Organic Farming vs Natural farming

Farming is natural practice. Long ago farmers were dependent on natural elements and soil for their harvest . but green revolution and industrial revolution change farming now farming is no more nature base practice it is another industry influence by  technology synthetic chemical inputs such as agro chemicals and man made crop verities. After realizing negative effects of modern agriculture now there is trend towards good old practices.

1.       Organic farming

2.       Natural farming

Now when we look at these two methods some times we feel both are same but is this both methods are same? No

Organic farming

Organic farming refuse use of synthetic agro chemicals and man  made crop verities. Such as hybrids  and genetically modified crops. Organic farmers use organic fertilizers manures natural rock dusts, salts, plant extracts, oils as fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. In organic farming farmers have freedom to use wide verity of inputs that come from natural origin.

In organic farming farmers do some conventional practices like tilling plowing soil preparations and weeding.

Organic farming need  lot of inputs such as compost, manures, organic liquids. These cost more because these ingredients need to be add in bulk

 

Natural farming

Natural farming   has several authors or fathers and deferent roots. One root coming from Japan this natural farming philosophy conceptualize by Mr. Masanobu Fukuoka ( 1913 -2008) a Japanese farmer and philosopher. The initial concept was present by  book “ One Straw revolution”

In natural farming farmers dose not use chemicals or organic fertilizers to cultivation.

Farmers gradually develop soil by adding plants that grow in the same field and let these plants to decompose. These decomposing plants encourage soil organisms  to make soil more fertile and rich.

Soil preparation, tilling, plowing is not practice in natural farming. Instead farmers do no tilling cultivation. they sow seeds and mulch these seeds. Usually these mulch is coming from weeds grow in the same field. That mean weeds provide mulch, and fertilizer to sow seeds.

Natural farming inputs are minimum farmers use resources exist in farm and they gradually enrich soil by encouraging natural environment to thrive.

Zero budget Natural farming (ZBNF)

This natural farming concept improved by Indian Agriculturist Mr. Subsahs Palekar. It is known as Zero budget Natural farming (ZBNF). The importance of this method is it can use in commercial  level. Farmer can apply this system to his farm with minimal budget tht is almost zero by using farm base resources.

Basic principal of  ZBNF is that plants will have 98% of their inputs from air, water and sun light. Only 2% of inputs need to be provided from soil that can be arrange by increasing activities of farmer friendly soil organisms.

Soil will covered by degrading mulch. Most of the time it would be weeds grow on the farmland and let this weeds to cover soil and degrade by cutting and mulching. Later soil organisms will turn this mulch into compost.

Most of the ZBNF farmers use to raise Indian origin or Asian cows that is suitable to local conditions. Farmers use these cow’s cow dung and urine to make “Jewamrutha” this cow dung contain lot of soil beneficial bacteria that will enhance the activities of soil ultimately crating live fertile soil.

Natural pesticides such  as  Merrigold Flower base Dasharni ark and Neem base Neem astra use to control pests. By using these methods farmers can do commercial cultivation with this method. farmers can do commercial cultivation with  minimal input and at the same time they can have pure yield for less cost.

Natural farming

What is natural farming 

in farming most of the work done by nature. But modern technological innovations influence this process in different ways and with the time this natural farming is dragging away from nature to man made practices and mechanisms. now agriculture is no more considered as practice that is blend with nature. now it is another industry that is totally nature independent.

 

our forefathers use to prepare land next to their villages based on natural cycle. during dry seasons they cleared the  land. they never enter to dense forests for agriculture that dense forest was considered as sacred area. they cleared the secondary forest that is in between dense forest and village even this clearing they never cut the large trees they cleared bushes and ground cover then they burn that cleared under layer of the forest. burned tree ashes and naturally enriched fertile soil provided enough fertilizer to cultivation.

