Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)
Source: The Hindu
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Overview
- News in Brief
- How it helps
Why in the News?
An academic paper published by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has cautioned the Centre against a complete switch to natural farming, on the grounds that it can hamper national food production.
News in Brief
- The paper was titled ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Implications for Sustainability, Profitability, and Food Security’.
- It was carried out by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
- Due to the possibility that it might reduce the country’s food output, it advised the government against making the whole transition to natural farming.
- There was a stark difference between the two ZBNF tests carried out by different scientific organizations.
- It includes Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Institute for Development Studies Andhra Pradesh (IDSAP), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR).
About Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)
What is Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)?
- Zero Budget Natural Farming is a chemical-free agricultural technique based on age-old Indian customs.
- This will bring down the cost of production to almost zero.
- It was developed in 1990s and promoted by agriculturist Subhash Palekar, who developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods.
- All agricultural inputs are prepared by the farmer from his farm, no inputs are purchased from the market.
Objective
- To encourage natural farming methods that are climate-tolerant and kind to the environment in order to boost the land’s fertility.
- To lower cultivation costs through integrated, sustainable, and low-irrigation organic farming practices, allowing farmers to earn more money per unit of land.
- Production of wholesome, chemical-free food for the well-being and health of people.safeguarding the environment and biodiversity.
- Fostering the growth of farmers as groups or clusters to enable them to produce, process, and advance.
- To turn farmers into businesses through direct marketing and national market connections.
What are the benefits?
- A subsidy of 50% is provided to farmers to buy the farming items.
- 50% of the total cost of available other waste material or a maximum of Rs.600/- per farmer will be given as subsidy by DBT.
- Training & Farmers Tours and Gram Panchayat level Training.
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