Rediscovering Nature’s Wisdom: A Deep Dive into Natural Farming

All over the world, there’s a radical shift–one that is silent, yet powerful in nature. Unlike traditional farming, it is devoid of huge machinery, synthetic fertilisers, and significant investments. Instead, it relies on the wisdom and assistance of nature. This is what is called natural farming–an approach that is gaining a lot of attention (especially among smaller-scale farmers) due to its sustainability and eco-friendly motives. If you’ve ever been curious about the different types of natural and organic farming or sought to know what zero-budget natural farming really entails, then you’re in the right section.

Let’s take a stare stroll in the fields of understanding. And, as the name indicates, we shall do so in a natural manner.

What is Natural Farming?

At its core, natural farming is defined as a type of agriculture that tries to imitate nature’s processes. It does not use chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or even composted livestock waste; instead, it supports an independent ecosystem that naturally helps sustain soil and plant health.

Natural farming was created and popularised by a Japanese farmer and philosopher named Masanobu Fukuoka. His mantra was ‘do-nothing farming’, which does not translate to zero effort being involved. Instead, it is more about the intervention that humans have, as in respect for nature’s processes.

Now envision a forest where no farming chemicals are administered and soil tillage is performed; plants sprout in a vigorous manner. This is the ecosystem that natural farming seeks to replicate.

What is the definition of Zero Budget Natural Farming?

In India, the term zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) spread across households attributed to Subhash Palekar, a Padma Shri Award winner who after facing disillusionment turned to chemical farming.

Zero budget natural farming is a type of farming model in which the farmer does not make additional expenditures on seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. “Zero budget” implies that there are no expenses in growing crops where all the necessary resources are found within the farm itself.

Core principles of Zero Budget Natural Farming include:

1. Jeevamrutha: A mixture containing cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, and a handful of soil from the farm, alongside other ingredients, is termed as a microbial solution. It is helpful in enhancing the soil.
2. Bijamrita: A protective solution against diseases and die-back of a seed with the property of aiding germination is called Bijamrita, as a seed treatment solution.
3. Acchadana (Mulching): Organic leftovers are used to cover the soil and limit the growth of weeds while retaining moisture, referred to as Acchadana, or Mulching.
4. Whapasa: Maintaining a balance in moisture and air in the soil, without the need for over-irrigation is referred to as Whapasa.

Using these strategies, farmers can develop self-sustainable farms that are cost efficient, environmentally friendly, and provide superior quality output. ZBNF is, in essence, a type of natural farming with more focus on the monetary side of things.

Natural Farming vs Organic Farming: Aren’t They The Same One?

This is one of the major queries people raise: natural farming vs organic farming, what do these two terms mean?

While both provide a solution to conventional farming methods and support ecological harmony, there are substantial differences between them.

1. Sources of Supply

• Natural farming practices have to depend on inputs available on the farm, meaning everything used must come from the farm. There is hardly any outside help.
• Organic farming permits some outside the farm input as long as it is organic. This can include composts, manures, and biopesticides.

2. Expense for Cultivating

• Zero budget natural farming comes at little cost. Farmers use cheap materials lying around the farm to prepare their own inputs.
• Non-chemical farming also incurs some expenses, and this mostly stems from purchasing organic certified items which tend to raise expenses.

3. Certification and Business

• Organic farming practices fall under a market driven model and is heavily dependent on certification, packaging, and branding.
• Environment friendly practices put more emphasis on self-consumption rather than mass production, meaning there is little reliance on the market, which makes natural farming less commercial.

4. Philosophy  

• Natural farming is a mindset that incorporates a philosophy recognizing natural processes and aims to cultivate harmony with nature.
• The principles of organic farming revolve closely around a market and retail-oriented philosophy.  

As such, the dispute over natural farming vs organic farming is not a question of better or worse; rather, it is two different avenues leading towards sustainable agriculture.  

Why is the world supporting the need for a more natural approach to farming?  

