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.

Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a holistic farming approach that prioritizes sustainability and self-sufficiency by minimizing external inputs and maximizing the use of natural resources. Understanding the Zero Budget Natural Farming components and pillars is essential for implementing this agricultural approach effectively. Zero Budget Natural Farming was introduced by Subhash Palekar.

Zero Budget Natural Farming does not rely on external chemical inputs, pesticides, or fertilizers. In this article, we will cover the Zero Budget Natural Farming importance, advantages, and more in detail.

Table of Content

  • What is Zero Budget Natural Farming?
  • Zero Budget Natural Farming Components
  • 4 Pillars of Zero-Budget Natural Farming
    • Bijamrita
    • Jiwamrita/Jeevamrutha
    • Acchadana/Mulching
    • Whaphasa/Soil Aeration
  • Zero Budget Natural Farming VS Organic Farming
  • Importance of Zero Budget Natural Farming
  • Advantages of Zero Budget Natural Farming
  • Issues with Zero Budget Natural Farming
  • Zero Budget Natural Farming Crop Model
  • Who Introduced Zero Budget Natural Farming?
  • Farmer Income Through Zero Budget Natural Farming Process

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What is Zero Budget Natural Farming?

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a sustainable farming approach that does not rely on any chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It has achieved widespread success in the Southern India region, especially in the South Indian state of Karnataka where it was first developed. The farming “zero budget” refers to all crops that are grown with zero production costs....

Zero Budget Natural Farming Components

The various components of Zero Budget Natural Farming are discussed below:...

4 Pillars of Zero-Budget Natural Farming

There are four primary pillars of ZNBF are:...

Zero Budget Natural Farming VS Organic Farming

The major difference between zero budget natural farming and organic farming are given below:...

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....

Advantages of Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming is the most useful method and highly usable process by the farmers of India, some of its important advantage points are given below...

Issues with Zero Budget Natural Farming

Even though Zero budget natural farming is revolutionary but still it has some issues. These problems and disadvantages are given below:...

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:...

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....

Conclusion – Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) represents a revolutionary approach to agriculture, emphasizing sustainability and self-sufficiency by minimizing external inputs and maximizing natural resources. Introduced by Subhash Palekar, it eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, focusing instead on organic practices. By promoting soil health, reducing production costs, and enhancing biodiversity, ZBNF offers a promising solution to the challenges faced by farmers. Despite its advantages, transitioning to ZBNF may pose initial challenges, including the need for training, awareness, and market access. Nevertheless, its potential to improve farmer income and environmental sustainability makes ZBNF a significant advancement in agricultural practices....

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FAQs on Zero Budget Natural Farming

What is the Zero Budget Natural Farming?...