Submit

Review Article

Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika, volume 37 issue 2 (june 2022) : 105-113

​Zero Budget Natural Farming for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review

C.K. Saxena, Mukesh Kumar, R.K. Singh
1Division of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal-462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India.

  • Submitted04-03-2022|

  • Accepted31-05-2022|

  • First Online 23-06-2022|

  • doi 10.18805/BKAP482

Cite article:- Saxena C.K., Kumar Mukesh, Singh R.K. (2022). ​Zero Budget Natural Farming for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review. Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 37(2): 105-113. doi: 10.18805/BKAP482.

ABSTRACT

Making and maintaining the agriculture into a profitable business in the context of increasing population, food security and depleting natural resources is a very complex problem. Providing contamination free food with rich nutrition is an immediate and future challenge besides maintaining soil and environmental health. Ecosystem based Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) recommends the use of organic crop rotation, compost and green manure, organic pest control etc. as well as mechanized farming operations. The present article discusses the importance and practicality of ZBNF on the basis of available literature. Its benefits and consequences are far-reaching. Hence an attempt has been made to describe the ZBNF system, its utility and sustainability for Indian agricultural conditions. The four major components of ZBNF; such as Jivamrit, Achchhadan, Bijamrit and Vapasa etc are reported to be very cost-effective. In addition to the description of these, discussions on natural insecticidal measures, major benefits and challenges of ZNBF have also been included. The need has been felt for the necessary policy interventions in the absence of detailed published scientific research literature and hence, a few salient points have been discussed. This discussion will be a contribution in taking Indian agriculture a step forward.

REFERENCES


  1. Amalraj, E.L.D., Praveen, K.G, Mir Hassan Ahmed, S.K., Abdul, R. and Kishore, N. (2013). Microbiological analysis of panchagavya, vermicompost and FYM and their effect on plant growth promotion of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) in Indian. Organic Agriculture. 3: 23-29.

  2. Anbukkarasi, V. and Sadasakthi, A. (2011). Effect of vrkshayurveda treatments on improved yield, quality and economics of bhendi [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] cv. Arka Anamika. Agri. Sci. Digest. 31(4): 270-274.

  3. Anbukkarasi, V. and Sadasakthi, A. (2013). Effect of Vrkshayurvedic farming on physiological parameters, nutrient uptake, pest and disease incidence in Bhendi. Madras Agri. J. 100(1/3): 88-91. 

  4. Badwal, D. P. S., Kumar, M., Singh, H., Simran and Kaur S. (2019). Zero budget natural farming in India- A review. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci. 8(12): 869- 873. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019. 812.111.

  5. Bajpai, A. and Saxena, C.K. (2017). Temporal variability of hydraulic performance in drip irrigated banana field. Research on Crops. 18(1): 66-71. DOI : 10.5958/ 2348-7542.2017.00012.2.

  6. Bao, L.J., Wei, Y.L., Yao, Y., Ruan, Q.Q. and Zeng, E.Y. (2015). Global trends of research on emerging contaminants in the environment and humans: Literature assimilation. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res. 22: 1635-1643. DOI: 10.1007/ s11356-014-3404-8. 

  7. Bishnoi, R. and Bhati, A. (2017). An overview: Zero budget natural farming. Trends Biosci. 10(46), Print: ISSN 0974-8431, 9314-9316. 

  8. Boomathi, N., Sivasubramanian, P. and Raguraman, S. (2006). Biological activities of cow excreta with neem seed kernel extract against Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). Ann. Plant Sci. 14(1): 226. 

  9. Boraiah, B., Devakumar, N., Shubha, S., Palanna, K.B. (2017). Effect of panchagavya, jeevamrutha and cow urine on beneficial microorganisms and yield of capsicum [Capsicum annuum (L.) var. grossum]. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci. 6(9): 3226-3234. 

  10. CEIC, (2022). India Wholesale Price Index: 82p: Average: Manufactured Products: Food: Others: Cattle Feed. https://www.ceicdata.com/en/india/wholesale-price- index-198182100-manufactured-products-food/ wholesale-price-index-82p-average-manufactured- products-food-others-cattle-feed.

  11. Damalas, C.A. and Koutroubas, S.D. (2016). Farmers’ exposure to pesticides: Toxicity types and ways of prevention. Toxics. 4(1): 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics4010001. 

  12. Gavrilescu, M., Demnerová, K., Aamand, J., Agathos, S. and Fava, F. (2015). Emerging pollutants in the environment: Present and future challenges in biomonitoring, ecological risks and bioremediation. New Biotechnol. 32: 147-156. DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2014.01.001. 

  13. Gugalia, Gunmala (2021). A sustainable agriculture: Organic farming: A Review. Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 36(3): 204-207. DOI: 10.18805/BKAP307.

  14. Jannoura, R., Joergensen, G.R. and Bruns, C. (2014). Organic fertilizer effects on growth, crop yield and soil microbial biomass indices in sole and intercropped peas and oats under organic farming conditions. Eur. J. Agron. 52(B): 259-270.

  15. Khadse, A.P., Rosset, H., Morales and Ferguson, B.G. (2017). Taking agroecology to scale: The zero budget natural farming peasant movement in Karnataka, India. J. Peasant Stud. 45(1): 192-219. DOI: 10.1080/03066150. 2016.1276450.

  16. Kulrajan, R. (2018). Growing importance of natural farming in India. https://www.ecoideaz.com/expert-corner/ growing-importance-natural-farming-india-2.