If we are honest with ourselves, conventional methods of farming are on the decline because they are overly dependent on synthetic chemicals to such an extent that it leads to:  

1. Degradation of soil  
2. Pollution of water bodies  
3. Loss of biodiversity  
4. Health issues  
5. Create unending bags of debt for hard working farmers  

A solution comes from practicing Natural Farming, more specifically through zero-budget natural farming and its vast array of eco-friendly, low-cost solutions.

So why should we make the switch?  

1. The very first reason is to Leverage Change in Soil Health as a foundation.
   Natural farming takes care of the ecosystem and nourishes the soil using methods of microbial inoculation, like Jeevamrutha, to restore soil life, improve soil treated, and increase fertility with minimal or no inputs.  
2. Change in biodiversity is even more pronounced.
   Natural farms are teeming with earthworms, microbes, beneficial insects, and even birds. And so they should be because all these forms of life strengthen the ecosystem and also help in controlling pests.  
3. Reduction in total water usage for farming using the Whapasa techniques improves water conservation.
   Whapase allows farmer greater flexibility to self-regulate their water use, which is ideal in areas with scarce freshwater supply.  
4. And finally, the use of plastic mulch film enables soil and water conservation at the same time, leading to climate change mitigation.
   Healthier Soil that stores more carbon along with an increase in diverse farms leads to greater resilience to extreme weather conditions, thus improving resilience to climate change.
5. Encouragement for Every Small Scale Farmer  

As ZBNF practices the least approach agriculture works in the farm input industry, as it eases farming credit. Many farmers say that it lowers the strain on their mental and financial situations, as well as, allowing them to regain control over their employment.

Real life Achievements

The assumption is that every single farmer in India has adopted ZBNF and has received help from government grants to cultivate zero budget natural farming subsidies.   

The governments in some western states of India are trying to implement ZBNF all across the region of Andhra Pradesh with the aim of getting at least 6 million farmers on board. Farmers have reported that they are now spending less on fertilizers, their yields are higher, and in addition both their crops and soil have improved.

There are parts of Maharashtra where Palekars subsidized model of ZBNF has been able to convert barren, debt-ridden lands into green and flourishing farms without a single rupee being spent on fertilizers and pesticides.

The Challenges

This is not to say that any new approach method toward farming doesn’t have issues.  

• Initially, the farming period can be challenging as the land is recovering from chemical impact which will provide lower yields.
• Strangely enough, there is a gap in agriculture training among the youth. Thus, a lack of awareness can lead to less adoption of natural farming.
• Naturally produced goods are still in their infancy of market demand, particularly for those living in towns and the countryside.
• Natural ‘healthy’ foods favored by the majority are not yet well accepted and the organic and ordinary methods prevail.

Despite these problems, there is improvement, the movement continues.

The Future Prospects of Natural Farming

With increasing concern regarding the environment and health, this shift towards healthy foods is becoming natural farming not just as a method of farming but a movement for ecological balance and food self-sufficiency.

Now with the help of the government and NGOs, communities and farmers are becoming more aware. Farmers are turning to social media to share tips while others are forming training workshops to educate people about no cost farming, creating a buzz.

Carrying on further, this will overshadow organic farming vs natural farming when done through a method ecological to cheap sustainable methods, the true victory comes from combining their strengths in such a way that it’s profoundly appreciative of nature.

Conclusion

Finally, we can see, at the surface, that it’s not just about growing food, but the way natural farming reshapes the philosophy to coexist with Earth is the answer.

This also shows the essence of reliance, one that relies on the land, the seasons, seeds, and further rests on the cultivator’s insight, supersedes all.

If you buy, farm or learn, the negligence about the topic; natural farming vs organic farming will be inappropriate. Looking into comparing the two exposes that farming does not have to be expensive, but in fact, allows for increasing productivity without hurting the environment.

Let’s move away from chemicals, take a step towards nature, and possibly, take a step into a better future.