cultivation is most interesting factor they did no till cultivation they sow seeds it was a mixture of seeds finger millet, mustard, chilies, cucumbers, were in the mix. ash mounts selected for planting ash pumpkins, and pumpkins. corn seeds were plant in different places and later legumes  planted and corn plant used as live aid for legume vain growth. this farming system is replicating natural environment farmers plant different plants in one location it is not mono culture it is mixture of plants. therefore plants dose not competitive for  soil nutrient different plant has different need. farmers do not apply fertilizers they use existing nutrients in soil. after use that land plot several times they clear new area and leave that used land to recover back with help of nature. 

this methods have several drawbacks but we have something to learn.  farmers use nature and they just adjust to the nature. they depend on rain water. nitrogen input is coming from previous years wild plant fixed nitrogen and animal feces and remaining but most of the nitrogen coming with rain water by lightning reactions. potassium coming from plant ash and soil provide phosphorus. other micro nutrients are  also coming from soil. 

farmers understood that in nature you cant find one plant species at a single location it is always a mixture. that plant diversity help one plant to another. legumes fix nitrates, mustard repel insects, corn help other plants to rise up. so on each plant help other plant to grow. our grandfathers understood this. 

in natural farming farmers were use to cultivate local crop verities that was suitable to local conditions. by this these crops  provided best yield at the same time these crops were resistent to local pest attacks because these crops were selections from longer period of time by testing with natural conditions. 

when we see about this we can understand few things 

1. minimum inputs use in this natural farming instead of inputs farmers adhere to natural system.
2. plant diversity and local crop verities 
3. minimal damage to nature 
4. yield is clean and pure                

some times we could not do the same but we can learn much and adopt these at our farms too.

About our location

Where Grey Hornbill Perch Organic farm located 

our farm is five acre model farm located in Dry Zone Sri Lanka. geographically we receive rain during two rainy seasons Maha (Major) season starts by September and ends by March Yala (less) Season  starts  may and ends August. we are blessed with bright Sun light and hot temperature that is common through tropical regions.

we bought this land as pieces then we merge it into single piece and made this model organic farm. this land was extensively used agriculture land then its soil was dead because of extensive use of agro chemicals  we bought is and then we left it for recovery five years it was covered by guinea grass (Megathyrsus Maximus)

and Ipil Ipil / River tamarind (Leucaena leucocephala)

both aggressive invasive plant species but with the time these plants improved soil condition and soil structure now we have good soil thanks to these plants. during this five year period we have cut this plant cover several times and then mulch the soil. Now soil is bounced back with soil organisms. 

we never cut our local small trees that left in land now these trees grown big and created nice environment and field lab to do our natural farming experiments. we have very good bird diversity our challenge is how to improve this farm co existing with this our old inhabitant plants and animals my son and daughter both are keen about their winged friends  and they want to improve the living condition of them more than the farm itself.       

Natural farming

Hi

I'm Nalin from Sri Lanka. professionally I do importing and sales of agriculture technological equipment that is related to micro irrigation and protective agriculture, academically  I studied applied Science for my basic degree and Business Administration for my masters. I enjoy bird watching and believe in Sustainable development.  I have been working with farmers for long period and I learned agriculture in field working with farmers. my very first experience regarding agriculture was sweet and precious. our grand farther harvest his rice harvest from paddy field it was a half work half cultural rituals farming was a such precious profession for them at that time. but now Agriculture is just income source people do what ever to increase profit. ultimate result is we eat agro chemical contaminated genetically modified food that causing never ending health issues.  

" Let Food be thy Medicine and Medicine be thy food" 

                                                                                             Hippocrates     

I like to share some of my knowledge and experience with you all. my main focus is promote natural farming  that is go beyond the organic practice that is learning natural cycle of life and apply its learned systems into practical farming.

I believe that we can integrate new technologies to enhance the productivity and sustainability of our natural resources.

farming is not a just food producing it  is practice that will calm your mind and sole you will enjoy nature by seeing how plant grow and how flowers bloom. it is the best medicine that heal our past phase life.

lets start with one single plant then we will change our life.

this photo was taken during a field visit to a seed farm Ludhiyana Punjab India