Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a group of farming methods, as well as a grassroots peasant movement, that has grown to numerous states in India. It has achieved widespread success in the Southern India region, especially in the South Indian state of Karnataka where it was first developed. In this method, crops are developed without utilizing external products like pesticides and fertilizers. The farming “zero budget” refers to all crops that are grown with zero production costs. The farmers’ income rises as a result of ZBNF’s advice on sustainable farming procedures that support maintaining soil nutrients, provide chemical-free agriculture, and assure low production costs (zero cost). The government has promoted organic farming under the specific Programme called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). This Programme helps with all types of chemical-free farming techniques, including Zero Budget Natural Farming.

Importance of Zero Budget Natural Farming

The neo-liberalization of the Indian economy led to a deep agriculture crisis which made small-scale farming an unprofitable profession. Privatized seeds, inputs, and marketplaces are out of reach and expensive for peasants. Indian farmers progressively find themselves in a vicious cycle of debt due to high production costs, high-interest rates for loans, Changes in market prices of crops, rising costs of fossil fuel-based inputs, and use of the private seeds. Debt is a problem for farmers of all sizes in India. Due to this procedure of ‘zero budget’ farming promises to support the end of loans and drastically reduce production costs, closure the debt cycle for disappointed farmers. The word ‘budget’ describes credit and spending, thus the phrase ‘zero budget’ means without using any loans, and without spending much money on purchased private seeds and other expensive products. ‘Natural farming’ describes farming with nature and not using chemicals.

Advantages of Zero Budget Natural Farming

ZBNF is the most useful method and highly usable process by the farmers of India, some of its important advantage points are given below

• ZBNF is the best method for all crops, this method uses around 50 to 60% less water and electricity compared to non-ZBNF methods.
• The ZBNF significantly reduces methane emissions through numerous aerations.
• The cost of cultivation is very cheap in the ZBNF method.
• The main reason for debt and suicide amongst farmers is the rising expensive of external products such as- seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. According to data from the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), more than half of farmers are indebted, and approximately 70% of households in the agriculture industry spend more than their income.
• The cost of production can be decreased and agriculture can be transformed into a “zero budget” endeavor as there is no requirement to spend money or occur loans for external inputs under ZBNF procedure.
• Zero budget natural farming is completely chemical free technology, it is environmentally beneficial and developed organic produce which gives more profit to the farmers than normal agricultural produce.

Elements of Zero-Budget Natural Farming

There are four primary ZNBF components and models:

Bijamrita: As indigenous cow species are more responsive to the environmental condition of our region and easier to maintain for small and marginal farmers, the seeds are prepared using their waste and urine.Bijamrita is used to sterilize seeds, whereas tobacco, green chili extract, and neem leaves and pulp are used to control insects and pests.

Jiwamrita/Jeevamrutha: A natural resource that is utilized to enhance the fertility and nutritional value of soil is cow waste. A one gram of cow waste may consist of 300–500 billion helpful microorganisms. These bacteria support the breakdown of the soil’s biomass and transform it into obtainable usable nutrients for crops.

Covering/Mulching: The procedure of mulching included the incorporation of cover crops, organic debris, or agricultural residues into the topsoil.

Soil Aeration: A sufficient amount of air must be able to circulate through the soil for plants to develop and thrive.

Zero Budget Natural Farming Crop Model

The basic principle of this model is that of growing polyculture or short- and long-term (primary crop) crops together. In order to recover the cost of cultivating the main crops from the income from the short-term crops, leading to “zero” spending on the primary crop. As a result, this farming method is known as “Zero Budget Natural Farming..

Who Introduced Zero Budget Natural Farming?

Subhash Palekar is an Indian farmer from Belora village in Amravati district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. He is the founder of Zero Budget Natural Farming Method. They developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to Green Revolution technology. He has also received Indian Agriculturist and Padma Shri award through ZBNF process. Some of the important points made by Subhash Palekar in support of the ZBNF technique are:

• Approximately lakhs of farmers are using the ZBNF method for various agro-climatic zones and soil types..
• Everything that a plant requires to grow is present in nature. No external chemicals are needed to develop the plant. For example – earthworm excrement consists of seven times more nitrogen than soil.
• A large number of small farmers are using this technique because they believe that ZNBF is a strategy that can help them become debt- and default-free. It improves the profitability and sustainability of farming.

Farmer Income Through Zero Budget Natural Farming Process

• The ZBNF method is low-cost of production and farmers do not have to purchase any external inputs to start the agricultural process of cultivation.
• In comparison to conventional farming techniques, zero-budget natural farming used just 10% of the water that was used by the farmer.
• As it encourages the use of Indian local breeds of the cow for 30 acres of yields, it makes it possible for farmers to make financial success earlier than they had anticipated.
• According to Subhash Palekar, zero-budget farming could generate an income of Rs 6 lakh per acre in irrigated regions and Rs 1.5 lakh per acre in non-irrigated regions.

Difference Between Zero Budget Natural Farming and Organic Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming	Organic Farming
This is a low-cost technique that is used to cultivate the process.	This is an expensive technique that is used to cultivate the process.
This is done in natural ecosystems. Natural farming involves no-tillage, soil tilling, fertilizer, or weeding.	Organic farming requires ploughing, tillage, fertilization, weeding, and other basic agricultural operations.
ZBNF does not utilize chemical or organic fertilizers on the soil. In fact, no additional nutrients are added to the soil or provided to the plants.	Organic fertilizers and compost, like manure, microbial compost, and cow waste manure are used and put into the agricultural ground in organic farming.
ZBNF technology is used to develop the best agriculture and earn more money by spending less money.	Organic farming techniques are used to develop best agriculture and earn money by spending more money.