Natural farming in mission mode, but is it a workable alternative?

While the government is looking to push natural farming, which is different from organic farming, contrasting studies question the scalability and viability of the practice

The Union Cabinet last month approved an ambitious National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) with an outlay of Rs 2,481 crore by subsuming all previous efforts into this single programme. 

 

The scheme aims to bring around one crore farmers under the fold of natural farming and is targeted to cover around 0.75 million hectares of land over the next few years. 

 

In 2019-20, the Central government had started a programme on natural farming titled ‘Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Paddhati’ (meaning Indian Natural Farming Method). Subsequently, in 2022-23, a decision was made to build a 5 km natural farming corridor along the