Natural Farming

Why is in news? Benefits of Natural Farming

Natural Farming is a chemical-free alias traditional farming method. It is considered as agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional biodiversity.

This farming approach was introduced by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, in his 1975 book The One-Straw Revolution.

Government is aware of the importance of nature based fertilizers, nutrients and pesticides in organic, natural farming and conventional farming system and is promoting their production and use under various Government schemes.

For promotion of organic farming Government has been implement ingdedicated schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) in the country since 2015-16.

Both the schemes stress on end to end support to organic farmers i.e. from production to processing, certification and marketing and post harvest management support including processing.

PKVY is being implemented in all the States across the country excepting NE States. MOVCDNER scheme is implemented only in NE States.

Features of Natural Farming:

Chemical Free: Natural farming refers to the type of agriculture in which the use of chemicals like pesticides, fertilisers, growth regulators, food additives, genetically modified organisms are entirely shunned.

Use of Alternatives Systems: In place of chemical based inputs, natural farming utilises methods like crop rotation, use of green manures and compost, biological pest control and mechanical cultivation.

Additional Practices: Natural farming systems can be complemented with practices like crop rotation (planting different crops sequentially), mulching (see inset), intercropping (planting different crops simultaneously in a field) and seed soaking with liquid manure, to increase the yields in a field.

Benefits of Natural Farming: Increase in Crop Yield, Reduction in the Costs, Income and Livelihood, Improvement on Soil Health, Environment, Water-use efficiency, Improved Food Quality, etc.

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana:

“Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana” is an elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) of major project National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

Under PKVY Organic farming is promoted through adoption of organic village by cluster approach and PGS certification.

The Scheme envisages:

Promotion of commercial organic production through certified organic farming.

The produce will be pesticide residue free and will contribute to improve the health of consumer.

It will raise farmer's income and create potential market for traders.

It will motivate the farmers for natural resource mobilization for input production.