Vol. 10, Special Issue 7 (2021)

Author(s):
Akkamahadevi Naik and Ashokkumar B

Abstract:
Agriculture is considered the backbone of Indian economy since centuries. Initially India had subsistence type of farming but as the dependence on food grains increased with increasing population it had automatically shifted to commercial farming. The present form of agriculture is over burdened with inorganic chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. Therefore when a farmer with a small farmland invests on expensive inputs, he is exposed to high monetary risk and gets trapped eventually into the debt cycle. With such diverse negative impacts of commercial farming it has become highly essential to adopt other ways which can lead to better results with negligible impact on natural resources. So, here comes the question that, what are the ways in which low-input farming can be practiced to achieve good production outputs? The solution for this question is ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’ (ZBNF). The concept was first developed in Maharashtra by Subash Palekar. ZBNF, as the name indicates, where the cost of growing and harvesting is zero. It means that farmers no need to purchase fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure the healthy growth of the crops and also this system of farming improves the nutritional value and crop production thereby contributing to the food security in the country.