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.
