What is Zero Budget Natural Farming
Agriculture is the most important sector of Indian Economy. Agriculture in India is a backbone for Indian Economy. Indian agriculture sector accounts for 18 per cent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and provides employment to 50% of the countries workforce. India is the world’s largest producer of pulses, rice, wheat, spices and spice products.
FINANCE Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s mention of ‘zero budget’ in farming when she announced the focus areas in agriculture while presenting her first Budget has come at a time when a major report. It’s time for a historic drive to put health at the heart of our food system, the Commission observes, and adds: “All effort, policy, legislation, money and resources must be directed towards implementing and accelerating a transition plan for climate, nature, public health and well being.” — These are the lines published in The Tribune by Devinder Sharma.
Why you need shift in agroecology?
Here is the reason! Application of chemical fertilizers, pesticides have boomed in the agricultural land after green revolution. The average consumption of fertilizers increased from 106 kg per ha in 2005–06 to 128kg per ha in 2012–13.While the recommended ratio of use of NPK fertilizers is 4:2:1, this ratio in India is currently at 6.7:2.4:1.Overuse of urea is especially observed in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.The Committee observed that currently, 292 out of the 525 districts (56%) in the country account for 85% of its fertilizer use & chemical pesticides increased from 55,540 tonnes in 2010–11 to 57,353 tonnes in 2014–15. An imbalanced use of fertilizers may lead to a loss of fertility in the soil over a period of time, affecting productivity.
So to head better life by superior well being !
Come let’s practice brand new farming in agriculture i.e, Zero Budget Natural Farming which means investment is zero in agriculture farming. Natural farming is an ecological farming approach. Zero budget natural farming movement in India is begin by Subhash Palekar, is an Indian agriculturist.Palekar received fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri in 2016 from Government of India thus becoming first active Indian farmer to do so.
Natural farming is practised by using the things which are naturally available in nature. All things required for the growth of the plant are available around the root zone of the plants.Our soil is prosperous-full of nutrients, Only 1.5 to 2.0% nutrients taken from soil remaining 98 to 98.5% nutrients are taken from air, water & solar energy. According to Palekar there are four artefact followed in natural farming.
1.Jeevamrutha
2.Bijamrita
3.Mulching
4.Waaphasa
Jeevamrutha: It is a fermented product which is used as plant growth enhancing substance prepared with naturally available materials. It is microbial culture. Materials used to prepare jeevamrutha are cow dung, water, cow urine, flour, jaggery, soil. Cow dung of our local cow is effective and mainly, the cow dung and urine of black colored Kapila cow is most effective. And the cow dung should be used as fresh as possible and the urine as old as possible. Only one cow is needed for thirty acres of land. For one acre land, only ten kilogram of local cow dung is sufficient per month. We can mix half cow dung and half dung of bullock or buffalo. One local cow gives on an average about 11 Kg of cow dung, one bullock about 13 Kg of dung and one buffalo about 15 Kg dung per day. For one acre one day’s cow dung is enough.
Preparation of jeevamrutha:
- Take 200 litres of water in a container.
- Take 10kg cow dung of local cow and 5–10 litres of cow urine and mix them thoroughly without leaving any pellets.
- Add a mixture of cow dung and cow urine to the water container.
- Then add 2 kg pulses flour, 2 kg jaggery and a handful of soil to water container.
- Stir the solution well and allow it to ferment for 48 hours in a shadow.
- And solution should be stirred three times a day which helps the fermentation process of the materials in the solution by microorganisms.
Rotate the solution 3times a day for 2–3days
Now jeevamrutha is ready for application, it is applied with irrigation water within 7 days from the preparation. 200 litres of jeevamrutha is sufficient for one acre of land. It should be applied once in 15 days or at least once a month. For three months crop it can be applied every 15 days. Further, 100 liters of water should be mixed with 5 liters of filtered jeevamrutha and sprayed over the crops.
It promotes biological activity in the soil and makes the nutrients available to the crops.When we apply jeevamrutha to the soil, we add nearly 500-crore micro-organisms to the soil. These microorganisms convert the non-available form of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate, potash, iron, sulphur, calcium, etc into available form.
Bijamrita: It is a treatment used for seeds, seedlings or any planting material. It is effective in protecting young roots from fungus. It is composed of similar ingredients as Jeevamrutha- 5kg cow dung, 5ltr cow urine, 50gm lime, 20ltr water & soil.
Preparation of Bijamrita:
- Take 20litres of water in container.
- Take 5kg local cow dung in a cloth and tie it, hang this cloth into water container for 12 hours.
- Take 50gm of lime and soak it in 1litre for a night.
- After 12 hours squeeze the cow dung cloth in water container for 3 times. Add a handful of soil in that mixture and stir it well.
- Then add 5litres of desi cow urine and lime water in that mixture and stir it well.
- Now, bijamrita is ready for application. Seeds are treated with bijamrita, well mixing is ensured, dry it well before sowing.
Mulching: It is a process of covering the soil and make more favorable conditions for plant growth, development. It prevents the water evaporation in the soil, controls weed growth & improves soil fertility. The micro-organisms, insects & earthworms works only when there is a microclimate. This micro climate is created by mulching.There are different types of mulching- soil mulching(cultivation practices), straw mulching and live mulching (inter crop and mixed cropping)
Waaphasa: It means the mixture of 50% air & 50% water vapor in the cavities between soil particles. Waaphasa refers to the micro climate in the soil, by which the soil organisms and roots can live freely with the availability of sufficient air and essential moisture in the soil. When you give water outside the canopy of the plant i.e. outside the shadow of the plant at 12 O’ clock, then only Waaphasa will be maintained.
“Let’s begin your journey towards chemical free agriculture”.
Reference:
1.http://bit.ly/Farmingnaturally
2.http://bit.ly/spnfagriculture
3.https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/043015/fundamentals-how-india-makes-its-money.asp
6.https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/zero-budget-farming/805658.html
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