16 Dec  Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) (GS-1,3)

Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF)- Today Current Affairs

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a set of farming methods which supports chemical-free agriculture practice drawing from traditional Indian practices . It was also a grassroots peasant movement, which spread to various states in India especially in the southern India state of Karnataka where it first evolved.  This practice was originally propagated by an agriculturist and recipient of Padma Shri Subhash Palekar,  along with the state’s farmers association called Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), put together these zero budget farming practices as an alternative to many unsustainable agricultural practice under Green Revolution that were driven by chemical fertilizers,  pesticides and intensive irrigation.

The liberalization and the green revolution of Indian agriculture led to a deep crisis in Indian agriculture that made small scale farming an impractical profession as seeds became costly, inputs, and markets were inaccessible and expensive for small and poor peasants. Indian farmers increasingly find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of debt, because of the high production costs, high interest rates for credit, the volatile market prices of crops, the rising costs of fossil fuel based inputs, and private seeds. Debt especially taken from non institutional sources, is a problem for farmers of all sizes in India. Under such circumstances ZBFN promises to end poor peasants’ reliance on loans and drastically cut production costs, ending the debt cycle for them.

The word ‘budget’ refers to earning and expenses, thus the phrase ‘Zero Budget’ means without using any money, and without spending also on the purchase of inputs. ‘Natural farming’ means farming in sync with Nature and without chemicals. 

There are four pillars of ZBNF: The Hindu Analysis

1. Jivamrita/jeevamrutha

2. Bijamrita/beejamrutha

3. Acchadana – mulching

4. Whapasa – moisture

1. Jeevamrutha:

Jeevamrutha is the first and important pillar of zero budget farming. It is a blend of aged cow urine and fresh cow dung from India’s indigenous jaggery, water, pulse flour, soil, and cow breed. This mixture is one type of natural fertilizer that not only provides nutrients, but also acts as a catalytic agent that promotes the activity of microorganisms, especially earthworm in the soil,  which is applied to farmland.

2. Bijamrita:

It is the second pillar used for the treatment of seeds, seedlings or any planting material. It is a blend of tobacco, green chilies, and neem leaf pulp etc so that it became effective in protecting young roots from fungus as well as from soil-borne and seed-borne diseases. It provides a kind of natural protection to seeds.

3. Acchadana (Mulching):

Acchadana (Mulching) is the third pillar of this farming practice. It helps to maintain soil moisture content by any of the 3 mulching practices- Soil Mulch, Straw Mulch, Live Mulch. This pillar helps to protect the topsoil of the farmland and does not ruin it by tilling.

4. Whapasa (Moisture):

It is a condition where both water and air molecules are present in the soil. It helps to reduce the extra irrigation requirement.

Advantages of Zero Budget Natural Farming: Today Current Affairs

• reduces the initial cost of farmers for inputs

• Farmer’s income will increase automatically

• The soil ecosystem will improve

• Cow dung which is full of nutrients and available locally, will add soil value

• Cow dung’s bacteria will decompose the organic matter in soil and will make soil  suitable for the plants

• Low consumption of electricity and water

• Improves the productivity of the soil

• It will decrease the risk of diseases attacking the crop.

•  Farming production quality improves as we use no chemical fertilizers 

There are many government initiatives for supporting practices like organic farming, zero budget based natural farming etc. 

The Government of India is promoting these initiatives in the country through schemes like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) etc.

In the revised guidelines of the PKVY scheme during the year 2018, various organic farming models like Natural Farming, Rishi Farming, Vedic Farming, Cow Farming, Homa Farming, Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) etc. have been included.

Here we mention all information about Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) Today Current Affairs. The Hindu Analysis.

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Swarn Singh

Plutus IAS Current Affair Team Member