Adoption of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)

Context:

Government is implementing Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) introduced during 2020-21 as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including Natural Farming to bring down the input costs. 

The scheme mainly emphasises on:

• Exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs, and 
• Promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching,
• Use of cow dung-urine formulations and other plant-based preparations. 

Training through capacity building is integral part of the scheme.

Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati:

Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP), is introduced as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21.

• It aimed for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including natural farming. 
• The scheme mainly emphasizes on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs.

• It promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching; use of cow dung-urine formulations; plant-based preparations and time to time working of soil for aeration. 
• Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster formation, capacity building and continuous handholding by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.

What is the ‘Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna’?

“Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY)” a sub-component of Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme under National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA).

• It aims at development of sustainable models of organic farming through a mix of traditional wisdom and modern science.
• Its objective is to ensure long term soil fertility buildup, resource conservation and helps in climate change adapatation and mitigation.

Zero Budget Natural Farming in India:

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a set of farming methods.It is a method of chemical-free agriculture drawing from traditional Indian practices.

• It is a unique model that relies on Agro-ecology.
• It is also a grassroots peasant movement, which has spread to various states in India. 
• It has attained wide success in southern India, especially the southern Indian state of Karnataka where it first evolved.  
• It was originally promoted by agriculturist Subhash Palekar, who developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods that are driven by chemical fertilizers and pesticides and intensive irrigation.
• It aims – to bring down the cost of production to nearly zero and return to a pre-green revolution style of farming.

Four key Pillars of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)

The “four Pillars” of ZBNF are ‘Jiwamrita’, ‘Bijamrita’, ‘Mulching’ and ‘Waaphasa’.

Jiwamrita

• It is a fermented mixture of cow dung and urine (of desi breeds), jaggery, pulses flour, water and soil from the farm bund. 
• This isn’t a fertiliser, but just a source of some 500 crore micro-organisms that can convert all the necessary “non-available” nutrients into “available” form.

Bijamrita 

• It is a mix of desi cow dung and urine, water, bund soil and lime that is used as a seed treatment solution prior to sowing.

Mulching

• Covering the plants with a layer of dried straw or fallen leaves, is meant to conserve soil moisture and keep the temperature around the roots at 25-32 degrees Celsius, which allows the microorganisms to do their job.

Waaphasa

• Providing water to maintain the required moisture-air balance, also achieves the same objective.

Benefits of ZBNF:

1. The ZBNF method promotes soil aeration, minimal watering, intercropping, bunds and topsoil mulching and discourages intensive irrigation and deep ploughing.
2. In ZBNF there is the need to spend money or take loans for external inputs, the cost of production could be reduced and farming made into a “zero budget” exercise.
3. This would break the debt cycle for many small farmers and help to envisage the doubling of farmer’s income by 2022.
4. At a time when chemical-intensive farming is resulting in soil and environmental degradation, a zero-cost environmentally-friendly farming method is definitely a timely initiative.
5. Profits in most areas under ZBNF were from higher yield and lower inputs.
6. Model ZBNF farms were able to withstand drought and flooding.
7. Planting multiple crops and border crops on same field provides varied income and nutrient sources.
8. It suits all crops in all agro-climatic zones.

Needs to be done:

• Sikkim (India’s first organic state), has seen some decline in yields following conversion to organic farming.
• While ZBNF has definitely helped preserve soil fertility, its role in boosting productivity and farmers’ income isn’t conclusive yet.
• ZBNF advocates the need of an Indian breed cow, whose numbers are declining at a fast pace.
• Low expenditure by the government is matter of concern.
• Whereas the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, which was meant to promote organic farming and soil health has been allocated Rs 325 crore only.
• If ZBNF is practiced in isolation, the crop grown would be vulnerable to attacks by insects and pests which may move there from fields where chemical pesticides are being sprayed.
• The government should step in and reduce dependence on middle men.