*Research paper warns against nationwide switch to natural farming without proper studies* https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/academic-paper-warns-against-nationwide-switch-to-natural-farming-without-proper-studies/article67907796.ece *The Hindu Bureau | March 3, 2024
While organic farming and related practices like natural farming are successful in niche markets where a premium price can compensate for the returns from lower yields, a complete switch to organic mode can hamper national food production. “Resilient supply chain networks for the farm inputs required in natural farming are a prerequisite to transitioning towards natural farming,”
The paper is titled ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Implications for Sustainability, Profitability, and Food Security <https://icrier.org/publications/zero-budget-natural-farming-implications-for-sustainability-profitability-and-food-security/>
The paper noted that in Andhra Pradesh, the study by the CESS and the IDSAP
on six main crops of the State (paddy, groundnut, cotton, Bengal gram,
black gram, and maize) suggested low expenditure on biological inputs and
lower paid-out costs for the ZBNF farmers in comparison with non-ZBNF
farmers. “The expenditure on inputs for ZBNF practitioners was 3.54% to
74.63% lower than the non-ZBNF practitioners, and the paid-out costs were
9.08% to 35.97% lower than non-ZBNF, for a majority of ZBNF crops,
indicating higher savings in the ZBNF method. “Interestingly, the yield was
also higher in most ZBNF crops than the non-ZBNF crops, ranging between
0.94% and 23.4%,” the paper said.
The findings of ICAR-IIFSR, on the other hand, were in complete contrast
with the CESS-IDSAP results. ICAR-IIFSR tested ZBNF over basmati rice-wheat
cropping system at Pantnagar (Uttarakhand), Ludhiana (Punjab), Kurukshetra
(Haryana), and Modipuram (Uttar Pradesh) for three years. “The study
revealed that despite the low input cost, returns for ZBNF farmers could
not improve due to low yields under the ZBNF system. The rice had 22.6% and
wheat had 18.2% lower cost of cultivation in ZBNF than integrated crop
management (ICM); the returns fetched were also 58% lower in ZBNF,