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ABSTRACT

Agriculture is an important as well as indispensable sector in India for the sustenance and growth of the Indian economy. Farmers are depended on inorganic or external chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides which lead to contamination of groundwater as well as other water associated ecosystems. It also leads to reduction in soil fertility over time. Overuse of pesticides, fertilizers or other chemical inputs is a serious problem for the health of farmers across India. In order to ensuring food security by reviving Indian agriculture in environmentally safe way and to release farmers from debt cycle, zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) can be a viable solution. It discards use of all the chemical inputs and depends on natural way. Zero budget natural farming has mainly four pillars that are ‘Jivamrita’, ‘Bijamrita’, ‘Acchadana’ (mulching) and ‘Whapasa’. It means no money is spent to purchase inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Zero budget farming promises to exorbitantly reduce production costs. Zero budget farmers relies on mulching, soil conservation techniques, natural pesticides and fertilizers. Due to continuous retention of crop residues replenishment the soil fertility, it helps in maintaining the soil health. Management of pest and diseases is a key component in zero budget natural farming crop production systems. In ZBNF, formulae for fungicides i.e. sour buttermilk (khattilassi), ‘Sonthastra’ for pest management i.e. ‘Agniastra’, ‘Brahmastra’, ‘Neemastra’, ‘Dashparni ark’. ZBNF allows farmer to grow chemical free as well as healthy and safe food.

Keywords: Crop residue, Mulching, Soil fertility, Zero budget natural farming

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A way towards sustainable agriculture through zero budget natural farming_compressed.pdf