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Farm workers sow paddy saplings at an agricultural field in Ranchi on July 26, 2024.
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The story so far: In her Budget proposals for 2024-25, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that in the next two years, one crore farmers across the country will be initiated into natural farming supported by certification and branding. Implementation will be through scientific institutions and gram panchayats, adding that 10,000 need-based bio-input resource centres will be established.

What is the mission?

As part of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), the government intends to motivate farmers to adopt chemical-free farming and draw them towards adopting natural farming willingly on the system’s merit. The government believes that the success of the NMNF will require a behavioural change in farmers to shift from chemical-based inputs to cow-based, locally-produced inputs. The natural farming scheme under the ‘Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ has a total outlay of ₹4,645.69 crore for six years (2019-20 to 2024-25).

What is natural farming?

In natural farming, no chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used. It promotes traditional indigenous practices which are largely based on on-farm biomass recycling with a stress on biomass mulching, use of on-farm cow dung-urine formulation; managing pests through diversity, on-farm botanical concoctions and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs directly or indirectly. The emphasis is on improving natural nutrient cycling and increasing organic matter in the soil. Grounded in agro-ecology, it is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity. Those advocating natural farming believe that it holds the potential to enhance farmers’ income while delivering many other benefits, such as restoration of soil fertility and environmental health, and mitigating and/or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What are the challenges and concerns?

Agriculture and food experts have their reservations surrounding a large-scale transition from chemical farming to natural farming in a country like India, which has a huge population. Catering to its food-growing needs isn’t an easy task, they point out. Recently, an academic paper titled, ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Implications for Sustainability, Profitability, and Food Security’, published by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, pointed out the “sheer disparity” in the outcomes of the two different experiments surrounding ZBNF (now renamed as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati), one conducted by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) and Institute for Development Studies Andhra Pradesh, and the other by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR).

Sandip Das, Mahima Khurana and Ashok Gulati write in the paper the importance of long-term experimentation before declaring natural farming as a nationwide agriculture practice. The paper, which delves into the promising yet contentious realm of natural farming, navigates through contrasting findings from the two studies, revealing divergent perspectives on ZBNF. While Andhra Pradesh emerges as a forerunner in adopting ZBNF with encouraging results, the IIFSR study raises concerns about the sustainability and yield (productivity) potential of this farming method.

For instance, the paper notes the CESS study has found that in the case of a variety of crops, lower cost of biological inputs suggested under ZBNF has led to improved yields of crops and farmers’ incomes, thus increasing the food and nutritional security of farmers practising ZBNF. However, findings of agro-scientists of the ICAR-IIFSR, a government institute, show a 59% decline in wheat yields and a 32% decline in basmati rice yield compared to integrated crop management, adversely impacting food supply.

What are the lessons from Sri Lanka?

It’s vital that before launching a large-scale transition from chemical to natural cultivation, extensive studies and assessments are conducted. A couple of years ago, neighbouring Sri Lanka went through economic and political turmoil after it decided to turn completely organic, and banned the import of chemical fertilizers. The government’s policy shift had severe consequences with farmers struggling to get natural fertilizers; they faced a reduction in yields of key crops including rice, the staple, putting the country’s food security at risk. A sharp price escalation was witnessed in the country, resulting in huge protests and unrest.

What is the way forward?

Noted economist and former professor at the Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University, M.S. Sidhu, asserts that natural farming could be beneficial at a localised level, but in a populous country like India, adopting natural farming at a large scale may not be a successful model. “Food security is a major concern. If we adopt natural farming for cereals, which are mostly staples, we shall be able to feed only around one-third of our population. Wheat and rice are our staple foods, growing these crops through natural farming could result in lower yields, and hence it’s not advisable unless scientific studies are conducted on yields”. Supplementary foodstuffs may be grown through natural farming, he points out. “Rigorous scientific tests of natural farming, especially surrounding the crop yields should be held before its nationwide implementation to fend off the fear of potential risk to national food security,” says Prof. Sidhu.

Image for representational purposes only.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

An academic paper published by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has cautioned the Centre against “a complete switch” to natural farming, on the ground that it can hamper national food production.

The paper is titled ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Implications for Sustainability, Profitability, and Food Security’.

The paper found “sheer disparity” in the two studies on ZBNF conducted by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) and the Institute for Development Studies Andhra Pradesh (IDSAP), as well as by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR). It has hence recommended long-term experimentation before declaring ZBNF a nationwide agriculture practice.

Niche markets

The paper said that while organic farming and related practices like natural farming are successful in niche markets where a premium price can compensate for the returns from lower yields, a complete switch to organic mode can hamper national food production. “Resilient supply chain networks for the farm inputs required in natural farming are a prerequisite to transitioning towards natural farming,” said the paper, authored by Sandip Das, Mahima Khurana and Ashok Gulati.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and several other Ministers had spoken in favour of ZBNF, which is done using cow dung, cow urine and leaves.

The paper noted that in Andhra Pradesh, the study by the CESS and the IDSAP on six main crops of the State (paddy, groundnut, cotton, Bengal gram, black gram, and maize) suggested low expenditure on biological inputs and lower paid-out costs for the ZBNF farmers in comparison with non-ZBNF farmers. “The expenditure on inputs for ZBNF practitioners was 3.54% to 74.63% lower than the non-ZBNF practitioners, and the paid-out costs were 9.08% to 35.97% lower than non-ZBNF, for a majority of ZBNF crops, indicating higher savings in the ZBNF method. “Interestingly, the yield was also higher in most ZBNF crops than the non-ZBNF crops, ranging between 0.94% and 23.4%,” the paper said.

The findings of ICAR-IIFSR, on the other hand, were in complete contrast with the CESS-IDSAP results. ICAR-IIFSR tested ZBNF over basmati rice-wheat cropping system at Pantnagar (Uttarakhand), Ludhiana (Punjab), Kurukshetra (Haryana), and Modipuram (Uttar Pradesh) for three years. “The study revealed that despite the low input cost, returns for ZBNF farmers could not improve due to low yields under the ZBNF system. The rice had 22.6% and wheat had 18.2% lower cost of cultivation in ZBNF than integrated crop management (ICM); the returns fetched were also 58% lower in ZBNF,” the paper said. “The yield outcomes for basmati were 37% and for wheat were 53.9% lower than ICM after the second year. The study also predicted a 32% decline in basmati rice yields and a 59% decline in wheat yields from the current levels if ZBNF is adopted on a large scale.

Lesson from Sri Lanka

The paper said since scientists are apprehensive of the impact ZBNF concoctions can pose on the environment and output sustainability, long-term research and third-party surveillance are needed on the methodology adopted in Andhra Pradesh before amplifying that experiment across all the States. “Moreover, the Sri Lankan crisis [food shortage] acts as a lesson for the entire world to take preparatory actions like educating the farmers and consumers about the likely impact of the switch: creating adequate infrastructure such as availability of inputs for the new farming method and maintenance of supply chains before banning the utilisation of inorganic fertilizers; and spreading awareness among the populace about the potential benefits,” it added.