Zero Budget Natural Farming: A Step Forward For Sustainable Agriculture

Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming: The phrase “Zero Budget” refers to growing all crops with zero production costs. It is the practice of growing crops without the use of any external inputs, such as fertilisers and pesticides. The income of the farmers’ is enhanced as a result of ZBNF’s guidance towards sustainable farming methods which help to preserve soil fertility, assure chemical free agriculture, and ensure a economical cost of production (zero cost). Honestly said, ZBNF is a farming technique that highlights cultivating crops in conformity with the environment. The government has been encouraging organic farming under the special programme known as Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) which supports all different types of chemical-free agricultural technique, along with Zero Budget Natural Farming.

Principles of Zero Budget Natural Farming

Below are basic principles of Zero Budget Natural Farming: 

  • External inputs used are Zero 
  • Crops to cover the soil for 365 days (Living Root)
  • Soil disturbance at a minimum 
  • Essential catalysts used are Bio stimulants 
  • Native seed are utilized for mixed farming 
  • Mixed cropping 
  • The incorporation of trees onto the farm
  • Moisture and water Conservation
  • Animals are being used in farming 
  • Addition of more organic debris in the soil 
  • Plant extracts are being used to control pest 
  • No use of artificial pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers

Concerns with Zero Budget Natural Farming 

In 2018, the government introduced the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a centrepiece programme for the Green Revolution, with an appropriation of Rs 3,745 crore for the fiscal year 2019-20. While just Rs 325 crore was allotted to the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, which was created to encourage organic farming and soil health.  After observing that their ZBNF yields began to decline after a few years, many farmers switched back to conventional farming. 

While ZBNF has unquestionably contributed to maintaining soil fertility, its impact on increasing productivity and farmers’ income is still inconclusive.  The first organic state in India, Sikkim, has noticed some yield declines since switching to organic farming.  The long-term effect and viability of the ZBNF Model should be properly validated before it is widely pushed across the nation, according to agricultural scientists.  ZBNF adoption on a large scale could have a negative influence on farmer income and food security.

Components of Zero Budget Natural Farming 

There are four primary ZNBF components and models:

Bijamrita

This is the one of the traditional methods and also a totally scientific method to treat the seeds before sowing. Farmers have been treating their seeds with local cow urine, cow dung, and a small amount of soil from the farm’s bund or land since time immemorial. For preparation of Beejamruth we need 20 l water, 5 kg desi cow dung, 5 l desi cow urine, 50 gm of lime and one handful of soil from bund. As a result, in Natural Farming (ZBNF), seeds are prepared with a combination of cow manure, cow dung, and other locally available products that are equally good at avoiding seed-borne diseases. 

Jiwamrita/Jeevamrutha

It is a microbial liquid that has been distilled. It encourages rapid biological activity and earthworm activity in the soil, thus making nutrients available to the crop (Devarinti, 2016). Jeevamruth is a 200-liter mixture of 10 kg of desi cow dung, 10 liters of desi cow urine, 2 kg of jaggery, and 2 kg of gram flour. Keep the jar in the shade for 48 hours to enable fermentation to occur. Jeevamruth is ready to use after 48 hours. For best results, apply twice a month at 15-day intervals. Jeevamrutha also helps to avoid bacterial and fungal plant diseases. Palekar claims that Jeevamrutha is only needed for the first three years of the transition, after which the system will be self-sufficient. These are cheaper, productive method of fertilizer application. It is essential to understand the valuable parts of bio fertilizers and execute its application to present day farming practices.

Acchadana/Mulching

Coating of the top layer of soil with mulch is known as mulching. A precise microclimate is required for the multiplication, proper growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms introduced by Jivamrut, there are 3 types of mulching methods i.e. Soil mulch, Straw mulch and live mulch. 

Topsoil is coated in soil mulch after planting, and tilling does not kill it. It improves aeration and water preservation in the soil. A microclimate is being provided by straw mulching which strengthen the activity of local earthworms and prevailing microorganisms in the soil. When dead matter from living organisms, such as plants and animals, is buried in soil, the organic dry material decomposes and converts into humus. In Live Mulch, there are the presence of symbiotic mixed crops and intercrops being grown in the same area as monocots and dicots. Leguminous plants are responsible for fixing nitrogen.

Whapasa

It means mixture of air and water in the soil particles. Whapasa is the soil microclimate in which soil organisms and roots can live safely due to the availability of adequate air and necessary moisture. There are few other important principles off ZBNF like intercropping, contours & bunds, mixed cropping crop rotation, cow dung and use of local species of earthworms. 

Pest Management

Pest and diseases are major problems in cultivation of crops and controlling of pest and diseases in natural farming by using natural methods is big challenge. Pest control is an ongoing issue for producers, and it provides an important benefit to the farming community, ZBNF plays an important role in sustainable pest management. They are Agniastra, Bramhastra, and Neemastra (Palekar, 2016). 

Agniastra

It is made up of 10 liters of local cow urine, 1 kilogram of tobacco, 500 grams of green chili, 500 grams of local garlic, and 5 kilograms of crushed neem leaves. 2 liters of Bramhastra are mixed with 100 liters of water for spraying. Against leaf rollers stem, fruit and pod borers agniastra is a very efficient pesticide. 

Bramhastra

Crush 3 kg of neem leaves, 2 kg of custard apple leaves, 2 kg of papaya leaves, 2 kg of pomegranate leaves, and 2 kg of guava leaves in 10 l of cow urine with some water. To spray one acre of soil, dilute 2 -2.5 litres of this solution in 100 litres of water. This access is intensely competent against sucking rodents and pod/fruit borers. 

Neemastra

This solution is airtight for 24 hours after being prepared with 100 l of water, 5 kg of desi cow dung, 5 kg of neem pulp, and 5 l of desi cow urine. It can be used in 24 hours. It works very well against mealy bugs and sucking rodents.

Article taken from – Times of Agriculture Magazine 

AUTHORS- Pallavi Bharti and Pankaj Kumar Ray