What is Natural Farming?
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Natural Farming can be defined as “chemical-free farming and livestock-based”.
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It is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity.
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Natural Farming has many indigenous forms in India, the most popular one is practised in Andhra Pradesh called Zero Budget Natural Farming(ZBNF).
What are the benefits of Natural Farming?
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Improves Yield
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Increased Farmers Income
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Minimize the cost of production
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Ensure better Health as less use of fertilizers and pesticides, reduces the incidence of non-communicable diseases
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Employment Generation
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Eliminate the application of chemical inputs
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Environment Conservation
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Reduce Water Consumption
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Rejuvenate Soil Health
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Resilience to the crops against weather extremities.
What is the scheme to promote Natural Farming?
Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati(BPKP): BPKP is a sub-mission under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana(PKVY) which falls within the umbrella of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA).
Aim: To promote traditional indigenous practices, which give freedom to farmers from externally purchased inputs.
Focus: It focuses on on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching; use of cow dung–urine formulations; and exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs either directly or indirectly.