiences of NF adoption in three states of India—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The study was conducted during February–March 2019 by surveying 295 NF adopted and 170 non-NF adopted farmers. It was found that NF practice has been followed by some farmers for more than 10 years but others have adopted during the recent past. There is variation in the practice followed by the NF farmers. There are farmers who are using Farm Yard Manure (FYM). A solid form of jeevamritha (liquid concoction of microbial inoculants) called as ghanajeevamritha was also found to be used by farmers in Andhra Pradesh. It was observed that non-NF yields are superior to NF yield without FYM. In most crops, however, NF with FYM had a greater yield than NF without FYM and non-NF farms. There has been a decrease in the variable cost and a marginal increase in the market price of NF produce. The study suggests that natural farming may be seen as one of the alternative practices which has potential to rejuvenate the agro-ecosystem, besides cost saving for the individual farmers.

Natural farming improves crop yield in SE India when compared to conventional or organic systems by enhancing soil quality

“…The ZBNF treatment largely used insect traps, not chemical insecticides, but also used homemade ‘Neemasthram’ (cow dung, cow urine, neem seeds and leaves as well as other bitter tasting leaves available locally (e.g. castor)) and ‘Agnasthram’ (cow urine, neem leaves, tobacco leaves, chillies and garlic) in place of purchased neem oil (Kumar et al 2019 ) and liquid Jiwamrita as a microbial inoculant.…”

Economic Analysis of Natural Farming based Apple Orchards in Himachal Pradesh

“…The total variable cost of apple cultivation under natural farming (₹ 99629 ha ) was 56.53 % lower than -1 Conventional Farming (₹2,29,200 ha ), thereby clearly -1 highlighting the advantage of natural farming over CF (Appendix 1). A significant reduction in the cost of cultivation of all the crops under ZBNF has already been documented by ABZBNF (2018), Kumar et al (2019) and Chandel et al (2021).…”

Effects of Zero-budget Natural Farming on Yield, Earthworm Populations, Microbiological Activity, and the Requirement for Public Policy: A Review

“…"The samples from natural farming fields, turmeric, as well as sorghum fields in Parbhani district, recorded higher mean population of actinomycetes, free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and Pseudomonas sp. but lower mean population of bacteria and fungi as compared to samples from Non-NF fields" Kumar et al [47] (Table 2). Organic and natural farming practices have gained popularity in recent years due to their perceived environmental and health benefits.…”

“…In Andhra Pradesh, farmers are not getting any designated market for sale of NF produce, hence the produce in sold in the same market at almost same price. In Karnataka and Maharashtra, farmers are getting designated markets where produce fetches higher price" Kumar et al [47].…”