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Cabinet has approved ₹ 2,481 crore National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) to provide benefits to approximately 1 crore farmers, which is kind of a transformative move in Indian agriculture. The new mission brings together a number of existing schemes, such as Gobardhan Mission, which promoted sustainable agriculture practices.

News of the approval: In announcing the approval, I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the scheme will dovetail all earlier schemes of natural farming that were launched earlier, including the 2019-20 Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Paddhati. Also, notable work initiated by the ministry in 2022–23 on developing a five-kilometer-wide natural farming corridor along the Ganges covering 960,000 hectares will now be expanded and realigned under the new mission.

Natural Farming & Organic Farming

Experts explained that natural farming is different from organic farming. So naturally, organic farming avoids chemicals (both fertilizers and pesticides) and other modern agricultural practices as much as possible, whereas natural farming integrates covering a higher level of the natural ecosystem from soil, water, air, and more. For example, organic farming is seen to be European in origin, while natural farming is claimed as an “Indianised” model based on indigenous knowledge.

A widely practised variation of natural farming is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), though there are many other methods. These practices have been adapted to local agroecological conditions and built on generations of local farming knowledge.

For those interested in learning how organic methods and nutrient management can enhance yield, KhetiGaadi offers counselling and support. Farmers can reach out at 07875114466 or email connect@khetigaadi.com for guidance on improving their agricultural practices. 

Mission Implementation Plan

Within two years, NMNF aims to create 15,000 clusters in Gram Panchayats and provide services to 750,000 hectares of farmland. Farmers who have already initiated natural farming will be given preference, as well as farmers who are a part of the state rural livelihood missions or FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations)

Under this initiative, 10,000 Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs) will be established, providing farmers with easy access to natural farming inputs such as Jeevamrit and Beejamrit. At these model demonstration farms, farmers have the opportunity to learn from master trainers in KVKs, AUs, and farmers’ fields. A total of 2,000 model demonstration farms will be established.

Zamindars: 1.9 million farmers will be trained to prepare their inputs or buy from BRCs, supported by 30,000 Krishi Sakhis to spread awareness, support farmers, and provide help-renewing throughout.

Addressing Nutrient Concerns

Though the mission also focuses on cutting the reliance on chemical fertilizers, it has not eased concerns regarding the sufficiency of soil nutrients. Himanshu Pathak, who is the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), pointed to the difficulty of addressing the nutrient needs of high-yield crops such as paddy.

“Paddy is a high input nutrient system; nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium inputs are generally high for realizing high yield. “Organic matter can contribute some nitrogen, but not enough to meet the whole demand of the crop,” Pathak said. “Farmers require 15-20 tones of organic matter to provide the remaining nitrogen from organic manure, and it will be difficult for farmers to get sufficient organic resources,” he added.

Way Forward

However, despite these issues, the NMNF could be a game-changer for Indian agriculture, promoting sustainability, reducing chemical dependency, and improving overall soil health. The space program also is consistent with India’s more expansive aims of environmental preservation and rural empowerment.

Natural farming, the government hopes, will help realize this vision of a self-reliant, eco-friendly agricultural sector that is productive but sustainable. As part of this initiative, the National Mission on Natural Farming aims to promote natural farming practices across the country, ensuring long-term agricultural sustainability while reducing dependence on chemical inputs.

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