Cabinet approves Rs 2,481 crore national mission on natural farming

The union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a new Rs 2,481 crore National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), targeted at around 1 crore farmers by amalgamating all previous efforts made in this direction.

 

“The new scheme will be launched by integrating all previous pilots and programmes launched in this direction, including the Gobardhan Mission,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters while addressing them on the decisions taken by the union cabinet.

 

In 2019-20, the Central government initiated a programme on natural farming titled Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Paddhati. Subsequently, in 2022-23, a decision was made to build a five-kilometre natural farming corridor along the river Ganges, covering around 960,000 hectares across the country.

   

According to some experts, natural farming differs from organic cultivation. While organic farming largely involves the use of chemical-free inputs in soil, natural farming is a broader concept encompassing the integration of all natural elements, including soil, water, air, and the entire ecosystem, to produce crops.

 

Natural farming is often seen as an Indianised version of agriculture, whereas organic farming is considered a European concept.

 

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is one form or process of natural farming, though several others exist. Natural farming follows local agro-ecological principles rooted in indigenous knowledge, location-specific technologies, and adaptations to local agro-ecology.

 

The cabinet announced that over the next two years, the National Mission on Natural Farming will be implemented in 15,000 clusters in Gram Panchayats, covering approximately 1 crore willing farmers. The total area to be covered is estimated at around 750,000 hectares.

 

“Preference will be given to areas with a prevalence of farmers already practising natural farming, state rural livelihood missions, and Farmer Producer Organisations,” an official statement said.

 

Additionally, 10,000 Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs) will be set up to provide farmers with easy access to ready-to-use natural farming inputs.

 

Under the Mission, approximately 2,000 model demonstration farms will be established at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agricultural Universities (AUs), and farmers’ fields, supported by experienced and trained farmer master trainers.

 

Willing farmers will be trained on these model demonstration farms near their villages on the natural farming package of practices, preparation of inputs, and more.

 

The statement also noted that approximately 1.9 million trained farmers will prepare inputs such as Jeevamrit and Beejamrit using their livestock or procure them from BRCs.

 

Additionally, around 30,000 Krishi Sakhis will be deployed to generate awareness, mobilise farmers, and provide handholding support in the clusters.

 

However, some scientists have raised concerns about whether nutrient deficiencies in soil can be compensated solely through organic materials.

 

Citing the example of paddy cultivation and the use of organic manure, Himanshu Pathak, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), noted that one tonne of paddy requires 20 kilograms of nitrogen, 3.5 kilograms of phosphorus, and 20 kilograms of potassium.

 

India’s average per-hectare yield of paddy is approximately 5 tonnes, meaning farmers need to apply 100 kilograms of nitrogen, 20 kilograms of phosphorus, and 100 kilograms of potassium to achieve optimum yields.

 

“Until plants receive these nutrients in adequate quantities, they won’t deliver average yields,” Pathak told reporters on the sidelines of the Global Soil Conference.

 

He explained that while organic carbon in soil can provide around 40 kilograms of nitrogen, the remaining balance must be supplemented either through organic manure or chemical fertilisers.

 

“Organic manure provides only 0.5-1 per cent nitrogen. To supply the balance 60 kilograms of nitrogen, 15-20 tonnes of organic manure per hectare would be needed,” Pathak said.

 

The challenge, he noted, is whether India can produce enough organic matter to compensate for critical nutrient deficiencies in soil essential for optimum agricultural production.