  17. Kumar, N. (2012). Subash Palekar’s zero budget no-till rice farming. My experiments with farming Feb 2012.  http://farming-experiments.blogspot.com/2012/02/ subash-palekars-zero-budget-no-till.html.

  18. Kumar, R., Kumar, S., Yashavanth B.S., Meena, P.C., Indoria, A.K., Kundu, S. and Manjunath, M. (2020). Adoption of natural farming and its effect on crop yield and farmers’ livelihood in India. ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, India. pp: 131.

  19. Naresh, R.K., Shukla, A.K., Kumar, M., Kumar, A., Gupta, R.K., Vivek, Singh, S.P., Purushattom, Singh, P.K., Kumar, Y., Singh, S.P., Tomar, S.P., Singh, Vineet, Rathi, R.C., Mahajan, N.C., Kumar, S. and Singh, S. (2018). Cowpathy and vedic krishi to empower food and nutritional security and improve soil health: A review. J. Pharmacognosy Phytochem. 7(1): 560-575. 

  20. Neelam, H.S.C., Kadian, K.S. (2016). Cow based natural farming practice for poor and small land holding farmers: A case study from Andhra Pradesh, India. Agric. Sci. Digest. 36(4): 282-286. DOI: 10.18805/ asd.v36i4.6468.

  21. Palekar, S. (2006). The Principles of Spiritual Farming II. 2nd ed. Amravati: Zero Budget Natural Farming Research, Development and Extension Movement, Amravati, Maharashtra, India. http://www.vedicbooks.net/ principles-spiritual-farming-volume-p-14779.html.  

  22. Pandey, J. and Singh, A. (2012). Opportunities and constraints in organic farming: An Indian perspective. J. Sci. Res. 56: 47-72.

  23. Papadopoulos, A., Bird, N., Whitmore, P.A. and Mooney, J.S. (2014). Does organic management lead to enhanced soil physical quality? Geoderma. 213: 435-443.

  24. Rana, N., Kumar, R., Punam, Sharma, G.D., Sharma, R.P., Pareek, B., Upadhyay, R.G. (2021). Performance of different farming practices in legume-based cropping system under Mid-hills of H.P. Himalayas. Legume Research. DOI: 10.18805/LR-4722.

  25. Sarma, G.V.P. (2016). Campaign to reduce use of chemical fertilizers pesticides. The Hindu. May 28, 2016. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/ campaign-to-reduce-use-of-chemical-fertilizers- pesticides/article8658651.ece.

  26. Satishkumar, M. and Umesh, K.B. (2018). Farmers strategies to cope labour shortage in northern and southern dry zones of Karnataka, India. Curr. Agric. Res. J. 6(2): 206-12. DOI: 10.12944/CARJ.6.2.10.

  27. Saxena, C.K., Ambast, S.K., Gupta, S.K. (2020).  Laser land levelling for higher water productivity in rice-wheat system. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering. 9(8): 374-379. DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6482.069820.

  28. Saxena, C.K., Bajpai, A., Nayak, A.K., Pyasi, S.K., Singh, R., Gupta, S.K. (2017). Hydraulic Performance of Litchi and Banana under Drip Irrigation. In: Micro Irrigation Scheduling and Practices, under the Book Series, [Goyal, Megh, R., Panigrahi, Balram and Panda, S.N. (Eds.)], Innovations and Challanges in Micro Irrigation- Volume 7, Apple Academic Press, Inc. Waretown, NJ 08758 USA. (ISBN 13: 978-1-77188- 552-2): 99-116.

  29. Saxena, C.K., Gupta, S.K. (2006). Uniformity of water application under drip irrigation in litchi plantation and impact of pH on its growth in partially reclaimed alkali soil. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 43(3): 1-9.

  30. Saxena, C.K., Gupta, S.K., Purohit, R.C. and Bhakar, S.R. (2015). Salt water dynamics under point source of drip irrigation. Indian J. Agric. Res. 19(2): 101-113. DOI: 10.5958/0976-058X.2015.00016.5.

  31. Saxena, C.K., Singh, Ramadhar, Pyasi, S.K. and Mekale, Kumar, A. (2018). Evaluation of movement of wetting front under surface point source of drip irrigation in vertisols. J. Agric. Eng. 55(2): 61-67. 

  32. Sreenivasa, M.N. Nagaraj N. and Bhat, S.N. (2009). Beejamrutha: A source for beneficial bacteria. Karnataka J. Agric. Sci. (UAS). 22(5): 1038-40. 

  33. Swain, S.S., Sahu, G.S., Mishra, N. (2015). Effect of panchagavya on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Kuchinda Local. Green Farming. 6(2): 338-340.

  34. Swaminathan, C., Swaminathan, V., Vijayalakshmi, K., Panchagavya (2007). Boon to Organic Farming, First edition, International Book Distributors, Lucknow. 20-63.

  35. Tharmaraj, K., Ganesh, P., Sureshkumar, R., Anandan, A. and Kolanjinathan, K. (2011). A critical review on panchagavya - A boon plant growth. Int. J. Pharm. Biol. Arch. 2(6): 1611-1614.

  36. Wezel, A. Bellon, S. Doré, T. Francis, C. Vallod, D. and David, C. (2009). Agroecology as a science, a movement and a practice. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 29: 503-15. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0394-03.
Reviewed By

Download Article
In this Article
    Contact us
    Follow us

    Editorial Board

    View all (0)